Ethno-cultural stereotypes in the function of local identities

Abstract

The paper discusses various problems in regional identities of ethnic and other groups in Serbia. According to the author, a forming and maintenance of local identities is under a heavy influence of stereotypes held by one group towards the other, neighboring groups, where ethno-demographic, historical and socioeconomic features also play the role. Cultural and character features of a group stand out as markers of the group homogeneity; these markers also serve to differentiate a group from another, while humor is cited as a primary way to express a stereotype. The author further discusses long lasting and slow changes in stereotyping, and argues that stereotypes could be overcome with a more even distribution of existential means along side better understanding of ethno-cultural characteristics of an ethnicity. The research in Serbia confirms inter-dependency of local identities and stereotypes; this, in turn, creates conditions for forming cultural types of population (in this case the Goranci and Era) which represent local cultures and carriers of local identities.

Keywords

• ethnic group
• local identity
• stereotypes
• ethnodemographic processes
• history
• socio-economic factors
• cultural types