Ethnic and National Identity
MIT OpenCourseWare's introduction to the cross-cultural study of ethnic and national identity examines social identity as a concept and how gendered, linguistic, religious, and ethno-racial components interact within it. The course traces the history of nationalism, including the rise of the nation-state, alongside topics like ethnic conflict, globalization, identity politics, and human rights. Materials include the full syllabus, readings drawn from anthropology and political theory, and assignments used in the MIT course, all available to study at no cost. The course is designed for students with no prior background in the subject and situates ethnicity and nationhood within a broader anthropological framework rather than treating them as fixed or natural categories.