Torsello, Davide - Pappová, Melinda: Social Networks in Movement. Time, interaction and interethnic spaces in Central Eastern Europe - Nostra Tempora 8. (Somorja-Dunaszerdahely, 2003)
Time and social networks
Identities in change 49 The Barthian model Fredric Barth borrows the foundations of his approach (Barth 1969) partly from the "corporate group theory” of Anglo- Saxon social anthropology, partly from Goffmann’s interactionist model. In his main statements he elaborates that ethnic identity is a necessary factor of social organization. The cultural differences experienced in the society are organized through/inside ethnic identity. As a social phenomenon, it is group-dependent. Because Barth talks about social processes and organizations, the stress is not on the cultural content but on the circumstances (motivations, means) of boundarymaking. The boundary-maintaining processes need special interactions between different groups. According to the Barthian interpretation, ethnic identity is not a cultural “sign”, a category; instead, it is formed and reformed under actual economic and social influences, thus it is situation-dependent. Belonging to an ethnic group is a matter of constant outside and inside reconciliation, thus ethnic identity is based on classifications and self-classifications. The cultural differences between two groups have a border-making function, they appear as points of refraction on a society-wide cultural continuum. Although this approach has not been called “constructivist” when it was formulated (the term itself was born later), the model became the forerunner of the post-modern perspectives in cultural anthropology. This theory required a rethinking of not just the concept of ethnicity but also of the concept of culture itself. Barth (1996) discusses the processes of social identity formulations on three levels of organization. At the microlevel he describes individual experiences and actions. The individual creates his/her social identity during certain community actions and in some decision-making situations by accepting certain models and refusing others. We can speak about ethnicity at this level if the two groups are in daily contact with each other, the differences become represented and borders are created at the same time.
