ABSTRACT
Social and political mobilization on the basis of ethnic belonging can mean the formation of separate organizational or institutional structures by minorities – that is, community formation. It can also mean action within mainstream structures by groups based on common ethnic identification. Ethnic mobilization is often a reaction to the social, cultural and political exclusion experienced by immigrants, indigenous peoples and other minorities. Mobilization may exacerbate such divisions by reinforcing fears of separatism and fundamentalism, leading to a backlash by elements of the majority population. Alternatively, ethnic mobilization may help to create the conditions for the societal participation of minorities, while at the same time precipitating significant changes in political structures and practices in the process. Thus, ethnic mobilization may be an important factor in the incorporation of minorities as citizens, while at the same time changing what it means to be a citizen.
