Review Article: Paradigms of Studies on Ethnicity

Abstract

Studies on ethnicity have become prominent issues among contemporary Thai academics in the social sciences and have been influenced by theoretical concepts in western countries. However, the paradigms of these studies in Thailand have not yet been reviewed. Therefore, this article intends to review the following three paradigms of ethnic studies in the disciplines of anthropology and sociology: primordialist views, instrumentalist approaches, and constructivist theories. Examples of ethnic studies in Thailand and Southeast Asian countries will be provided for each paradigm. In addition, the article points out the paradigm shift in each, which is relevant to the social contexts and concepts in ethnic studies that have also changed over time.