This research project aims to argue that the notions of ethnic identity, ethnic group and ethnicity should be thought of as socially constructed. In order to strengthen the above assumption, fieldwork was undertaken by examining African Mozambicans' narratives of immigration and identity, and acculturation strategies in Portugal and in England. The reading of the data suggests that individuals' perceptions of their identity and of the social world change over time, and in accordance with the social structures in which their lives are imbued. In addition, it is certain that social actors use discourse as a narrative form to justify and legitimise their identity options, and acculturative strategies. Taking into consideration the analysis of fieldwork material, it is possible to conclude, on the one hand, that the notions of ethnic identity, ethnic group and ethnicity are socially constructed, on the other hand, that the term ethnicity should be addressed as a detached human experience from the terms of ethnic identity and ethnic group.

In a society concerned with 'racial' purity and anxious to protect 'racial' boundaries people of mixed parentage are presumed to experience pressure, internal and external, to be aware of 'racial' differences and their own perceived ambiguous position. Some commentators believe that people of mixed parentage 'do not fit' into society If only they would pretend to be 'like the rest of us' then everyone would be happy There are few, if any, representations of coherent identities. The main concern of my research is to discover the factors which influence the development of racial(ised) identity in people of mixed parentage. An understanding of personal and social identity is an important part of my research I investigate how people of mixed parentage express their racial(ised) identity and question whether racial(ised) identity formation is ever really finished.

Scholarly and political interest in the Muslim population in Britain has greatly increased since the 1970s. Issues such as the Rushdie affair and the Gulf war brought Muslims into the media spotlight, and provided focal points for the mobilisation of Muslims committed to maintaining Islamic values in Britain. Most research on Muslims in Britain has focused on Asian groups. While these may represent the majority, generalisations about Islam and Muslims in Britain are not possible without examining the experiences of other Muslim communities. This thesis, therefore, sets out to improve social scientific understanding of the varied experiences of Muslims in Britain by comparing women from two Muslim groups: Pakistanis and Turkish Cypriots. The aim of the thesis is to examine the significance of religion and culture in the lives of Pakistani and Turkish Cypriot women in London. The principal objectives are to show (a) how these different and often competing elements are involved in identity formation and transformation, and (b) how they influence, and are influenced by factors such as race, class and gender. My research is based on two years of fieldwork with a variety of different community organisations catering specifically for Muslims, Pakistanis, or Turkish speakers. In addition I carried out thirty in-depth interviews with women who were actively involved in these communities. The aim was to examine the major issues relevant to each of these two groups, as well as to assess the importance of the organisations for Turkish Cypriot and Pakistani women in London. My research found firstly, that despite the vast diversity evident among my informants in terms of their identity and the individual strategies they choose to adopt, their community organisations had a vital and significant role to play in the development and empowerment of women across the generations. Secondly, my findings revealed the complex and changing nature of social identities, as well as the ability of second and third generation Pakistani and Turkish Cypriot women actively to select and interpret competing cultural systems, and to adopt, incorporate or abandon specific elements in their search for an appropriate individual strategy. Young Turkish Cypriots and Pakistani women are shown to be actively defining and redefining themselves as a result of the multifarious cultural and structural factors that they experience both on an individual and group level. 'Race', class and gender are crucial to this process of cultural redefinition, as women's cultural beliefs necessarily reflect the structural forces that affect their lives. The intersection of 'race', class and gender locates individuals in their social positions and subsequently elicits considerations of beliefs and identities.

'The Politics of Ethnicity, Identity and Religion Among Turks in London' is a study of a micro-Muslim community in Britain. Earlier research on Islam and Muslims in Britain concentrated predominantly on Islam amongst South-Asian Muslims although there is a large degree of diversity in the expression of cultural and religious identity among Muslim communities in Britain. This thesis seeks to come to an understanding of the politics of ethnicity, identity and religion among Turkish Muslims who are a part of this diversity. The main objective of this research is to analyse how Turkish identity is constructed and what are the roles of family, culture, organisations and religious groups in the reproduction and transmission of traditional values to the young generation. This research is expected to fill a gap in research on micro-Muslim communities in Britain. Research methods involved participant observation, in-depth interviews and a survey. Seventeen months of fieldwork in the north-east London and two months fieldwork in Berlin were carried out to collect ethnographic data. During the research, 77 people were interviewed in-depth, 93 young Turks participated in a survey and 29 people took part in group interviews. The thesis begins with a brief account of immigration to Western Europe in general and to Britain in particular. Then, a discussion of theoretical issues on migration, ethnicity and the development of identity is presented where the major anthropological and sociological theories are examined. Turkish immigration to Western Europe in general and to Britain in particular is outlined in Chapter Four and issues concerning family, kinship and reproduction of traditional values are examined in Chapter Five wherein it is argued that Turkish identity is reinforced by the reproduction of family values and kin relations in London. It is also demonstrated in this Chapter that new types of relations are established which are based on wider social networks. Continuity and change in the identity construction of the young Turkish generation are discussed by analysing their attitudes towards language, culture, family, sexuality and religion in Chapters Six and Seven. The process of institutionalisation and analysis of the influence of Turkish organisations on the politics of identity and its expression are presented in Chapters Eight, Nine and Ten. The institutionalisation of Islam is analysed in relation to identity and religious diversity within the Turkish community. The politics of main Islamic groups are also analysed to explain how religion and politics are related and the extent to which religious movements in the country of origin influence Islamic organisations abroad. This research shows that family relations and social networks have played an important role on every stage of immigration and settlement Traditional values are constantly reproduced within Turkish families as an expression of identity and every effort is made to ensure that the young generation are not alienated from these values. However, there is an emergent identity construction taking place among the young generation, generally inspired by the 'local' experience. This suggests that the emergent Turkish identity accommodates continuity and change in relation to Turkish culture, sometimes producing tension between generations. For the young generation traditions, culture and religion are increasingly becoming values for 'symbolic' attachment.

Thesis (B.A.Hons.) from the Department of History, University of Adelaide.

Thesis--Hamburg. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 247-262).

Theses--University of California, Berkeley. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 288-297). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--Srinakharinwirot University, 1986. / In Thai; abstract also in English. Title from leaf [232]: Labour policy of Thai government between B.E. 2475 and 2499. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [205]-229). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.A.) in Psychology--University of Maine, 2008. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 37-40).

Undergraduate honors paper--Mount Holyoke College, 2008. Program in Critical Social Thought. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-94).