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Sustainability of minority culture when inter-ethnic interaction is profitable

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  • John A. Bunce

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    University of California, Davis
    Indiana University)

  • Richard McElreath

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    University of California, Davis)

Abstract

Members of some ethnic minorities are interested in the sustainability of certain cultural traits typical of their group. However, theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that sustaining such cultural variation can be difficult, given inter-ethnic interactions between groups differing in size, prestige and power. Here we examine the dynamics of cultural norms by constructing a model of interaction between members of minority and majority ethnic groups. We incorporate asymmetric coordination benefits to represent ethnic asymmetries in resource control and bargaining power. In the absence of other processes, we find that sustainability of minority cultural norms may be enhanced by establishing a group boundary that minority members can cross freely, but members of a powerful majority cannot. We show how model predictions can complement empirical studies of cultural change, and demonstrate the model’s relevance to our understanding of norm dynamics in an indigenous Amazonian population.

Suggested Citation

  • John A. Bunce & Richard McElreath, 2018. "Sustainability of minority culture when inter-ethnic interaction is profitable," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(3), pages 205-212, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:2:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1038_s41562-018-0306-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-018-0306-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Quang-Khiem Bui & Viet-Phuong La & Thu-Trang Vuong & Viet-Ha T. Nguyen & Manh-Toan Ho & Hong-Kong T. Nguyen & Manh-Tung Ho, 2018. "Cultural additivity: behavioural insights from the interaction of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in folktales," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Bunce, John, 2020. "Sustaining Cultural Diversity Through Cross-Cultural Competence," SocArXiv bwtvu, Center for Open Science.
    3. John A. Bunce, 2021. "Cultural diversity in unequal societies sustained through cross-cultural competence and identity valuation," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Bunce, John A & McElreath, Richard, 2022. "Ethnicity and cultural dynamics," SocArXiv jr7u5, Center for Open Science.
    5. Alex Mesoudi, 2018. "Migration, acculturation, and the maintenance of between-group cultural variation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, October.

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