How are ethnic minorities distinguished and defined?

First, the current international community's views on the concept of ethnic minorities

1, indigenous minorities. In some countries, the identity of indigenous people and non-indigenous people is regarded as the general criterion for dividing ethnic minorities. In Australia, New Zealand and other countries, aborigines (aborigines or aborigines) become ethnic minorities because the number of immigrants (non-aborigines) exceeds them. Therefore, the concept of indigenous minorities generally refers to the aborigines and their descendants in North America, Latin America and Oceania.

2. Cultural minorities. Generally speaking, it refers to people who are composed of immigrants (non-indigenous people) and are quite different from the main ethnic group (indigenous people) in culture and other aspects. For example, Indonesian, Malaysian and other countries regard ethnic minority issues as non-indigenous people, and ethnic minorities are non-indigenous people, who are native to China. In fact, in some countries such as the United States, people who immigrate to the United States from different countries and regions are also called African Americans.

3. Ethnic minorities. Refers to ethnic minorities recognized by national laws, which are characterized by being recognized by the state, and most of the members of ethnic minorities recognized by these countries come from other countries. For example, the former Soviet Union has always used the term "ethnic minorities", which has a narrow sense and a broad sense. The concept of "ethnic minorities" in a broad sense refers to all ethnic groups except the Russians, and in a narrow sense refers to ethnic groups with a small population in the Soviet Union, but does not include ethnic groups such as Ukraine and Belarus. In the typical multi-ethnic country, the former Yugoslav Federation, the term "ethnic minorities" is opposed. Instead, we use the terms "subject nation" and "non-subject nation". The difference of this title is that if a nation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has not established an independent country abroad, it is a "subject nation" in Yugoslavia, and if a nation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has established an independent country abroad, it is a "non-subject nation" in Yugoslavia.

Second, the international community's definition of the concept of minorities

1, the definition of Francisque Kebe Dotti.

In the 1950s, he believed that the definition of "ethnic minorities" should include at least three factors in law: first, groups that are not dominant in the total population, who have and want to maintain their own ethnic, religious and linguistic traditions or characteristics, which are obviously different from other parts of the total population; Second, such ethnic minorities should have the necessary population to maintain their own traditions or characteristics; Third, these ethnic minorities must be loyal to the country to which they belong.

1978 further put forward the concept of minority in his report "Study on the Rights of Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities", which is one of the definitions widely recognized in theory and practice at present. In his view, ethnic minorities refer to those who are in a minority in number, are not in a dominant position in politics, have different characteristics from others in race, religion and language, and have the ability to maintain their own culture, tradition and religion.

2. The definition of minorities in the European Convention on Human Rights.

199 1 On March 4th, 2000, in a proposal prepared by Council of Europe in Strasbourg for the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights of National Minorities, the concept of national minorities was defined as: people who belong to a minority in number, have characteristics different from others in race, religion or language, and include the tendency to safeguard their culture, tradition, religion or language.

3. Siegle, a British scholar on minority rights, believes that ethnic minorities are a group with a certain scale in number and different from others in terms of skin color, religion, language, race and culture. Because of prejudice, discrimination or deprivation of rights, they have been in a subordinate position in political, social and cultural life for a long time, and the state should actively help them.

4. The definition of some American scholars, such as Trise sullivan, is: refers to a population group with a high degree of internal marriage, their unique culture, claiming to have the same ancestor, living in the same space compared with those economically dominant groups, and controlling few resources and income.

Third, the concept of ethnic minorities in China put forward and defined

In China, the term "ethnic minorities" first appeared in a Kuomintang manifesto formulated by Sun Yat-sen in 1924.

China * * * Production Party first used this term in 1926, and put forward in the Letter of the Central Committee on the Work of the Northwest Army: "Feng (Yuxiang) Army is in Gansu, so as not to damage the political and economic survival rights of this minority." 1928, the Sixth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) passed the Resolution on Ethnic Issues, which pointed out: "The ethnic minority issues in China (Mongolian, Hui, Manchu, Korean, Taiwan Province Province in Fujian, Miaoli and other primitive nationalities in the south, Tibet in Xinjiang) are of great significance to the revolution." Since then, the concept of "ethnic minorities" has been used many times in the documents of the party and the state.

1986, with the approval of the central government, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission officially explained the meaning of the term "ethnic minorities" in China: "1, which is a quantitative concept corresponding to the population size of the Han nationality, and does not mean discrimination against ethnic minorities or ethnic inequality in China. 2. As a general term for all ethnic groups except Han nationality, this title has been used by our party since 1926, and it has a history of 60 years. This has long been accepted by cadres and masses of all ethnic groups in China. The appellation of "ethnic minorities" in capitalist countries in Europe and America implies unequal rights, discrimination and domination. Therefore, it is easy to use this title in international communication.