Deficit Model of Ethnicity

How the Model Works

Common primary or fundamental traits related to ethnicity include (but are not limited to) the ability to speak the ancestral language, the number of generations removed from the ancestral land, visits to or family residing in the ancestral land, one or both parents being a member of the ethnic group, and marriage partner being a member of the ethnic group (or endogamy). As a person is found not to possess such traits, his or her authenticity is questioned through the process of subtraction.

For example, if 100 points (or percent) represents an ethnic ideal type, then any deviation from that ideal type would result in a figurative subtraction of legitimacy points from that person, with the absence of different traits carrying with them variable deductions. Thus, not being able to speak an ancestral language might be seen as a major absence (resulting in a major deduction), but not having family in the ancestral land might be less of an absence (and thus less of a deduction). The more deductions, the greater the deficiency of the person and the less authentic or legitimate that person is seen in the eyes of other ethnic group members.

This process assumes that there is a taken-for-granted agreed-upon sense of what makes a person an identifiable member of an ethnic group. Though perhaps not overly explicit, these features should be rooted in everyday life. For instance, the social construction of the ideal type is achieved through ethnic institutions (such as religious organizations, community organizations, academic and media depictions, and other ethnic community organizations) that present a certain archetype or composite of what a member should be like. This can be referred to as a type of ethnocultural fundamentalism, where group members should adhere to certain fundamentals to be identified as a member of the ethnic category.

The use of the deficit model is more common when there are major distinctions within an ethnic group, especially pertaining to different waves of immigration to a host country. Thus, if two major immigration [Page 380]waves are separated by time, resulting in separate ethnic subcommunities, there can be challenges between members of these subcommunities regarding who actually carries the “true” or desirable ethnic characteristics. In this way, members of the more recent immigration wave, who are seen as being more “authentic” because of their more recent arrival, can act as ethnic gatekeepers through the application of this process. This results in people who are from earlier generations not being seen as authentic members of the cultural ethnic community.

Cuban exile in Miami. Approximately 1 million exiles live in this Cuban enclave, where all of the signs are in Spanish and English is rarely heard spoken. The deficit model of ethnicity addresses the issue of authenticity of identity. A Cuban American who does not speak Spanish fluently or, in the eyes of many immigrants, does not strongly oppose the government of Cuba may be seen as less authentically Cuban American.

Source: Getty Images.

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