Ethnic Identity as a Social Construct: Reification and Plasticity in Boundary Formation of Ethnic Groups in Nepal

Abstract

Social anthropological debates have long been divided over the nature of ethnic identity and boundaries. Primordialist and essentialist perspectives tend to regard ethnic identities as fixed, immutable, and reified, whereas structuralist and postmodern approaches emphasize their fluid, mutable, and socially constructed character. Despite these theoretical divergences, a comprehensive examination of the dynamics between reification and plasticity in ethnic identity and boundaries remains insufficiently explored, particularly in highly diverse societies such as Nepal. This study aims to investigate the historical and contemporary conditions shaping ethnic identities and boundaries in Nepal. Employing a historical-comparative method, it analyzes secondary data to examine whether ethnic identities and boundaries have remained reified or have undergone processes of transformation over time. The findings suggest that both internal dynamics and external pressures contribute to shifts in ethnic identities and boundaries. In particular, changing economic conditions and emerging opportunities act as catalytic forces, rendering ethnic identities more malleable and plastic rather than permanently fixed and durable.