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DRAWING BOUNDARY AND REALIGNING IDENTITY : The Karen in Northern Thailand in the Context of Tourism

Chiumkanokchai, Chanin (2008)
Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Abstract
With the purpose to scrutinise ethnic identity as it negotiates through times of change, this thesis focuses on how the identity of the Karen in northern Thailand has been defined in the context tourism. The meeting of the Karen with foreign tourists and Thai tour guides is studied through the notion that inter-ethnic relations are necessary for ethnic identity to exist. Interviews and participant observation were carried out in order to understand the Karen's self-ascribed identity. As a result, this thesis illustrates how cultural expressions were used by the Karen to present themselves, demarcate their ethnic boundary, and utilised as a strategy in dealing with disputes. Furthermore ethnic identity persists, although the Karen's... (More)
With the purpose to scrutinise ethnic identity as it negotiates through times of change, this thesis focuses on how the identity of the Karen in northern Thailand has been defined in the context tourism. The meeting of the Karen with foreign tourists and Thai tour guides is studied through the notion that inter-ethnic relations are necessary for ethnic identity to exist. Interviews and participant observation were carried out in order to understand the Karen's self-ascribed identity. As a result, this thesis illustrates how cultural expressions were used by the Karen to present themselves, demarcate their ethnic boundary, and utilised as a strategy in dealing with disputes. Furthermore ethnic identity persists, although the Karen's definition of it may change through the adaptation of cultural forms.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Chiumkanokchai, Chanin
supervisor
organization
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Thailand, Karen, tourism, ethnic identity, Social sciences, Samhällsvetenskaper
language
English
id
1320650
date added to LUP
2008-03-07 00:00:00
date last changed
2008-03-07 00:00:00
@misc{1320650,
  abstract     = {{With the purpose to scrutinise ethnic identity as it negotiates through times of change, this thesis focuses on how the identity of the Karen in northern Thailand has been defined in the context tourism. The meeting of the Karen with foreign tourists and Thai tour guides is studied through the notion that inter-ethnic relations are necessary for ethnic identity to exist. Interviews and participant observation were carried out in order to understand the Karen's self-ascribed identity. As a result, this thesis illustrates how cultural expressions were used by the Karen to present themselves, demarcate their ethnic boundary, and utilised as a strategy in dealing with disputes. Furthermore ethnic identity persists, although the Karen's definition of it may change through the adaptation of cultural forms.

1}},
  author       = {{Chiumkanokchai, Chanin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{DRAWING BOUNDARY AND REALIGNING IDENTITY : The Karen in Northern Thailand in the Context of Tourism}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}