The Concept of Multiple Ethnicity: Hawaiian and American

Abstract

In recent years, social scientists in America have concerned themselves with a phenomenon termed "the ethnic revival," or "the new ethnicity." In some instances, it is described as if it were the most important social re­ examination of the "melting-pot" (Novak 1980 : 776) , while in other instances it is seen as nothing more than a "fad, like j ogging" (Thern:strom 1980 : 85) . Over the years , ethnicity has been a topic that has been written about until it has been driven into the ground. Is this "ethnic revival" just another re-write? Or does it hold new insight con­cerning the distinction between American identity and ethnic identity?