Conclusion

Abstract

Ethnicity as a concept is fickle. This was amply seen in chapter one when examining the varying notions of ethnicity and ethnic minority categories in China and Canada, with the former practicing fixed assumed categories with little room for deviation in what constitutes ethnicity and ethnic groups. The other, boastful of its multicultural policy strides of the last quarter century, embracing ethnic categorization on the basis of an individual’s self-identification, even to the extent that one can theoretically have infinite ethnic hybrids (e.g., Trinidadian-Chinese-Hispanic Canadian, etc). Despite these differences, the emergence of ethnicity as subject of social, political and economic importance, due in large part to increasing ethnic minority populations in both nations, has put issues of educational attainment and occupational outcomes at the forefront.