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Canada, a Fertile Ground for Intergroup Relations and Social Identity Theory

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Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory

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Abstract

In this chapter we will present three different contexts of intergroup relations that offer a fertile ground for the application of Social Identity Theory in the Canadian context. The first context is that of Aboriginal Canadians and their evolving relationship with non-Aboriginal Canadians. The second context focuses on French–English relations, as their history and languages lay the foundation for Canada’s bilingual and bicultural context of intergroup relations. The third context focuses on immigration (i.e. older vs. newer Canadians) and how changing patterns of immigration have led to different intergroup issues involving social identities based on language, ethnicity, race, and religion. For each of the three contexts we will speak to (1) the nature of social identity, (2) the disadvantaged status of the target group, and (3) the strategies used by group members in each context to achieve a positive social identity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Whereas such higher-order identities are certainly a practical choice, they also carry the risk of overgeneralisation. There are differences between as well as within immigrant groups, which may have distinctive impacts on social issues and attitudes (e.g., Haji, Lalonde, Durbin, & Naveh-Benjamin, 2011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M3J 1P3

    Richard N. Lalonde, Jorida Cila & Maya Yampolsky

Authors
  1. Richard N. Lalonde
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  2. Jorida Cila
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  3. Maya Yampolsky
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Correspondence to Richard N. Lalonde .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

    Shelley McKeown

  2. Department of Psychology, Laurentian University, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

    Reeshma Haji

  3. Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom

    Neil Ferguson

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Lalonde, R.N., Cila, J., Yampolsky, M. (2016). Canada, a Fertile Ground for Intergroup Relations and Social Identity Theory. In: McKeown, S., Haji, R., Ferguson, N. (eds) Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29869-6_17

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