An Analysis of the Factors Influencing Social Change of Three Ethnic Minority Groups in Northern China Based on an Acculturation Framework

Guan Yuxia Qiang Jian Zhang Jijia

Abstract：Taking the index of acculturation as theoretical framework， this article attempts to focus on “The Three Minorities of the North” （the Daur， Ewenki， and Oroqen） as its main research object， exploring their development trajectories of ethnic communication， cultural exchange， and ethnic interaction and integration. This study also tries to illustrate the social change of these three ethnic groups in Northern China via quantitative data， allowing us a glimpse of how they have been keeping up with the pace of the time， achieving modernization， and becoming prosperous.

Cultural adaptation seems to be particularly important in the social change of the smaller ethnic people groups. However， exogenous social change doesnt have to mean that the cultural adaptation of ethnic groups with small populations is passive. Instead， we find that adjusting to mainstream culture and catching up with advanced forms of culture are an inherent need of ethnic peoples with small populations; it arguably is a necessary condition for their survival and development. Influenced by foreign culture， cultural adaptation and social change by less numerous ethnicities seem to be a proactive type of behavior. Looking at the trajectory of social change， we find that the three ethnic groups with small populations in the north had been in turmoil and war for quite a long time; as a consequence， their social development had been slow. We have learned， however， that only after the founding of New China the three ethnic groups in the north of the country have really enjoyed equal treatment. Within a short period of seventy years， this apparently led to an acceleration in social change from nomadic hunting and herding to settling down， and from a commodity economy to the information age， leading to a synchronous development with other ethnic groups.

The social change trajectory of the three ethnic minority groups in Northern China conceivably fully reflects their adaptation to mainstream culture and the construction of a multiethnic integrated society; we deem this representative of the integration and shared destiny of the Chinese nation. In particular， the youth of the three ethnic peoples have achieved integration and coexistence in the field of higher education， which we conclude to be consistent with the theoretical assumption of cultural adaptation. According to the theory of cultural acculturation， the more an ethnic minority group identifies with mainstream culture， integrates into mainstream society， incorporates into mainstream channels， and recognizes mainstream ideas， the stronger the social adaptability of the ethnic group will be， the better of the life of its people will be， and the more abundant development opportunities its youth will have.

Key Words：three ethnic minority groups in Northern China; social change; acculturation; influencing factors; quantitative analysis