In the first chapter we discussed major themes in the sociological literature on ethnicity including its relationship to class and religion. It was emphasized that, although the relative influence of instrumental and cultural factors on ethnicity may vary from case to case, neither material factors alone, nor cultural factors alone, are likely to explain the varying degrees and modes of integration and separation of ethnic groups. Socio-economic inequality of ethnic groups is often an important factor, but it has to be considered together with the nature and strength of ethnic symbols, often related to religion, among both the dominant and subordinate groups.

Ethnic inequality, the dominant group's orientations toward the subordinate group, and the latter's understanding of itself in relationship to the dominant culture and group are factors that are likely to be in dynamic interaction and to influence each other. Although one of these factors may in particular social or historical contexts be more determining than determined, it would be unwise to attempt a generalized reductionism whereby one factor - say a subordinate group's assimilationism or ethnic solidarity - is seen to be dependent on the other two, the level of ethnic inequality and the orientations of the dominant group.