Ethnic identity cannot be freely chosen because structural constraints shape it.

Evidence

The preceding example highlights the different ethnic choices available to majority and minority group members; the result, in turn, of their differing access to the civic realm of the nation-state. In short, identities are not - indeed, cannot — be freely chosen and to suggest otherwise is to adopt an ahistorical approach which reduces life to the level of “a market, or cafeteria” (Worsley, 1984:246). Rather, identity choices are structured by class, ethnic, and gender stratification, objective constraints, and historical determinations (Hicks, 1991; McLaren, 1997). — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 943

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes the ‘market or cafeteria’ model of identity choice from the structural-determinations view.
• XREF: connects to: Identity cannot be freely chosen because strata, constraints, and history structure it — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 943