The Multicultural Educational Journal, Vol. 11, No. 2, Fall, 1993,
by Christine Hart, "The Structure of Ethnicity."
Section: Ethnic Group Organizational Phenomena, p.22.

"Cohen identifies ethnic groups as particular types of organizations that exploit and manipulate cultural symbols for group control and cohesion and which in interaction use ritual symbols in the pursuit of political power. He identifies the ethnic group as a political phenomenon(pg.15). Symbolic kinship relations have often been used for economic and political purposes; for example, who one is allied with may signify one's status within the group. Exogamous marriages throughout history have been arranged for economic and political ends. Often only by uniting groups through the tie of marriage could intergroup peace be achieved. Gift exchange is used to signify relations between superiors and inferiors and to garner favors from one group to another."