族性是構成族群、民族等族類共同體的基本屬性,如認同、血統、語言、傳統文化、祖籍地、宗教、種族等。自族類共同體誕生以來,族性便是富於變化的。對其變動機制的理論解釋主要分為四種:強調內部識別的認同理論,強調外部交往的接觸理論,強調內部關係的民族國家理論和強調外來影響的現代性理論。綜合把握四種不同的解釋路徑及其內部理論流派的具體差異,有助於增進對族性變化和當下民族問題的理解。

Ethnicity is the basic attribute of the ethnic community,involving identity,descent,language,tradition,ancestral home,religion,race,etc. Since the birth of the ethnic community,ethnicity has been always changing. The theoretical explanation of the changing mechanism can be mainly divided into four types. Firstly,the theory of identity,which emphasizes internal recognition. Secondly,the contact theory,which focuses on external communication. Thirdly,the national theory,which studies the internal relations between nations and nationals. Lastly,the theory of modernity,which underlines foreign influence in the modern world. To promote the understanding of ethnic changes and current ethnic issues,it is beneficial to have a comprehensive grasp of the four different interpretations,as well as the specific straits of various theoretical schools.