etniche

Etniche is a term used in sociocultural analysis to denote the concept at the intersection of ethnicity and niche. It can refer to the way ethnic groups occupy specific social, economic, or cultural positions within a larger society, or to market segments defined by ethnicity. The term is not widely standardized and appears in academic discussions and popular writing as a pragmatic shorthand rather than a fixed theory.

The word combines "ethnicity" with "niche," borrowing the sense of a specialized position or role within a system. Variation spellings include "etniche" and "ethniche." It may be used differently across disciplines.

In marketing, etniche describes products, services, and media tailored to particular ethnic communities, recognizing language, tastes, and cultural practices. In urban sociology, the term can describe neighborhoods or business districts where ethnic groups create economic and social niches, often forming ethnic economies. In cultural studies, etniche may refer to how a group's practices define a niche in the cultural landscape.

Critics warn that etniche can flatten intra-group diversity and risk essentializing cultures or reducing individuals to membership in a category. Definitional ambiguity and measurement difficulties limit comparability across studies.

See also: Ethnicity, Niche, Ethnic enclave, Ethnic economy, Cultural capital.