DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2014.v02i02.033

Pages: 333-338

Worldwide, two broad theories have been used to explain the rise of ethnic identities. These are the natural/ biological theory of primordialism, and the manmade/ situational theory of constructionism also called constructivism. This research sets out to determine the relevance of the theory of constructionism in the rise and metamorphosis of the Acholi ethnic identity in northern Uganda. Using ethnography and grounded theory, the researcher established that the Acholi ethnic identity, which has occupied a center stage in the national politics of Uganda since independence in 1962, emerged due to extraneous factors making the theory of constructionism quite relevant to its evolution.