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Mary Waters Irrational Ethnicity For Whites Alone Summary

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“Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” by professor Mary Waters from Harvard University dives into the discussion of ethnicity which stems into a social phenomenon that is perceived as a biological issue. The perception that ethnicity coincide with just being born into a certain race has changed over time with situations like intermarriage. Even though the ethnic identities have changed over the years, if you're not a white American you are subjected to basically being limited to one type of ethnicity due to the fact you are the minority and White Americans are the majority. Mary Waters is trying to illustrate the problem of being labeled one ethnicity if you aren’t a descendant of European origin. Professor Waters is investigating the social cost that is contributed with being a non White in an individual or as an symbolic ethnicity. Whether or not a white individual choose to identify as …show more content…

Waters refers to the term “Symbolic ethnicity coined by Herbert Gans (1979) refers to ethnicity that is individualistic in nature and without real social cost of the individual” (Waters, p.1) ties into the fact that towards white Americans it only a positive gain if they choose to identify themselves to a ethnicity. Towards Non-Whites it plays greatly towards the amount of success you gain in your life, where you live and your career choice. Symbolic ethnicity is individualistic in nature, but greatly affects race as a group. Among white Americans there is a misinterpretation that all ethnics are equal, but they fail to understand that compare to them all types of minority groups throughout history have not experience social equality and have had to endure a unequal background compared to white

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