Race is a socially constructed divider based on physical differences such as skin tones, but are not limited to facial features, body features, accents, etc. There are not separate genes, traits, or characteristics that define any single group from another group. Police once walked up to Korematsu to ask if he had seen a “short Asian man”, adding stereotypes to the classification, when the police were looking for Korematsu. Korematsu had surgery performed so his eyelids would have less folds to look more, white (I would say American, but Korematsu is American and that changed nothing). Hence, this touchy subject of race is what makes it so much harder to discuss.
While some argue that race is a biological concept, many have rejected that view and instead view race as a social construct. This revised viewpoint stems from the
In the reading this week by Smedley and Smedley, the differences between ethnicity and race are discussed and the terms defined. Ethnicity is described as a group of people who have a common cultural trait, share a common language, area of origin, religion, and history (Smedley & Smedley 2005). The culture is learned, and is transferable to other people within the group (Smedley & Smedley 2005). Race is defined as physical features such as skin color or hair texture (Smedley & Smedley 2005). “Ethnicity was recognized as plastic, and transmissible, but race conveyed the notion of differences that could not be transcended” (Smedley & Smedley, 2005, p. 19).
In other words, race is understood differently around the world. According to the text book, in West Africa, people are categorized into racial groups based on the status of having noble ancestry and not physical features. Also, according to the article, “Defining Race”, race is categorized base on individuals’ social class status and wealth. Furthermore, the invention of race reflects social, economic, and political aspects in society. For example, White American who has white and black ancestry will be considered as black because black slaves are free source of labor, and white population want to increase the number of labor.
Common Assessment Essay Race is defined as people who have differences and similarities in biological traits deemed by society to be socially significant. Throughout American history, race has played a key role in shaping the formation of America. Wars were fought over race, and many died due to the color of their skin. Native Americans endured a significant amount of hardship due to what others thought about them. They were known as savages and murderers.
“Race theory refers to the ways physical appearances of a person are used to identify groups of people. Ethnic theory refers more to the cultural identity of a person, such as their customs or language” (Spencer). Both work together to challenge the oppression of others based on their cultural identities. All American
Although, I understand being able to categorize each other can be helpful at times, sometimes it does feel confusing and limiting. Often times I don 't know which box to check mark when the only options for race are White, Black, or Asian, because I don 't identify as either. Hispanic and Latino are technically ethnicities, but sometimes they are included in these lists. Hispanic generally refers to someone from a Spanish speaking country such as Spain, while Latinx can refer to anyone of Latin American descent. I agree that the US as a whole needs to "reevaluate their stipulations on health, assistance and
In the United States, race has been defined primarily by physical appearance, with people being categorized as black, white, or some other race based on their skin color. However, race has also been defined by ancestry, culture, and geography. For example, people from Japan, China, and Korea have historically been categorized as Asian, while people from India and Pakistan have been categorized as South Asian. Race has been used to create hierarchies based on perceived differences in intelligence, culture, and behavior. White people have historically been seen as the most intelligent and cultured, while people of color have been seen as inferior.
Race and ethnicity are two terms which are used interchangeably in every day conversation, however, there is a distinction between the two. Race is a categorization of people who have been singled out as inferior or superior, often on the basis of phenotype – observable physical characteristics such as skin color, hair texture, eye shape, or other selective attributes. Race is a social construct and has been known to change with historical and political events. Contrarily, ethnicity does not necessarily provide visual clues, instead, ethnicity is categorized on the basis of a shared common culture and includes elements such as language, norms, customs, religion, music, art, literature. Ethnic Groups are developed by their unique history
From history of hundreds of decades, we have witnessed the great progress made by human, in technology and in society. But injustice always exists everywhere in this world. Injustice and unfair treatment could not be erased from the world easily. Just like the situation described by John Steinbeck, the immigrants faced injustice. But there are too many injustices that even worse in the world.
The relationship between race and racism is due to the fact that there are racial categories created, in order for particular social groups to be on top of the hierarchy. For example, the white group, which is on top of this racial hierarchy, established the notion of race in order to benefit themselves, which has led to racism among other minority groups. The ideology of a group being superior than others leads to racism. Ultimately, race is the product of racism, and racism is not the product of race (25).
Throughout history social scientists have been trying to examine the different parameters of race in terms of phenotypic characteristics, and cultural behaviors regarding the different groups that society construct’s. legally judges have had different rulings regarding the categorization of different ethnicities and groups within the United States. Many philosophers such as Kwame Appiah, and Scientists such as Dr. James Watson have had opposing arguments on the topic of race and whether it exists or not. In order to do so we need to examine the different definitions of race, and analyze them in order to see how race is a social construct, where people’s notions of race and their interactions with different races determine the way they perceive
This chapter explains the difference between race and ethnicity and how they came about. It also explains the advantages and disadvantages some have due to the creation of race. Race and ethnicity have strong foundations not only within countries, but between them. Globalization has increased the individual’s ethnic identities, but has also put some at disadvantages. Having different races and ethnicities is not an issue, but ranking the different races and putting others at disadvantages creates issues.
Race, nationality and ethnicity Race and ethnicity are seen as form of an individual’s cultural identity. Researchers have linked the concept of “race” to the discourses of social Darwinism that in essence is a categorization of “types” of people, grouping them by biological and physical characteristics, most common one being skin pigmentation. Grouping people based on their physical traits has lead in time to the phenomenon of “racialization” (or race formation), as people began to see race as more of a social construct and not a result or a category of biology.
There’s an old saying that “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” In reality, that saying is wrong. Words hurt a person as much as punch or a kick can. It may not hurt someone physically, but it can scar someone mentally and emotionally. Due to the topics they are associated with, certain words or phrases can elicit strong reactions; some are positive, while others are negative but nonetheless, they all leave an impact on people.
