Race is a complex topic that can mean various things to different people, especially people from different cultural backgrounds, but one thing that all anthropologists can agree on is that there is no biological basis for race. Early physical anthropologists, like Johann Blumenbach, were convinced that humans could be divided into biologically distinct races, but eventually other anthropologists, like Franz Boas and his students, disproved those false beliefs and exposed race as a cultural construction (Lavenda 9-10). Rather than different “races” being genetically distinct from each other, according to Richard Lewontin, an evolutionary geneticist, there is more genetic variation found within each “race” than between any two “races” (Lavenda
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.
7) and laments the idea that science should be hindered by political correctness. Instead, he argues, because of the painful events of yesteryear and the common fear of what road racial genetics leads down, we have all but blinded ourselves to race entirely. In an effort to correct past wrongs, we have inadvertently overlooked an important factor in better understanding our own beginnings and how cultures and people around the world have evolved to modern times. Wade presents his argument with a myriad of facts and citations from prominent figures, lending credence to his point of view. He further points out that this field of study is often marginalized and ignored precisely because of the political connotations of the subject matter.
The definition of race changes constantly, and as such, race can be said to be neither static nor biological. After years of research, scientists have failed to prove any biological relationship between race and anatomy, proving that the motives behind racializing people must be political. The white race relies on this sense of racialization in order to maintain its socially constructed supremacy over so-called “non-whites”; therefore, settler colonialism acts as justification for racial inequality, and people of color are forced to seek equality through intersectional approaches. A racial project consists of representational strategies that artificially produce concepts of race in American society.
Rowan McCarthy Kim ½ Period 6 Race: A Ruinous Colonial Construct For hundreds of years, humans have been separated into groups based on cosmetic, and supposedly genetic differences, called race. However, although there might be some cosmetic variation between races, there are no real genetic differences. Since humans originated in Africa, every gene originated there, and race is a concentrated version of those traits based on settlers in that area, although many genes did get passed around the world through trade.
I have seen the unique place in the organic world occupied by the human species, the profound physical, as well as moral, differences separating it from all kinds of living creatures. Race, technically, refers to differential concentrations of gene frequencies responsible for traits. They are separated from one another, on the basis of certain biological characteristics. Principle races are Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. Most educated folks would settle for the actual fact that the planet isn’t flat which it revolves around the sun.
Scientific reasons for race and how it doesn’t correlate to race is shown in Document 5 that different human species should be divided into four groups based on their alleged characteristics and mark themselves with certain things like paints or garments. The document is trying to explain race and categorization of races through the people’s supposed characteristics and only using four groups, proving the correlation between race and scientific reasoning doesn’t work. Also, in Document 10, it’s explained that the four race categories are all “degenerate” forms to “God’s original creation,” and were classified biologically into different groups who were non-Caucasian. This document also explains that race and scientific reasoning does not correlate because it talks about how other races are “downgraded” versions of white and just split them into groups just by looks using colors, creating these unrealistic races with colors, without taking into account any physical scientific reasoning, proving there’s no correlation between race and scientific reasoning, that it was just led on by social and economic reasons. Lastly, in Document 11’s section, it explains that race doesn’t explain human variation and that us humans have a
The beginning of the book highlights the importance of race. Race was invented and assigned to individuals solely on their outward appearance. Most Americans unconsciously accept race as a product of Mother Nature. In reality, it has nothing to do with your genetics.
Sociologists define race as a social construct because society has classified various groups of people based on physical characteristics such as skin color under the assumption that other characteristics would also be similar. This had occurred without any biological proof of correlation. This has also led to faulty belief systems such as racism, ethnocentrism, and the propensity for stereotyping. Fortunately, the intermarriages between races and subsequent procreation has helped cracked the facade of racial differences, at least those that aren't manufactured by society. I have a biracial niece whose father is black and mother is white.
Introduction Race is a socially constructed concept that has been used to create and justify inequalities throughout history. The idea of race has been used to create hierarchies, determine social status, and justify discriminatory practices against people who were perceived as being different. The construction of race has been based on a number of factors, including physical appearance, culture, and ancestry. In this essay, I will explore how race has been defined and acted upon historically, using examples such as the thirty-meter telescope in Hawaii, racial segregation in Levittown, the Ozawa Supreme Court case, and the Thind Supreme Court case. I will also discuss how biology has been used in the past to falsely create definitions of race
The American Anthropological Association concluded that “94% of genetic variation lies within race groups”. This says that while a certain group of people may share certain physical features, their genetic makeup can be extremely different. Another flaw in grouping people together based on physical features is that these features, skin color and hair texture for example, can be inherited individually of each other. In history, when different groups of people came together, they interbred. Because of this, It is nearly impossible to be exclusively one race and this creates another fallacy.
For biology part of races are mainly distinct populations with the same species that they have already set up the rules to classify the defense between human. For example, human will identity other by skin color, language, tones, hair and eye color. These will be the basic things to let other to identify what your race are. But everyone are different beside of race. First, normally human will have some common relatively minor morphological which means the outlook of other body shape will be different with others.
In addition, race has also been used by scientists to classify humans and use science to prove presumed biological differences: “Linking race to biology led to a ‘race science’ that
Race only exists if we allow our consciousness and belief to come
Racial identity plays a role in the physical and psychological features of humans. Physically, humans in different parts of the globe endure different conditions and environments. Humans adapt to their environments and obtain different physical traits, henceforth, these physical traits have become adjacent to race. Psychologically, ancestral prejudices and influences throughout history have lingered through the generations and have impacted modern racial identities and tensions. Ethnic conflicts of the past such as the Social Darwinist theory of a "superior race" are morally refuted in current times, but that assumption had a brunt impact in which the world is still repairing today.
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.