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What Is Race A Social Construction

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When sociologists argue that race is a social construction, they mean that it is more of a tool used by people to classify individuals than a biological reality. A conflict theorist would argue that race is a tool dictated by the powerful to oppress specific groups of people. The law passed by Congress in 1790 which granted rights of citizenship to only "free white persons" was an example of this. Many ethnicities fell under the term "whites", and over time, this term was then redefined to appease another powerful group 's agenda. The Immigration Act of 1924 was part of this agenda, placing yearly limits on immigrants coming to America by country.This is the perfect example of race being a social construction used as a tool. It was believe that

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