Differences Between Race And Ethnicity

Ethnicity and Race are very difficult to define. The two words are so closely related and often times used interchangeably.

Race and ethnicity are two things that have been around since before the colonist journeyed over to America. But what do these two words mean? It is easy for people to confuse them and think that the two definitions can overlap. Race, in sociological terms, is a social concept. The majority of race is concerned with biology and the physical characteristics or hereditary traits a person might have. For example this could be skin, hair, or eye color, or bone structure. Ethnicity is cultural factors that a person would be able to conform to. These factors are shared by people in the subgroups and can be accepted or rejected. Examples of this would be languages, religion, food, and nationality.

Both race and ethnicity are both socially constructed and are a cultural category instead of a biological reality. Race and ethnicity are contrasts between people that we perceive. Race is nearly impossible to exactly define someone as white or black because people are so many different shades of color which makes everyone unique. Ethnicity is socially constructed because the boundaries that make someone a particular ethnicity are fairly flexible. Both of these concepts are used to describe differences between humans and ways that people are identified in society.

Ethnicity: ethnicity defines people and groups who share characteristic such as language, religion, dress, and origin. Discrimination can happen when people consider the ethnic characteristics of other people inferior to their own.

Race and Ethnicity – Race is a concept used to differ population groups on the basis of physical characteristics. Races used by the government for statistical purposes are Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, White, and Unknown. Ethnicity is a concept used to differ population on the basis of cultural characteristics or geographical origins. Ethnic designations used by the government for statistical purposes are of a Hispanic origin o nor of Hispanic origin, and Unknown.

Race and ethnicity are the occasionally have been used interchangeably. Race is described as a person’s physical appearance such as skin color, eye color, hair and many other biological traits and characteristics. Race mainly refers to the differences in skin color in the contemporary world. When we say that person is fair skinned or is black we are referring to the race of that person. Ethnicity is the cultural aspect of a an individual or a group such as the nationality of the person, the language they use to communicate, their descendants , the particular region they inhabit for example American, African, African Americans, etc. In a nutshell race is an overview of how you look and ethnicity is the social and cultural aspect of grouping you are born into.

The difference between ethnicity and race is that race is supposedly a scientific difference between groups of people. Race subdivides groups of people by a physical or genetic characteristic. Ethnicity, on the other hand, considers cultural traits. Race is a flawed term, because there is more variation within a racial group than between racial groups. Ethnicity, is a true term, because there are distinct cultural groups within groups of humans. Although there is a lot of mixing and melding of cultural groups, it is still easy to find distinct groups.

Sociologists say race is a social construct, which is the way society can view a group, and their perception of the group. Race is a big example of this, as people could have the same genetic make-up, but be different races. Two people can have the same eye color, and even common DNA through blood. If two brothers had kids, one with someone of Asian descent, and the other brother having a child with someone of Native American descent, the kids who are cousins, are made up of different races. Race is more socially agreed upon, than being of a biological nature. A prime example of this, is most people will same someone is Asian, but they can be descendent of ant country in Asia, while being categorized as Asian. When we look at people from Europe,

In a world full of unique people there are groups that different people identify with based on traditions, values, beliefs and other factors. A person identifies with a culture based on the beliefs, traditions, values, and worldviews of the culture. Ethnicity is a specific type of culture group that people identify with based on identity, norms and to an extent physical appearance. Rave is a group that is a social construct that people identify with usually associated with skin color or stereotypes. Since race is a social concept society places a person in a race even if it is not the race that the person identifies with. Unfortunately society has created ideas about people of particular races, this is why race part of race is stereotypes.

1. Describe the difference between race and ethnicity. What roles do race and social class continue to play in the United States?

Ethnicity and class are similar, yet different. A common way to described class can be by the socioeconomic statues of an individual. The socioeconomic statues are lower class, middle class, and high class. Ethnicity can be described as a group of people who are bound together by either having common traditions or cultures. They way class and ethnicity functions together for Irish immigrants was that even though they had the same skin color as the English, they were still seen and treated harshly. They were considered lower class in both Europe and America in the 1800s, they were treated like any other minority in the United States. However, even though Irish Immigrants were treated unfairly as any other minority, the Irish believed that

Ethnicity is a social label or category used to classify individuals who share a common ancestry and cultural background.

What are some of the commonalities people might share with others whom they consider in the same ethnic group? Give examples.

People are usually categorized in terms of race and/or ethnicity. Race is a term typically used to classify people according to similar and specific physical characteristics. Ethnicity is a term more broadly used that connects people according to an inherited status such as: a shared ancestry, language, history, religion, cuisine, art, clothing style, and/or physical appearance, etc.

Race and ethnicity are commonly used as synonyms for each other as we encounter many diverse individuals throughout the world. Sociologist on the other hand, find very distinct understandings to how these terms, while different, hold correlation to one another. Max Weber, a founding figure of sociology, was one of the first to define race and ethnicity. He stood with the idea of essentialism which presumes "that and individual 's identity depends on fundamental and innate characteristics that are deep-seated, inherited, and unchangeable." (Pearson, pg 241) As for ethnicity, Weber described it as subjective belief in relations to a groups common descent. While sociologist today may disagree with Weber 's theory, they do apply this idea of subjectivity and have correlated it to that of not only group definitions but of our own perceptions of biological similarity.