8 Chapter 8: “Race”– Cultural Application of Skin Color

Race is a social construct that classifies people into distinct groups based on physical characteristics such as skin color, hair texture, and facial features. Historically, this has been used to justify social hierarchies and unequal treatment. However, the concept of race lacks scientific basis and is not supported by genetic evidence. Although, this is not for the lack of trying.

In the early history of the foundations of sociology, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was also the rise of the genocidal concept known as eugenics. Eugenics focuses on the “improvement” of the human population through controlled breeding and the promotion of desirable traits while discouraging or eliminating undesirable traits. It was influenced by social Darwinism and the belief that human populations could be improved by selective breeding. Eugenic theories and practices sought to apply scientific principles to social issues, such as poverty, crime, and disability, by proposing methods to control human reproduction and eliminate “undesirable” traits from the gene pool. (Think back to the previous chapter and you can guess who determined who was the “good” and “bad” genetic stock). Many eugenic policies and practices have led to coerced sterilizations of Indigenous women in Canada through the 1970s, forced segregation, and even genocidal actions in the form of Nazi Germany’s Holocaust.

Race is a product of social, historical, and cultural factors, with different societies categorizing and defining races in various ways. For example, the classification of race in the United States historically involved categories such as “White,” “Black,” “Asian,” and “Native American.” However, these categories have changed over time, and there are significant variations in racial classifications across different cultures and countries.

Chapter Overview:

A culturally universal human experience that anyone can experience at any time is racism. Racism is a type of discrimination based on skin color. “Race” is the division of people based on specific physical characteristics. Ethnicity is the classification of people who share a common cultural, linguistic, or ancestral heritage. Race and ethnicity are human-shaped constructs and not biological facts. Therefore, it is essential to focus on how society interprets the apparent differences between race and ethnicity and how those interpretations affect an individual’s opportunities. When studying race and ethnicity, it is vital to understand the beginnings of racial and ethnic stratification. There are several consequences or patterns of interaction when majority groups interact with a minority group. Some of the patterns of interaction include immigration, superordination, and assimilation.

Learning Objectives:

• Illustrate the socially constructed concepts and meaning of “race” and ethnicity.
• Identify the various methods of understanding the difference between race and ethnicity.
• Explain the differences between multiple patterns of interaction between majority and minority group members, such as immigration and superordination.
• Explain the causes for prejudice and discrimination concerning segregation.
• Identify policies and societal pressures for assimilation.
• Identify how racist attitudes affect people.