what is race
race is BELIEVED to be a social construct that categorizes people based on perceived physical traits which shapes social identity, access to resources, and power dynamics
why has the definition of race changed over time and why is there no stable scientist defintion
due to history and politics
how is race sometimes defined biologically and why do scientists not agree
as a genetically distinct human subgroup
but scientists argue this idea is flawed because genetic differences between humans are small and inconsistent
why do sociologists argue race is not purely biological
because they don’t see race as something naturally built into biology
they see it as something socially created
why are state definitions’ of race inconsistent
census categories change historically
is race real?
socially it is real, it is not biologically fixed
where does most genetic variation exist
within groups NOT between groups
what does it mean that race is socially constructed
it means that racial meanings are created through history, politics, and power
not biology
how are racial categories produced
through social interpretation, institutions, laws, and historical processes
what makes race real if it isn’t biological
because it has social consequences like inequality, identity, and power structures
what does it mean by “race making is a project of colonialism”
colonial systems created racial hierarchies to justify domination
what is ethnicity
shared culture, ancestry, or belief in common descent
what is the key difference between race and ethnicity
race = socially constructed hierarchy tied to power
ethnicity = cultural identity and belonging
according to weber, what defines an ethnic group
a belief in shared ancestry
what characterized the classical period
eugenics, colonialism and biological determinism
what characterized the 20th century
fascism, decolonization, social movements
what changed in the 21st century
multiculturism, racial equality, discourse, democracy
what is racial formation theory
the idea that race is constantly shaped through social struggles, politics, and institutions
who developed racial formation theory
michael omi and howard winant
what are the main ideas of racial formation theory
that race meanings change over time
power shaped racial categories
micro experiences link to macro structures
who coined the 3 dimensions of a new racial theory
howard winant
what are the 3 dimensions of a new racial theory
- look at race across history and different places
- connect individual experiences to larger social structures
- recognize anti racist social movements
how do Stephen Cornell & Douglas Hartmann define an ethnic group?
they expand on Weber’s definition
they define an ethnic group as a socially constructed identity shaped by symbols, history, and group boundaries
NOT just shared ancestry
what 3 elements do cornell and hartmann emphasize in ethnicity
- kinship / ancestry
- shared history
- shared symbols
