Understanding Race and Ethnicity

Definition of Race

• Race is often defined by physical appearances such as skin, hair, and facial structures.
• These criteria are culturally dependent.
• Example: The terms 'White' and 'Black' refer to races, but actual skin color can vary widely.
• Race is more than just skin color—it is a social construct.

Race as a Social Construct

• Similar to gender, race is a socially constructed category.
• It categorizes people based on biological traits a society deems important.
• Society’s perception determines what biological traits are significant.
  • Example: Skin color vs. eye color.
• Historical racial definitions, such as the 'one-drop rule' in the U.S.

Race vs. Ethnicity

• Race: Based on observable physical traits.
• Ethnicity: Based on cultural traits, not strictly biological (e.g., language, traditions, religion).
• People of the same race can have different ethnicities, and vice versa.

Understanding Ethnic Terms

• Hispanic: Refers to heritage from Spanish-speaking countries.
• Latino/Latinx: Refers to origins from Latin American countries, not exclusively based on language.
  • Example: Brazilians are Latino but not Hispanic.
• Distinctions are not based on physical appearance.

Impact of Race and Ethnicity

• Race influences social outcomes like education, income, and justice system experiences.
• Minority and majority status can vary by location and time.

Minority and Majority Definitions

• Minority: Defined by cultural/physical distinction and lower societal status, not group size.
• Examples:
  • Women as a minority despite being 51% of the U.S. population.
  • Whites were a minority ruling majority during apartheid in South Africa.

U.S. Census and Racial Categories

• Six racial categories:
  1. White: Includes European, Middle Eastern, and North African origins.
  2. Black/African American: Includes African and Afro-Caribbean heritage.
  3. American Indian/Alaska Native: Indigenous origins within the U.S. and Alaska.
  4. Asian: Origins from Eastern Asia, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.
  5. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: Origins from Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, etc.
  6. Some Other Race: A catch-all for origins not fitting other categories.

Changing Definitions of Race

• Races are not fixed categories and change with societal perceptions.

Conclusion

• Learned distinctions between race and ethnicity.
• Discussed changing definitions over time and across locations.
• Explored minority and majority concepts.
• Reviewed how races are defined in the U.S. Census.

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Additional Notes

• Crash Course Sociology mentions support via Patreon for continued production.
• Produced by Thought Cafe with Adobe Creative Cloud.