Defining Race and Ethnicity

Defining Race and Ethnicity

Race is how groups of people, minorities, and majorities are set apart socially because of their obvious physical differences. In the United States, numerous categories identify people because of their skin color (Schaefer, 2006). The issue of race and racial differences is important throughout the entire sphere of European influence, and in the United States. In the United States, minority races include Hawaiians, Blacks, Filipinos, Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, Native Americans, Arab Americans, and other Asian peoples. It is important to remember that White is a race also (Schaefer, 2006).

Ethnicity, on the other hand, is the cultural differences that ethnic minority groups are differentiated from such as language, attitudes toward marriage, parenting, and food habits (Schaefer, 2006). Ethnic groups are set apart from other groups because of their national origin or distinctive cultural patterns and not their physical appearances. In the United States, ethnic groups include a group called Hispanics or Latinos, which includes Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, and other Latin Americans (Schaefer, 2006).

Both these concepts are important to society and they help many understand how to structure society for the betterment of all the people. Many written policies help combat inequalities originally built into the system that had built inequalities between the dominant majority, and subordinate groups. Our country is founded on cultural diversity and the understanding, respect, and integration of these values are fundamental to the future success of our country.

References

Schaefer, R. T. (2006). Racial and Ethnic groups (10th ed.) Retrieved from Axia College, ETH/125 website June 13, 2011.