Way Forward – Race vs Ethnicity
Thus we see how the terms, ‘Race’ & ‘Ethnicity’ came into being. Their origins, how they came to be interchangeably used over the years & how people still fail to notice the difference between the two. How societies & nations are filled up with various ethnicities. There may be two individuals who identify with the same ethnicity, but belong to different racial groups. Or how a person who may identify as part of a particular ethnic group, may have a different nationality.
However, people still tend to be confused between the two.
- Race simply refers to group of people who are connected by a common descent or origin.
- Ethnicity refers to the cultural expression & identification of people of different geographic regions, including their customs, history, language & religion. So basically, race describes physical traits while ethnicity refers to cultural identification.
In today’s world, discussing race & ethnicity is a sensitive issue. Based on the various opportunities & challenges faced by each group, several issues lead to the differences. There is ongoing research on race & ethnicity. Even though one group of scholars explain the origin of humanity through the European perspective, other scholars use the African version. The challenge lies in the fact that none of these can explain the differences amongst the various races.
In today’s times, race & ethnicity is usually associated with political & economic inequalities. Many indigenous people like the Native American, the Aboriginal people of Australia suffer much discrimination. Other minority groups like Hispanics & African Americans are poor & do not get adequate medical healthcare facilities.
Social institutions can help in analyzing & developing models for people to look at the variations & ensure equality.
Over the years, both the terms ”race” & ”ethnicity” & their definitions have underwent changes. We should never treat anyone as a superior or as an inferior race. Classifying people based on their color & then deciding who is better, is not right. People should be classified based on their nature, personality, knowledge, abilities, talent & other skills.
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Race vs Ethnicity
Race vs Ethnicity: Race and Ethnicity terms are used to categorize the sections of the population. When we divide people into groups of difference between Race and Ethnicity, based on their physical characteristics, it is referred to as race. Ethnicity refers to the Cultural Differences & identification of people of different geographic regions, including their customs, history, language & religion. So basically, race describes physical traits while ethnicity refers to cultural identification.
Table of Content
- Difference Between Race and Ethnicity
- Comprehensive Comparison Between Race vs Ethnicity
- What is Race?
- What is Ethnicity?
- Importance of Race and Ethnicity
- Challenges Surrounding Race and Ethnicity
- Real-Life Examples and Updated Statistics
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