Race Flashcards
Highlighted questions from slides - What is the problem with the concept of race?
- Number of races varies dependent on criteria used to define race
- Arbitrator boundaries use to determine variables to define race (there is 94% variation within the human race)
- Misuse of the concept of species - races are not scientifically speaking species as all humans regardless of race, can interbreed and produce viable offspring
- Racism - stems from the concept of race
- Racism leads to stereotyping, discrimination and abuse
What 3 things does racism link together?
- Outward appearance
- Intelligence of the race (measured in theory by IQ)
- Success - the ability of a race to achieve civilization and other important goals
Highlighted question from slides - What is the definition of race?
Race is traditionally presented as subspecies or groups within the human species
Usually based on outward observable phenotypic traits
Attempts to define different races have been through essentialism, Craniometry and anthropometry
What us essentialism?
Generalization that all members of a group possess universal properties
What is Craniometry?
Is the measurement of the cranium )the main part of the skull) it is a subset of a cephalonetry (measurement of the head) which is a subset of anthropometry (measurement of the human body)
-19th century and first part of the 20th century anthropology focused heavily on Craniometry to divide humanity into races
What is anthropometry?
The study of the measurement of the human individual
In particular the measurement of different body parts
What is the relationship between racism and social stratification?
- Racism is strongest in a stratified society where groups have unequal access to wealth, power and prestige
- Reinforced by religion, economics and politics
- Freedom for some at the expense of others
Highlighted questions from slides - What are some of the impacts of racism?
- Ethnocide
- Genocide
- Economic and political discrimination
- Colonization
- Violence
- Human rights abuse
- Interpersonal violence
- Discrimination by the courts and police
Highlighted questions from slides - What elements make up racism?
- Differences in appearance
- Differences in success
- Differences in intellect
Highlighted questions from slides - Why is ethnicity a better word than race?
When people talk about race usually it involves a cultural not just a biological aspect
Ethnicity is more flexible as it means a common heritage or ancestry which can encompass: language, religion, economics, history and territory, physical attributes, and a feeling of belonging and distinctiveness
Highlighted questions from slides - Why are we saying that race is biocultural?
It has a biological component - results from natural selection and physical adaptation to a specific geographic environment
It has a cultural component - it impacts our life through social creation and reinforcement of differences for economic, political and religious reasons
What are anti-miscegenation laws?
Laws put in place to stop mix race births
What is the definition of prejudice?
An pinion for or against something without adequate basis