Difference Between Ethnicity and Race
Ethnicity vs Race
Very few of us accurately describe the difference between ethnicity and race, simply because we tend to lump them into the same definition. While the dictionary can represent each of these words to be highly similar, there are differences.
Ethnicity is not just a person’s race. We can say that a Caucasian is white, but that doesn’t describe his ethnicity. If we lined up a Caucasian from Ireland, Israel and Canada in a photograph, it would be difficult to discern from which country each person originates. Yet, if we gave them appropriate items from their culture, it becomes easier to determine their country of origin. Ethnicity is about tradition, learned behavior and customs. It is about learning where you come from, and celebrating the traditions and ideas that are part of that region.
At one time it was easy to tell one’s ethnicity, but as the global conglomeration offered more choice and change (as well as borrowing styles and ideas from other cultures), it has become impossible to identify ethnicity based solely on distinctive features.
Ethnicity gives us room to change because we can reject our own and embrace another. You can move from one region to another and assimilate your beliefs, actions and customs to identify with that ethnic orientation. You cannot do the same with race.
Race is your biologically engineered features. It can include skin color, skin tone, eye and hair color, as well as a tendency toward developing certain diseases. It is not something that can be changed or disguised. Race does not have customs or globally learned behavior. Going back to our three Caucasians, each could be cloned and placed in different cultures throughout the world that were primarily not Caucasian. While their behavior would change, their physical and biological features would not.
Race can be used to describe other elements of biological and regional differences. For instance, you can be born Jewish (which is usually referred to as a religion), but it does not mean that you have embraced the Jewish customs or religious beliefs. In such cases, the same term can be used to describe either ethnicity or race.
Ethnicity does not always describe color either. One can claim to be African, which indicates an entire multi-regional, multi-cultural continent. You can enhance the definition by assigning a sub culture to the ethnicity, such as South African, or Ethiopian. There can be a wide range of skin colors and tones throughout Africa, ranging from the white skin and fair haired faces many associate with the Aryan race to the dark skin, black haired faces that many associate with African regions.
Summary:
1. Ethnicity is about the learned cultural behaviors celebrated throughout regions around the world.
2. Race is an indication of the heritage with which you were born, regardless of location or learned behavior.
3. Ethnicity can be altered or mimicked through choice and beliefs.
4. Race cannot be altered.
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Thanks for this! It really helped me when I was typing up a report on the differences between ethnicity and race. I agree with your thoughts… except I would encourage some more background research and resource links to show your conclusion… otherwise, anyone could make all this up, but I do know that you probably spent quite some time thinking up a great way to explain this– it turned out pretty good, but next time make it great!
I disagree with this article. Genetics can be altered based on the region in which one lives. Climat and diet play a major factor as to how one looks, skin tone, size, shape etc. To me the term race is a pejoritive word, meant to divide, and often demean people of different backgrounds and from different regions. Case in point, has anyone ever really seen a “white” person? Has anyone seen a “black” person. While there may be a few individuals who may be very close to that color spectrum, on average, skin tones very so widely, categorizing them as either “black” or “white” makes no sense. There are some indians (from India) who are far darker in skin tone than African “black” people, but in features, look completely different. As stated before, there are people of different backgrounds, different regions, different family lineages, or perhaps different ethnicities, but there are no races except for racists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I disagree with what you replied. The author made very good points. You however, misunderstood everything. Race exists for all. Genetics can be altered among people in the same region, however, the genes won’t be entirely different but similar. People in India will share genes that are more similar to each other as compared to people from Africa.
You misunderstood my point. When one thinks of Race, the terminology, “black”, “white”, “red”, “brown”, etc., comes to mind. However, these terms do not adequately describe the genetic makeup of an individual, nor one’s ethnic background; for you can have many individuals who are the same color, but are of different ethnic backgrounds and genetic lineages. The problem with categorizing Peoples by Race is that the term Race heavily relies upon one’s color, which has been used historically in a pejorative sense, to generalize, stereotype, and/or demean people of different backgrounds, culture, regions, etc.. Nevertheless, we’ll have to agree to disagree. Thanks for being civil.
I have to respectfully disagree here. I am actually taking an Ethics class right now titled Cultural Diversity, and it is not about separating anyone, it is about learning more about people so we can understand and accept them. I actually referenced this article in my last assignment “Racial and Ethnic Groups.” I think that people fear what they do no understand, and by learning more about people and what makes them different, we can be more accepting of them
you do understand race is not a color right? race only refers to what you are genetically not your skin tone… knowing ones race does not separate anyone.. put an arab, a native american, an indian, a samoan and a Moroccan together.. they are all genetically different and of different races but when you use terms like like white and black it throws all in them together just as much as it throws a british, turkish and russian together even though they are vastly different
Anyone’s argument in favor of racial categories falls apart upon closer review:
If a so called black person and a so called white person, allegedly two different races, have a baby, what race is that baby? Black? That makes no sense, as it has an equally white parent. White? Doesn’t make sense either. So is the baby some new race- ‘other’ perhaps? And what if that baby grows up and has a child with a so called Asian? What race is that baby? And how can a child be a different ‘race’ than its parent anyway?
The idea of ‘race’ is obviously a relic of the past that will be seen as ridiculous in the future.
theres only 2 races. the kentucky derby and the human race. a little humor needed here.
Totally agree. When I have to fill out forms that request my race, I am usually stomped. My mother is mixed (Chinese, Portugese) and my father is mixed (French- creole and Amerindian). I am in my mid thirties, exactly 5 feet tall, light skin in complexion, brown eyes and wavy hair. What’s my race? I usually either tick mixed or other or when asked orally, I tell the person asking to decide. Maybe race is already a thing of the past, because my three children all look like Indians as thier father is Trinidadian Indian. Can someone tell me what their race is? I really just wanted to identify a difference between race and ethnicity so that I could appropriately plan for diversity in the education system, however, I just realized that the issue of diversity is even in my home. Now more than before, I am confused.
In my opinion a person who has a baby by a black man and she is white that baby is biracial ( mixed). How can the baby be one race when she or he has both race blood line. If that child does something wrong and they leave DNA behind that DNA will come back that the person is
Two different race. The next thing to find out is which two race is this persons DNA … I can’t explain in anyother way but the fact that doctors would need to know that you are both race. There are some diseases black people get and white people also have certain diseases they get also there’s different diseases that come in each race some are the same where as others are different. A doctor would need to know your back ground and other serious situations this person winds up in. So it’s silly to say your one race but document both. Children are winding up with personality disorders due to their parents telling them their one race then seen them to school at 3&4 to get teased all the way to high school it’s unfair and I agree that’s silly to say she or he is black or just white. When she or he is biracial( mixed). I don’t know if it’s appropriate to say mixed or biracial because I just love people and I’m sorry if that offends someone.
The issue should really be are we one species or are we many species the answer is symbol we are one species that through isolation have become many groups but at the end of the day we still are all part of the human species, race ethnicity should never cloud the issues we all seek the same things love prosperity good health and the ability to grow and complete the journey we call life I agree with some other bloggers life is to short make the best of it. THANK YOU.
I agree. Race is a construct created to divide and create a caste system during the construction of America (for evidence see “Making Race and Nation: A Comparison of South African and the United States” by Anthony W. Marx).
I think that everyone is so afraid of sounding racist that they are being overly defensive on these boards. Everyone judges people based on their outward appearance, now your judgements may not be dislike or contempt, but this is a part of our nature. It does not make anyone racist or judgemental, different groups of people exist on this planet, we are all still people, so there is no point trying to deny that by attempting to act morally superior
After attending diversity training for my career (a public school teacher), I learned that it is naive to say it’s about ethnicity and not race. It doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is. People will treat and judge you based on what they perceive your race to be. Race is an extrinsic philosophy and is based on perception. Therefore, if you appear black, you will be treated black. You will live a “black experience.” It doesn’t matter if your mom/dad is white or other. This being said, it is sad that this is true, but the reality is–a person’s race will determine his experiences, not necessarily ethnicity.
Race is anything but a construct. Racial differences are self-evident. Call it your genetic makeup if you like, or the outward expression of your DNA – the words are a construct, the fact of diverse human forms is just that – a fact. Of course if you mix different people of different races you get just that: People of mixed races; and the more mix the better for a healthy DNA.
Nothing worse than inbreeding. Perhaps in 1,000 years there will be such a mix-up that there are no more visible differences and our offspring will look at a human from a single race as a curiosity; just as we look today at newborns with two different eye colors.
It appears you are an Australian. This country is not part of Europe and is populated by a very racist ‘white’ people. The root of racism is not morality and truth – it is the preservation of wealth divisions.
@Junis – Here’s a little secret, just between the two of us: most of the world is not Europe. Last I checked Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and many of the other big shot racists and genocidal mass murderers were in fact not Australians. And while you’re at learning new stuff, here’s another gem: Australia is populated by black people, white people, yellow people, brown people and everything in between. Australia is one of the ethnically most diverse nations on the planet. Go google and worth writing down; might not out yourself as a silly little twat with bogan bully comments. Calling people racist one has never met in one’s life indicates an IQ barely above room temperature.
I agree
I think this was a good article. The point of this was only to help people understand the meaning of the words and there differences. Race only sounds offensive if it is used offensively. Saying that race is about a person’s physical features should not be offensive. If you are proud of your heritage, which we all should be, then this article should just be taken as informational. Getting upset about anything that may or may not be offensive only encourages the bigots that make the comments to continue.
I agree.. When I think of the word race I think background not color it doesn’t bother me when people use that word. It’s silly to get mad it’s just everyone’s opinion. Everyone has a right to state their on opinion.
I think you are correct in your description of race.
I disagree with your description of ethnicity as to some extent it is always intricately linked to ancestry. It can be a subset within a racial category. For example Indians have many different ethnicities within the one country. An English person who was born and brought up in India may “belong” there, but they will never be ethnically Indian, no matter how much they wish to change this.
An Indian living in the UK is still an ethnic Indian and nothing can change that. You could say they are “English” in terms of their loyalty and nationality as per citizenship, but they can never be ethnically English and no amount of feelgood PC indoctrination is going to change that. I don’t care if anyone agrees with me or not, but I am right on this one. You need to learn in totality what ethnicity is and not fall for the Post modernist corruption of the term. I am old enough not to go along with an alteration of a concept that was clear cut before. Peace.
My definition of race is simple: white, black. Calling someone “African American” because they appear so who is of West Indian background, say Hatian for example, would be considered incorrect by their standards. They are so far removed from African culture that it is impossible to call them “African American”, they have established their own culture, and that is Hatian. That is like calling a German “Asian”, because the Aryan race originated in the Middle East. One might call a Hatian black or “Islander”, but they aren’t African American. You simply cannot judge someone who appears African American to be African American. But they are black, no question about it. To call a white person “Caucasian” is politically incorrect, too. This term originated from the Cacause Mountains near Russia. Most people labeled “Cacasian” are from Western Europe, where population is more dense, and hundreds of miles west of the Caucases. There are, in fact, white. As you can see, people are white or black and calling them Cacasian or African Americann is sometimes wrong, don’t make any assumations, you may be wrong.
If you are Hispanic, that is your ethnicity. I am Hispanic and white. I have white skin, though half Mexican. Many people associate Mexicans with dark skin and a stocky build. My father has a darker skin complexion than I and has black curly hair, and is of average build. He looks Latino and has that subtle Spanish tone. He is considered white (definition by the U.S. government census bereau 2010) but he is Latino. Hispanics are so mixed between white and Natives that it is easier to call them Hispanic, some are more white, some Native. The correct term when describing a Latino is metizo. Latino means from Latin America but some Hispanics are elsewhere. The Equitorial Guniea, in central Africa, is a Hispanic country, and used to be controlled by Spain. It has a strong Spanish influence, many people are mixed and speak Spanish. They are black and Hispanic. Many Cubans are black, too, and Hispanic.
I hope this clarifies the HUGE differences between race and ethnicity. You can be black and Hispanic or white and Hispanic. You can be white and Latino or black and Latino. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t judge a person by his color. Get it?! Got it?! Good!(Apologies for the looong explanation, I’m part Irish on my mum’s side.)
If there are only two races- white and black, what are Japanese people? I think you should revisit your hypothesis and you’ll conclude there’s actually just one race- with a wide spectrum of different shades which don’t have a specific starting or ending point.
When attempting to describe biological “race” we need to include the concepts of phenotype, cline and our vast family tree roots.
phenotype: the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
cline: a gradation in one or more characteristics within a species or other taxon, especially between different populations.
family tree roots: We each have over a million ancestors counting back only 20 generations. As the roots expand they cover a larger geographic area.
I am HISPANIC. I am blood class type A RH positive,with no blood and platelets. I am origin of Guatemala. With pride, I am Hispanic. Hooray, Live long the Hispanic race! Hispanic means, descendants of Spain or sons of the Spain. Someone who is mixed with other races or more. It can be just a creole.
If Hispanic (sons of Spain) is a race, then American is a race. And English. And Russian. And Japanese.
And Guatemalan, as Spain is a country just as Guatemala is.
You make no sense, senor.
There is no race! There may be people that you call white because of the color of their skin. But there are also those people you call white that have blond hair and those that have black hair. Now, eventhough your parents both have black hair, you can have blond hair since one of your grandparents has blond hair because the gens for blond hair can be recessive and thus supressed in the parents generation.
It is proved that this can also happen with the degree of pigmentation of someones skin (leading to doubts about the mothers faithfulness regarding her husband;) . Since there is no sense in categorizing one human feature and leave another out, I would be very careful to talk of races…
I took a sociology class called Cultural Diversity as well as an Anthropology class and in both classes race was examined.
This article summarizes the Anthropological view of race:
“Most anthropologists recognize that race is a social concept, not a biological one. That is, it stigmatizes some individuals as different and reinforces the privileges of others. There is no evidence that there are large groups of biologically distinct human beings (i.e. subspecies) that correspond to what people refer to when they talk about “race.” Furthermore, to base any kind of biological category on a single physical characteristic, such as skin color (which, in itself is incredibly varied and determined by multiple genes), is clearly nonsense. Yet the concept of race persists in our popular culture, and is occasionally given legitimacy by researchers from fields as varied as psychology and political science. (Check out the American Anthropological Association Statement on Race and the statement on “Race” and Intelligence).”
It is important to note that race is not a universally used cultural label or determinant, but that it is perpetuated in particular societies depending upon the history of that society and that area itself. For example, race is prominent culturally in America because of America’s history of slavery, and it is also recognizable in European parts of the world for a similar historical reason. It is a non-factor in many other countries that do not have such a history.
The difference between ethnicity and race is that one is a biological fantasy and the other is a sociocultural cultural reality. The biggest problem is that people still use races as categories at all. They are inaccurate generic attempts at categorizing humanity. Ethnicity, on the other hand, is based on one’s sociocultural upbringing. There are ethnicities that have been formed from prior racism that have taken on the names of racial categories, and even loose associations that have been formed based on past discrimination and categorization based on so called racial categories. But these are arbitrary, man-made categories, not biological certainties.
I understand the whole “race vs. ethnicity” thing. Your skin color does not necessarily equate to your cultural background. And I agree! But here’s my question: Why does the race category go “American Indian/Alaskan, Caucasian/White, Black/African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Other”, and for ethnicity, the only options are “Hispanic/Latino, Non-Hispanic/Latino”.
Am I to understand, even if I’m white, and my wife is white, and we move to Central/South America and have a child, and raise that child in the cultures in which we live, that our child would be Hispanic/Latino? What about those living in Ireland/England/Wales/Scotland? Wouldn’t their ethnicity be “British”, since they live in the British Isles and have a different ethnicity than an American?
Maybe I just don’t understand why the “Hispanic/Latino” culture gets their own ethnicity option on American forms, and no one else does. And besides, since this question appears on paperwork such as job applications, what does someone’s culture have to do with doing a job? Race at least has to do with demographics, ethnicity doesn’t really deal with much of anything, except maybe the food you eat for dinner.
Latino/Hispanic gets its own category because of size and congregation patterns. The Census is not trying to classify people by race or ethnicity as much as they are trying to categorize major grouping patterns and what types of lifestyles these macrogroups have. Self identity plays a major role but so does identification by others. The vast majority of people of European decent in this country categorize and congregate as White. Same goes for those of Black descent. Asians tend to congregate as well, many people who would not congregate within their own countries, form blocks here. Same goes for Hispanic/Latinos. Asian isn’t really an ethnicity or race. It is a geographic block. One that finds themselves sufficiently at odds with the European style culture that they tend to congregate here. So people recognize them as a group. Hispanics/Latinos don’t congregate by look, but by language and heritage. The Guyanese, Jamaicans, etc, do not congregate with them so it isn’t just geographic. The cultural heritage plays a major role. That is why they have their own ethnic category. The Black and White groups are much more accepting of people of other ethnic groups so long as they fit their racial paradigms. Those groups were built through a history of racial perception segregation. Native Americans are separated as a block of ethnic groups that are local. But English speaking ones do not congregate with the Spanish speaking ones who identify with Latinos. etc, etc.
When the print media uses colour to describe individuals it is usually to negatively denote difference. Many people with fair complexions want to be tanned and many darker / olive complexioned individuals want to be fair. Of course these examples are related to fashion. Being careful not to generalise is wise isn’t it? I knew an African male who was studying in China. The police chased him away from Chinese females who he socialised with off campus. I was told they did this because the child of a couple from different backgrounds wouldn’t be accepted by either society. I am of fair European background, and I have two children of Eurasian background now. We were taught to know the difference between colours when choosing pencils to colour a rainbow etc., Skin colour or complexion of individuals tells very little about an individual’s character or personality. Within a socio-cultural or ethnic group there is great diversity among individuals. We need to look past superficial differences and be colour inclusive as well. Life is so short and I must get rid of prejudices and constantly develop into a mature person. Live life to the fullest! Long live the great unity and diversity of the peoples of the world!!!!!!
How are Hispanics/Latinos not a separate race? I understand how ethnicity and race are separate, but what I don’t understand is how some races are lumped into others. The list normally goes like this:
1. White/Caucasian
2.Black/African American
3.Native American/Alaskan
4.Asian
5.Pacific Islander
Don’t we all know of human beings who do not fit in any of these categories? I can tell you for sure that people from India are most certainly a separate race. I mean they are Asian, but only because of location, not race. Indians obviously do not fit in with any of these other races and should be given there own.
Other good examples are Hispanics/Latinos and people from the Middle East. I certainly do not think these two groups of people should be grouped up with another race. I mean, what Hispanic or Arabian person is gonna tell you they are white?
As far as the three basic races (Caucasian, Negro, and Asian), I believe they were early groupings which should now be dismissed.
But those are just your personal opinions, why should they be raised up to be some kind of biological fact? I agree that it is hard to determine from looks alone which “bracket” to put Indians in, but many of them have a clearly Caucasian appearance. White people come in all colours actually. The same goes with Arabs, especially those from the Levant, they are not only closer to the Caucasus than most European countries, they also self identify as white most of them when asked about race in the US Census, which I believe many of you are basing your arguments on. But culture plays in too, and the fact is that because of history and imperialism, many people who feel/have felt subjugated, don’t wanna identify as white, because they feel “different”. But it’s only really in their perception of the world around them that they are not genetically “white”.
Some people select white cause there race isn’t an option. Of course anyone can put there race in the space for “some other race”, but doesn’t the US Census bunch Arab and White together? I mean, it bunches Asian and Indian together.
US Census considers Arabs and North Africans as White/Caucasian, yes.
Why they do that? They not white.
hey man you iz forgetting the jamaicans cho!
please i need some words used exclusively by the black americans at the level of lexic
Here is the difference between race and ethnicity.
Race: Cannot be changed
Ethnicity: Can be changed
Things such as genetic make up are what distinguish race, while things such as the location in which you were born and your culture are what distinguish ethnicity.
Race can be changed, there are many instances in American History where certain groups of people were excluded and included to a race such as White. At one point Irish people were not considered white and some were slaves in America. But off course it is easy to include them as white because the have fair skin straight hair and so on. There even was a point where Mexicans were checking white or classified as white in America. A lot of people like to ignore the history of these countries which created these terms. And more recently adding Arabs or north Africans to the white Category. As mentioned before it is used to divide people, or separate people into classes. Everyone Knows that “blacks” are in the lowest class, and that whites are most likely in a high class or are the most superior intellectually. What is interesting is that no one has asked the question why are some people labeled as a color and others are labeled as A location. People who look Negroid are labeled black and Some who are Chinese are labeled as an Asian Race. Last time I checked there was no Nation or land called black or white. But there is a Continent called Asia or Africa………. there are lots of ” Races and or Ethnic Groups” in Asia and Africa. So what is A race of An offspring of a white and black person? Biracial is not a race. Can we actually pinpoint how many races a person is mixed with. It cannot be just based on phenotypes or looks. I am a citizen of a certain Nation so therefore I should be labeled as such. Scientist or doctors should be the only one concerned with such matters of race. But since America is a society that is based on giving special benefits to certain people they need to divide people in such categories. All Races in America benefit from segregation or race segregation. people need to start being real about this subject and stop excluding historical facts….The Race subject is more complex than what people always try to simplify it to be. It is so sad that we live in a society where men who want to be women are honored and respected, but the subject about race is still not tolerated.
I have a question for those of u who say there is only one race. Is there more than one breed of dog?
If you think someone from Denmark and someone from Mexico are as different as a Great Dane and a chihuahua you need professional help. A better correlation is a black lab and a brown lab. Both the same ‘race’, just different colors.
Gonna take a test and i was confused… and now i’m not.. tenx..
No I’m saying that although Dogs appear to have vast differences, they are all Dogs. Dogs is the species, while the different breeds of Dogs are races.
Human is not a “race” its a species.
I also hope that all u ppl understand that nationality has nothing to do with race, cuz some ppl get those things confused.
What i know all humans is of same race. that is why we can make children. We are just only different Ethnicity with different genetics .
And obviouse the mayor races is the Mongloid (chinese and east asians) and Indian (cacausian/aryan) and Negroid .
Its just look at the numbers …
Native americans´and native south americans is of Mongolid gentics.
That is why many hispanics have wide eyes.
lol
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha i have di giggles hehe
Race is not and has never been genetically proven. People from India do not share a more genetic make up with their fellow Indians as they do with those ethnically British. Whoever wrote this definition is very wrong in his description. Race is an idea, thats it. Race does not exist. Please, by all means feel free to check genetic and sociological research on what I have written-if you need any references to genetic reports, please feel free to reply and I will highlight some. Race needs to be abolished, it is separating us as a society and is reductively denting our human moral outlook. I do hope people will realise this.
Okay yes, race is an idea. All humans had the same common ancestors, we all know that. However, many things in our world are just ideas of humans. I believe I said this somewhere before, but breed of dog is very similar to race. Same common ancestor, same species, but they have distinct groups (dalmation, labrador, etc).
Your ethnicity cannot be changed.
It is pre-determined by your parents ethnicity,you could change the ethnicity of your own offspring by choice of partner, but your own ethnicity has already been determined.
is you sayin i is a different race bruv omg terry is gonna well jab you up then i bust you up. aiiiiiiiiiy
I am confused by this article. Could someone explain it to me?
I think you should research why races and ethnicities were created. What purpose was it truly meant to serve. Who did it benefit. Then You’ll find your answer.
america created a Hispanic ethnicity to separate themselves from white Hispanics from south of our border. Find out why this was done. Who would benefit from this. Why wouldn’t they want to be associated with Spanish speaking folks.
As a mixed Hispanic person myself, I can see why some wouldnt want to be associated with hispanics. Especially after watching dumb Spanish tv. If you watched that stuff you would think Hispanics (women in this case) care about partying and dressing like whores and sex, particularly with older rich spanish men with deep voices, who they happen to work for. Lol. Oh and they are bad actors. You would think that they haven’t evolved. And that’s not the case at all.
absouletly disgusted. I don’t even know what racism is!!!