What is implied by the statement that “race as biology is fiction; racism as a s

Question

What is implied by the statement that “race as biology is fiction; racism as a social problem is real”? Do you agree or disagree with this statement? As stated in our text, “race” generally refers to certain physical likenesses (skin color, eye shape, freckles, etc) that are shared by a group of people and are used to mark or separate them from others. (Lustig and Koester p. 20) The above statement suggests that race is not a biological term; it is instead a societal and political term that was originally invented as a way to justify economic and social distinctions which would, in turn, be used to privilege some groups over others. Race distinctions have turned into the basis for racism which is a social problem that plagues our world today. I agree that racism is a very serious social problem that our country faces and has faced for many years. I do not fully agree that race is not a biological term. We have tests now (Ancestry, 21 and me) that are able to use your DNA is identify your race/origins. So, I believe there is some truth to the biological aspect of race. With that said, I think that certain races have been abused more than others because of the distinctions. Furthermore, I do not think that race classifications are very reliable because if we are talking about DNA results that is one thing but what about the Census that allows you to pick your own race? Not to mention certain groups of people have been classified as one race, then a few years later another, and then a few years later classified as the same race they first were. So, race seems to be a very grey/interchangeable distinction that only leads to mistreatment of certain groups of people. I do not see a plus side is labeling and distinguishing people by race, personally.

Explanation / Answer

I agree with this statement,that race is a socially constructed phenomenon.We all see the world through a racial lens that colors our world black, white, Asian, Mexican, minority, or “other”. How we are seen and how we see others affects various domains of our lives and the lives of others; from the types of jobs we have, the amount of money we make, the kind of friends we make, the places we live, the foods we eat, the schools we go to, etc.The entire social structure we inhabit is affected by at least one social construction, race. Race, although it does not exist in the world in any ontologically objective way, it still is real in society (as opposed to nature). Race is a social construction that has real consequences and effects. These effects, consequences and the notion that race is ontologically subjective is epistemologically objective. We know that race is something that is real in society, and that it shapes the way we see ourselves and others. Race is a social construct produced by the dominant group in society and their power to define. In other words, the dominant group in society imposed the boundaries of group membership by defining race in terms of biology. If you were black, then you were biologically inferior to a white person. Due to this, race as a biological concept was developed and used to justify the enslavement of a growing free black population early in U.S. history. This initial biological understanding of race helped draw the color line. The boundaries of group membership were marked by skin color. Till this day the primary race indicator is skin color.

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