...The definition of racial identity could put into two meanings, either from its “biological dimension” or its “social dimension.” In the biological dimension, race can be defined as an persons “physical features, gene pools and character qualities.” Europeans used these features as characteristics that differentiate to categorized people hierarchically based by physical ability and moral quality, “with Caucasians as the pinnacle, followed by Asians and Native Americans, and Africans last on the racial ladder” (Spickard, “The Illogic of American Racial Categories.”14). Looking past those certain characteristics are “more similarities than differences between racial groups and more differences than similarities within these groups” (Littlefield,...
Words: 349 - Pages: 2
...5 This chapter explores how racial and ethnic identity develops and how a sensitivity to this process can improve adult education. Racial and Ethnic Identity and Development Alicia Fedelina Chávez, Florence Guido-DiBrito Racial and ethnic identity are critical parts of the overall framework of individual and collective identity. For some especially visible and legally defined minority populations in the United States, racial and ethnic identity are manifested in very conscious ways. This manifestation is triggered most often by two conflicting social and cultural influences. First, deep conscious immersion into cultural traditions and values through religious, familial, neighborhood, and educational communities instills a positive sense of ethnic identity and confidence. Second, and in contrast, individuals often must filter ethnic identity through negative treatment and media messages received from others because of their race and ethnicity. These messages make it clear that people with minority status have a different ethnic make-up and one that is less than desirable within mainstream society. Others, especially white Americans, manifest ethnic and racial identity in mostly unconscious ways through their behaviors, values, beliefs, and assumptions. For them, ethnicity is usually invisible and unconscious because societal norms have been constructed around their racial, ethnic, and cultural frameworks, values, and priorities and then referred to as “standard...
Words: 3907 - Pages: 16
...thinking about your identity most people would not identify with their race. This is because your race is not who you are it is a way of classifying people based on their genetics. Some people identify with their generalized groupings. However, understanding who you are as a person helps you to know your identity. For some people this can take a life time and for others life, people, events and circumstances helps them build themselves and their identity. Therefore, our identity is the way we see ourselves. Our strengths, character and your personality traits are some ways to identify yourself. For that reason, using the Black Identity Development Model to help construct identity, gained insights about individual cultural, racial, or...
Words: 1420 - Pages: 6
...Application of Racial Idenity Development Theory in the Classroom by Beverly Daniel Tatum, she explores the reasons why students do not want to learn and talk about racism and how to overcome that resistance. She also emphasizes about the racial identity development theory. For blacks and persons of color, there are 5 stages of racial identity development. These include Pre-encounter, encounter, immersion/emersion, internalization, and internalization-commitment. Whites go through 6 stages of racial identity development. They consist of Contact, Disintegration, Reintegration, Pseudo-Independent, Immersion/Emersion and Autonomy. The first stage of the Racial...
Words: 611 - Pages: 3
...studies have been undertaken on the social construction of whiteness. These studies shed a lot of light on the different perceptions on whiteness, gaps in research, areas of highest research interest, strengths and weaknesses of the various methodologies, and direction for future studies. In the study done by Hartmann, Gerteis, and Croll, the focus was on the theoretical aspects of whiteness studies. The findings led the researchers to estimate that in the United States, 15% of the population exhibit what may be called ‘categorical whiteness’ (404). The study by Hartmann, et.al, was carried out using data obtained during a recent national survey, which helped provide an empirical assessment of the theoretical underpinnings of whiteness studies (Hartmann, et.al 404). Three propositions regarding the awareness and conception of whites about their own racial status were analyzed. The propositions included: the understanding of racial privileges, the invisibility of the white identity, and adherence to individualistic and color-blind ideals. The findings turned out to be consistent with those previously spelled out in whiteness theories. Hartmann, et.al, discovered that white Americans are much less aware of privilege compared to individuals belonging to minority groups...
Words: 3906 - Pages: 16
...The Solution to Ethnic and Racial Civil Conflict Jacqueline Zhang GOVT 150W Introduction to International Politics Introduction Within a period of three months in 1994, an estimated five to eight hundred thousand people were killed as a result of civil war and genocide in Rwanda. Large numbers were physically and psychologically afflicted for life through maiming, rape and other trauma; over two million fled to neighboring countries and maybe half as many became internally displaced within Rwanda. This human suffering was and is incomprehensible. Similar ethnic and racial civil conflicts have deeply scarred countries and are threatening to break out in many places around the globe. Too much blood has been shed for ethnic and racial causes and too many have died in ethnic and racial wars. In accordance to the constructivist model of nationalism, identity (re)construction solves ethnic and racial civil conflict. Definition For the purpose of demonstrating how identity (re)construction solves ethnic and racial civil conflicts, “solve” can be defined as 1) to explain and 2) to put an end to, settle. In addition, “explain” means to make clear the cause, origin or reason of. Furthermore, an ethnicity is a population of human beings whose members identify with each other, on the basis of a real or a presumed common genealogy or ancestry. The term race refers to the concept of dividing people into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of physical characteristics...
Words: 2466 - Pages: 10
...self-report measures of prejudicial views have declined rapidly, researchers have found pro-white and anti-black biases still happens below the conscious level. Such findings raise the questions of whether humans inherently have racial bias and whether these automatic biological processes can be counteracted through social intervention. The purpose of this paper is to propose mechanisms of racial bias and demonstrate their operation in relation to personal identity at the biological, psychological, and social level. An individual’s perception of himself and others depends on the personal, relational, and the collective phenomenon of identity. An understanding of how identity operates as a mechanism of racial bias at the psychological...
Words: 1445 - Pages: 6
...Abstract The point of this paper is to help the reader grasp the different aspects of human identity construction with regards to ones race and/or ethnicity. This is a topic that is incredibly important to all races of people regardless of economic class or whatever else is seemingly more important. It is quite impossible to go throughout life without forming an idea of who you are or where you have come whether you care to make it a part of your daily life, have no choice or acknowledge it when it is convenient; without that knowledge I find it difficult to fully make the most of life. Through the readings from the semester and class discussions I have come to the conclusion that White ethnics choose to either assert their ethnicities thickly or thinly, or they chose to incorporate it into their lives symbolically. Blacks on the other side of the spectrum lack choice in their racial identity because their race is visible and so it is assigned to them. Asians have both the ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities but they are racially assigned. The issue with racial and ethnic construction is that it is born of social construction-what others believe of your race to be true. This can make the identity construction process much more difficult depending upon your racial or ethnic background. Regardless, I find this to be an important part of the identity construction journey. How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone. ...
Words: 5152 - Pages: 21
...worthless if there are not supporters who believe in the fight as well. Within Tommie Shelby’s “Social Identity and Group Solidarity” he discusses how African Americans must come together and stand up against racial and social injustice. Shelby implies that black solidarity needs to be emphasized more towards the community on how we should be treated equally because we are human and should not be judged based off our race and culture. Race should not limit anyone’s role within the community or deprive them from who they are. K. Anthony Appiah’s “Race, Culture, Identity: Misunderstood Connections” is a perfect example as to why race should not define people as a whole. Appiah believes that we should not be catergozired in these racial groups because it takes away from our nation sticking together as a one. Both authors make it clear that race should not deprive anyone of human rights because every human deserves to have equal rights. Shelby discusses that in order to eliminate the black stereotypical image; African Americans must unite and call upon each other to fight towards racial injustice. Shelby states “Blacks are a people whose members need to work together to bring about their collective self- realization as a people” (585). This statement shows that Shelby strongly believes that African Americans should utilize black solidarity to the best of their capability to end racial injustice and to be treated equally with full freedom. Shelby does not want the reason for blacks to...
Words: 1104 - Pages: 5
...parents have been the biggest influences in regards to my racial identity. They are the ones that raised me under the norms that they were taught when they were growing up. Being part of a working class Mexican American family in the United States, I was raised in a neighborhood that consisted primarily of Mexican Americans. They taught me the culture and history of my relatives back in Mexico in order to make me feel connected to my roots. Teachers in my schools that have had the same racial background as me, have allowed me to learn more about myself. They assisted in allowing me to learn more about...
Words: 705 - Pages: 3
...The Social Science Mixed Racial and Cultural Groups in the United States ENG COMP II/ABE1314D Dr. Nicole Martinez and Mrs. Karissa Sullivan May 6, 2013 Mixed Racial and Cultural Groups of the United States is a huge topic being discussed recently because mixed racial relationships are increasing daily all around the world, but especially with-in the United States. There are many individuals who elaborate on whether or not each group expects to be treated as a separate entity, or be considered just Americans without the hyphen. Is the United States better off by classifying individuals by their ethnic background? What do we actually gain by these separate entities? Why is the government so concerned on everyone’s ethnic background? These are just a few of many questions that are being discussed and I will answer based on facts. While mixed racial and cultural groups continue to rise in the United States, it seems that the vast majority continues to pursue their separate ethnicity with-in the United States, but when approached abroad with-in another country, they seem to consider themselves as Americans vice African-American, Mexican American, Asian American, etc. (Perez and Hirshmann, “The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the United States). Many Americans have multiple identities that reflect complex ancestral origins, tribal and communal associations, and varied ideological outlooks on race and culture. In general, people do not change their ethnicities...
Words: 2233 - Pages: 9
...being paralleled. The theme I chose to write about is Race and Ethnicity. I am familiar with the theme and I also feel strongly about it which leads me to believe that I can do the topics justice. I chose What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl by Patricia Smith and Child of The Americas written by Aurora Levin Morales. These two authors may not share the same ethnicity; Smith being African American and Morales being Puerto Rican but they have experienced similar internal fights; cultural and personal identity struggles coupled with the need for social acceptance in their worlds. I also felt a personal connection with it seeing as how I am a mix of ethnicities, from Hawaiian, to Filipino, to Caucasian. In this comparative paper, I will discuss the similarities that both authors wrote about as well as the differences. When looking into the theme these two poems share, we can expand our understanding and in some way, reflect on it personally as I have. Both Smith and Morales explain so beautifully in their poems how difficult it was to grow up as young women who were not of Caucasian descent. They both lived completely different lives yet their struggles were comparable because they both suffered racial discrimination and in their writing explained how hard it was to live with what was decided about them based on their ethnicity. The two authors correlate through race and cultures, there are countless life trials they had to conquer if they wanted to feel secure in their own skin. The...
Words: 2759 - Pages: 12
...a social system for encouraging the maintenance of a monoracial hierarchy through the systematic categorization and assignment of multiracial individuals to the least preferred racial status in society (Sue & Sue, 2011). Obviously, the “one-drop rule” can significantly impact multiracial identity development as a byproduct of historical prejudice. For instance, the first implication of the hypodescent rule on multiracial identification is that it causes the biracial...
Words: 487 - Pages: 2
...In “Mixed” Results: Multiracial Research and Identity Explorations author Gaither (2015) explains the notion that multiracial individuals often feel pressure to choose one central race to identify with while also investigating the idea that the individual’s multiple identities actually allows them to assume flexible cognitive and behavioral tactics. Additionally, Gaither’s (2015) article assess previous research pertaining to multiracial individuals; she examines the behavior and cognitive functions related to being multiracial, and also studies the connection of multiracial identities with flexibility. In its entirety, this research shows that multiracial people generally take a more open approach to interacting with others. There were many...
Words: 1210 - Pages: 5
...1. How do you identify your racial and ethnic identities? Over time, there has been different views on racial and ethnic identities. The identities can be Identified through Census which was one of the earliest measurements and it classified people Into different races. Some features could be used. “Such features typically include speech or Language, physical appearance, dress or costume, religion, customs, and others”. 2. Describe the history of your racial and ethnic identities holistically in the United States? When Philippines became one of the territories of the United States in 1898, it led into the creation Of the Filipino American race. “Filipinos in North America were first documented in the 16th century with small settlements...
Words: 629 - Pages: 3
