The classification of people into races and ethnic groups carries deep implications on the social and political life of different racial and ethnic groups. Such classification of racial and ethnic categories have held severe consequences for some groups while elevating other groups into positions of power, superiority and prestige. These classifications led to the notion of racial superiority and prestige. These classifications led to the notion of racial superiority and racial inferiority, culturally advanced groups and culturally disadvantaged, the use of derogatory undertones and parody, apartheid policy, discrimination and prejudice, and stereotyping of groups of people. Ethnic conflicts have been a regular process within the same territorial borders and among the nations of the world. Ethnic conflicts have been pervasive and dangerous because they cause massive humanitarian suffering, civil wars, and destabilizing effects.
According to Light (1985), biologically, race refers to a population that through generations of inbreeding has developed more or less distinctive physical characteristics that are transmitted genetically. It refers to a group of people who perceive themselves and are perceived by others as possessing certain distinctive and hereditary physical traits. Sociologically, race refers to a group of people whom others believe are genetically distinct and whom they treat accordingly.
The term “race” is commonly used to refer to physical differences between people brought about by physical characteristics of genetic origin. This commonness of genetic heritage may be manifested in the shape of the head and face, the shape and color of the eyes,, the shape of the nose, lips and ears, the texture and color of the hair, the skin color, height, blood type, and other physical characteristics. Among the significant racial categories studied by early social scientists were the Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid, and the subgroups of primary and derived races. A number of these physical traits may be used but many of these traits do not vary altogether. Hence, the classification of people into races is arbitrary (Ember and Ember 1988: 118-119). Furthermore, differentiation based on biological characteristics may not prove to be objective because it is often associated with culturally established notions, like the superiority of a race over another. While there is no scientific evidence to support the assumptions of the pure races and of inferior and superior races, physical differences play an important role in human behaviour. These beliefs are learned through the process of socialization within the family and other primary groups of indoctrination. Racial differences are seen as physical differences singled out by the community or society as ethnically significant (Giddens 1989: 246).
Classic examples include the superiority of the Aryan race in Hitler’s Germany, the implication of the “Indian” and “Negro” as being second-class citizens; and the classification of Negritoes in the Philippines carries derogatory undertones.
According to Davis Jary and Julie Dary (Collins, 1995:540), race is a scientifically discredited term previously used to describe biologically distinct groups of persons who were alleged to have characteristics of an unalterable nature. The concept has been used in the English language since the 16th Century. Its meaning has altered several times over the last 400 years in line with changing concepts about the nature of physical and cultural differences and, more importantly, the ideological uses of the concept to justify relationships of superiority and exploitation.
It is preferable to refer to ethnicity or ethnic groups rather than race for its historical and biological connotations. Despite the discredited nature of the concept of “race”, the idea still exerts a powerful influence in everyday language and ideology.
An ethnic group represents a number of persons who have a common cultural background as evidenced by a feeling of loyalty to a given geographical territory or leader, a feeling of identification with and unity among historical and other group experiences, or a high degree or similarity in social norms, ideas, and material objects. A consciousness of kind, and “we” feeling are shared by the members. Members of ethnic groups see themselves as culturally different from other groups in the society and are viewed by others to be so. (Giddens 1989: 243-244).
An ethnic group represents a number of persons who have a common cultural background as evidenced by a feeling of loyalty to a given geographical territory or leader, a feeling of identification with and unity among historical and other group experiences, or a high degree of similarity in social norms, ideas, and material objects. A consciousness of kind, and “we” feeling are shared by the members. Members of ethnic groups see themselves as culturally different from other groups in the society and are viewed by others to be so. (Giddens 1989: 243-244).
An ethnic group refers to a group of people sharing an identity which arises from a collective sense of a distinctive history. Ethnic groups possess their own culture, customs, norms, beliefs, and traditions. There is usually a common language, and boundary maintenance is observed between members and non-members, as well as by birth; ethnic group membership may be acquired through marriage in other socially sanctioned rites.
While socially perceived racial characteristics may be a feature of such groups, ethnic groups are not synonymous with racial groups.
The anthropologist Narroll (1964) stresses the importance of shared cultural values and a group awareness of cultural distinctiveness as key elements in ethnic group values and a group awareness of cultural distinctiveness as key elements in ethnic group membership. Barth (1970) places emphasis on group organization and the maintenance of ethnic boundaries via ethnic markers – the means whereby the social boundaries between ethnic groups are maintained. Territoriality, history, language, and symbols may all serve as ethnic markers emphasizing distinctions between one ethnic group and another.
On the basis of religion, ethnic groups may be identified as Roman Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and others. Politically, they may be classified as persons or groups adhering to the ideology of democracy, socialism or communism. They may also be differentiated on the basis of language, history or ancestry and many other socio-cultural factors.
As we can see from these definitions, both race and ethnicity in the sociological sense are social constructs or socially defined labels. But there is an important difference between them. Whereas, race is a label based on perceived cultural differences. An ethnic group, in other words, is a category of people who perceive themselves and are perceived by others as possessing shared cultural traits – traits such as language, religion, family customs and food preferences. Race, on the other hand, refers to a population who perceived themselves and is perceived by others as possessing distinctive physical characteristics that are transmitted genetically through generations of inbreeding.
