According to the textbook, "Race is a group of people who are believed to be a biological group sharing genetically transmitted traits that are defined as important." Sociologists place an emphasis on the word "believed" and the fact that genetic differences are "defined as important" in determining racial groups. To learn why this is and to learn a critical perspective on race, check out this website:
http://www.understandingrace.org/
After checking out the website, answer the following discussion questions:
- What critical points does the website make about the use of race in connection to biology and to human differences?
- The website uses this quotation from Robin D.G. Kelley, a historian, "Racism is not about how you look, it is about how people assign meaning to how you look." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?
- Is race a useful category in denoting human differences? If yes, why? If no, how would you change the way we talk about human differences?
Sample Solution