
Erich Fromm
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/race
“Usage note
Genetic evidence has undermined the idea of racial divisions of the human species and erendered race obsolete as a biological system of classification.Race, therefore, should no longer be considered as an objective category, as the term formerly was in
expressions like the Caucasian race, the Asian race, the Hispanic race.Instead, if the
reference is to a particular inherited physical trait, as skin colour or eye shape, that
salient feature should be mentioned specifically: discrimination based on colour.Rather than using race to generalize about national or geographic origin or even religious affiliation, it is better to be specific: South Korean, of Polish descent.
References to cultural affiliation may refer to ethnicity or ethnic group: Kurdish ethnicity, Hispanic ethnicity
.Though race is no longerconsidered a viable scientific categorization of humans, it continues to beused by the U.S. Census to refer to current prevalent categories of self-identification that include some physical traits, some historical affiliations, and some national origins: black, white, American Indian, Chinese, Samoan,etc. The
current version of the census also asks whether or not Americans are of Hispanic origin, which is not considered a race. There are times when it is still accurate to talk about race in society. Though race has lost its biological basis, the sociological consequences of
historical racial categories persist. For example, it may be appropriate to invoke race to
discuss social or historical events shaped by racial categorizations, asslavery, segregation, integration, discrimination, equal employment policy.Often in these cases, the adjective “racial” is more appropriate than thenoun “race.” While the scientific foundation for
race is now disputed, racial factors in sociological and historical contexts
continue to be relevant.
expressions like the Caucasian race, the Asian race, the Hispanic race.Instead, if the
reference is to a particular inherited physical trait, as skin colour or eye shape, that
salient feature should be mentioned specifically: discrimination based on colour.Rather than using race to generalize about national or geographic origin or even religious affiliation, it is better to be specific: South Korean, of Polish descent.
References to cultural affiliation may refer to ethnicity or ethnic group: Kurdish ethnicity, Hispanic ethnicity
.Though race is no longerconsidered a viable scientific categorization of humans, it continues to beused by the U.S. Census to refer to current prevalent categories of self-identification that include some physical traits, some historical affiliations, and some national origins: black, white, American Indian, Chinese, Samoan,etc. The
current version of the census also asks whether or not Americans are of Hispanic origin, which is not considered a race. There are times when it is still accurate to talk about race in society. Though race has lost its biological basis, the sociological consequences of
historical racial categories persist. For example, it may be appropriate to invoke race to
discuss social or historical events shaped by racial categorizations, asslavery, segregation, integration, discrimination, equal employment policy.Often in these cases, the adjective “racial” is more appropriate than thenoun “race.” While the scientific foundation for
race is now disputed, racial factors in sociological and historical contexts
continue to be relevant.
