Roots of identity: Unpacking distinctions between race and ethnicity

 Race and ethnicity are both used to classify people into groups, but they are based on different factors.

 Race: Based on physical characteristics

Definition: Race refers to a group of people who share similar physical traits, especially skin color, facial features and hair texture.

Nature: Biological and physical.

Examples:

• People with black or dark skin are often classified as Black or African race
• People with light or pale skin are classified as White or Caucasian race
• People with yellowish or fair skin and almond-shaped eyes may belong to the Asian or Mongoloid race

Major racial groups around the world

Ethnicity: Based on culture and ancestry

Definition: Ethnicity refers to the shared cultural traits of a group, including language, religion, traditions, and nationality.

Nature: Cultural and historical.

Examples:

• Punjabis, Tamils, Sindhis are different ethnic groups in South Asia based on language and culture
• Arabs are an ethnic group who share the Arabic language and cultural heritage, even though they can be of different races

Major ethnic groups around the world

Key differences: Summary

Questions with model answers

Small question (50 words)

Q: Define race and ethnicity. How are they different?

A: Race refers to classification based on physical traits such as skin colour and hair type. Ethnicity relates to cultural identity including language, religion, and traditions. While race is biological, ethnicity is socio-cultural. For example, "Black" is a race; "African-American" is an ethnic identity within it.

Medium question (150 words)

Q: Differentiate between race and ethnicity with suitable examples. Discuss how these concepts affect social identity in multicultural societies.

A: Race is a social construct based on physical characteristics, while ethnicity involves shared culture, language, and heritage. For instance, "Asian" is a race, but within it, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are distinct ethnicities.

In multicultural societies like the USA, people may racially identify as Black but ethnically as Jamaican, Nigerian, or African-American. Ethnicity often plays a greater role in shaping one's cultural worldview and community engagement.

Sociologist Max Weber emphasised ethnicity as a group identity formed through shared subjective belief in common descent, while W.E.B. Du Bois focused on race as a historical and political construct rooted in oppression.

Race and ethnicity significantly influence access to resources, political representation, and social mobility. Misuse of racial categories can result in stereotyping, marginalization, and systemic discrimination, while celebrating ethnic diversity can foster inclusion and cultural enrichment.

Analytical question (250 words)

Q: Critically examine the relevance of race and ethnicity in contemporary sociological discourse. How do these concepts intersect with issues like migration, discrimination, and identity politics in the globalised world?

A: Race and ethnicity remain highly relevant in contemporary sociology, especially in the context of global migration, rising identity politics, and structural inequality. While earlier sociologists viewed race as a fixed biological category, modern theorists emphasize its socially constructed nature.

W.E.B. Du Bois introduced the concept of “double consciousness,” highlighting how African-Americans struggle with dual identities in a racially prejudiced society. Similarly, Stuart Hall viewed ethnicity as fluid and shaped by historical narratives and cultural practices.

Migration has intensified ethnic pluralism in Western societies. Migrants often retain ethnic identities while being racially categorized by host societies, leading to tension and exclusion. For instance, South Asians in the UK are racially grouped as "Brown" but ethnically diverse—Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, etc.

Institutional racism—e.g., police brutality in the US or anti-immigrant policies in Europe—reflects the lingering impact of racial categorization. Ethnic nationalism is also on the rise, fueling identity-based political mobilisation (e.g., Kurds in West Asia, Catalans in Spain).

Globalisation, instead of erasing these differences, has often amplified them through diasporic identity, cultural revivalism, and resistance to homogenization. Hence, understanding race and ethnicity is crucial for analyzing conflict, integration and social justice in the 21st century.