From Diffen
| Ethnicity | Race | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal System: | In last decades of the 20th century, the legal system as well as the official ideology prohibited ethnic-based discrimination | In last decades of the 20th century, the legal system as well as the official ideology emphasized race equality | |
| Conflicts: | Often brutal conflicts between ethnic groups have existed throughout history and across the world | Racial prejudice against Africans also exists today in non-colonised countries such as China and Japan | |
| Distinguishing Factors: | Ethnics are distinguished by as a distinct group, or by common cultural, linguistic, religious, or physical traits | Races are distinguished by skin color, facial type, cranial profile and size, texture and color of hair | |
| Definition: | An ethnic group or ethnicity is a population of human beings whose members identify with each other, either on the basis of 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 characteristics and beliefs about common ancestry | |
| Significance: | Ethnicity connotes shared cultural, linguistic, or religious traits | Race connotes shared biological (genetic or phenotypic) traits | |
| Genealogy: | Ethnicity is defined in terms of shared genealogy | Race is defined in terms of shared genealogy | |
| Nationalism: | In 19th century, there was development of the political ideology of ethnic nationalism | In 19th century,the concept of race was tied to nationalism |
Race relates to a person's appearance - chiefly the color of their skin. It is determined biologically, with genetic traits such as skin color, eye color, hair color, bone/jaw structure etc.
Ethnicity, on the other hand, relates to cultural factors such as nationality, culture, ancestry and beliefs.
For example, take the Caucasian race. The physical characteristics of Caucasians were described by M. A. MacConaill, as being "light skin and eyes, narrow noses, and thin lips. Their hair is usually straight or wavy". Caucasoids are said to have the lowest degree of projection of the alveolar bones which contain the teeth, a notable size prominence of the cranium and forehead region, and a projection of the midfacial region. The Caucasian race consists of many ethnicities such as Irish, Italian, German, Iranians etc.
Comments: Ethnicity vs Race [Add Comments] |
| Comments on Ethnicity vs. Race |
Actually, their right, not small minded etc etc.
All academic text points to the same way of definition.
- Medical Student (unfortunately studying topics of sociology)
- by 138.253.83.177 on 2009-10-30 12:16:14 |
I don't think this is backward...it is anthropologically relevant if not completely accurate. I'm Hispanic, but I am tired of people walking on eggshells when it comes to race/ethnicity. Sure, race/ethnicity doesn't really matter, but it is an interesting topic academically. Besides, if it doesn't matter, why are you so sensitive about it?
- by 74.237.53.253 on 2009-08-28 20:20:40 |
Wow can we say ignorant and small minded individual that probably lives in a backwards little redneck town. And I'm white...oh wait sorry..."caucasian" by the way.
- by 12.186.61.4 on 2008-09-28 03:13:28 |


