Question

Responses should be 50 - 100 words (approximately) and use specific examples when possible.

3) Discuss the idea of race as a social construction.

Answer 1

Race is a social construct where people are often referred to a particular group of people who share distinct characteristic traits, (especially physical traits). This kind of social construct may influence lives as a human.

Racism is one of the problems which are faced today, and along with that, there are many stereotypes formed with different races. Eg: Financial status, socioeconomic status of an individual is assumed/stereotyped based on their race.

When an African couple gave birth to a third child in their family, who appears to be Caucasian, assumptions by others could/are made saying this child’s parents are Caucasian, and not African, genetic experts reasoned multiple factors due to which this could be a possibility. The child could have had a unique gene mutation or she (the child) could have been a product of a long dormant gene responsible for phenotype associated with Caucasian pool passed on to her by her parents.

Many of the thinkers believe that the social construct of race exists because we made them exist. This, in other words, is also known as constructivism