Race: Social Construct vs. Biological Determinant
Is the Biological Understanding of Race Still Relevant?
Race as a biological category has not completely disappeared, even though the science behind it has been debunked. Some Trump supporters and elements in the far-right spectrum of politics still believe some races are inherently predisposed to commit violent and criminal acts. Also, some organizations and so-called philosophers push pseudo-theories to justify racial disparities when it comes to economic well-being.
Are the Problems Associated with a Biological Understanding of Race Still Relevant?
The problems associated with a biological understanding of race still persist because race is still being used to keep some people oppressed or explain why certain races are disproportionately represented in jails and poverty statistics. The problems have not gone away, and even though in many countries overt racism has decreased, there are still many instances where racism is present, especially when it comes to the labor force.
What Is Meant by the Idea That Race Is a Social Construction?
Most sociologists understand race as a social construction, meaning that the physical differences between the races are minimal and that most differences are merely cultural. Race has usually been defined by dominant societies or cultures to claim their superiority over rivals, but not because of a deep biological separation between the two groups. Also, the definition of race varies from culture to culture, and even the number of races varies.
How Does Social Construction of Race Differ from Biological Perspective?
Race as a social construction does not contend that some races are superior to others or that some races are predisposed to crime or a life of honesty. A biological understanding does claim these things; it also has a rigid understanding of race and how different humans fit in. In a social understanding, race is more fluid and nuanced, with people being classified as different races depending on the person judging.
Lombroso and His Assumptions About the Link Between Race and Crime
Lombroso believed that non-white races had a natural predisposition to crime and violence. He believed it was in their nature to become criminals and that their race was the main factor affecting their actions. For Lombroso, race was a biological determinant that affected and dictated behavior.
What Is the Difference Between Race and Ethnicity?
Race is a group of people who are treated as distinct based on certain “physical characteristics,” and ethnicity is a group of people who are distinguished primarily on the basis of culture, nationality, or heritage.
What Was the Convict Lease System?
It was a system of penal labor practiced in the Southern United States. It provided prisoner labor to private parties, and the lessee was responsible for feeding, clothing, and housing the prisoners. In other words, prisoners were leased (hired out) to people/companies who provided them with housing and food in exchange for labor.
What Was the Jim Crow System?
It entailed not only a system of laws but also a system of informal rules dictating how Black and White people should interact. For example:
- Black males could not offer to shake hands with White males.
- Black males could not stare at White women.
- Whites did not use courtesy titles to address Black people, yet Black people had to use courtesy titles to address White people.
- Black and White people were not supposed to eat together.
It was more than a series of rigid anti-Black laws. It was a way of life. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second-class citizens.