What is Race?

In the world we live in, we have many different scientists to study many different parts of our societies, but race in particular is a part of society that sparks mass interest. The study of anthropology houses many of these sciences and can be the key to understanding what race truly is. Anthropology is the holistic study of humankind- past, present, and future. It includes the various aspects of human evolution, development, and culture. The study of anthropology expands so far that it includes not only the study of human societies but also the study of nonhuman societies, which is why anthropology is split into two categories- physical anthropology and cultural anthropology. Physical anthropology is the study of human and nonhuman primate evolution and form. Within the discipline of physical anthropology there are several studies. Osteology is the study of the human skeletal structure, primatology is the study of nonhuman primates, and ethology is the study of animal behavior.

The other sub-discipline within anthropology is cultural anthropology. Cultural anthropology is the study of human groups, it includes archaeology, ethnography, ethnology, ethno-history, oral history and linguistics. All of these studies within cultural anthropology can help to explain the reason why race is important to certain societies and what exactly it is. The American Anthropological Association's statement of race says, "Physical variations in any given trait tend to occur gradually rather than abruptly over geographic areas. And because physical traits are inherited independently of one another, knowing the range of one trait does not predict the presence of others". The statement goes on to declare, "Today scholars in many fields argue that "race" as it is understood in the United States of America was a social mechanism invented during the 18th century to refer to those populations brought together in colonial America: the English and other European settlers, the conquered Indian peoples, and those peoples of Africa brought in to provide slave labor."

Race isn't just a social problem, it's a personal problem that all people have to deal with. Since birth we are exposed to others describing, grouping, and judging others because of their "race". The best way to dismantle racism in my own life is to first focus on my sphere of influence. This sphere includes my boyfriend, my two best friends, my mother, my father, and my three brothers. These people are those who I interact with in a daily basis and are closest to me. I can use this sphere to fight racism by first examining myself for racism. I must ask myself- What does race mean to me? And my reply is that my interpretation is race is the superficial pseudo-colors that we give to others to help categorize them- black, white, yellow, red. These are colors that do not really appear in human skin pigment but are contrived to group various people.

I will be anti-racist much in the way that Gandhi has become anti-violent. I will become the change that I wish to see in others. The most powerful tool of persuasion is not the use of words, not the use of actions but the act of combining both tools. I already clearly befriend all people regardless of race, but I will take it one step further which will bring me one step closer to becoming anti-racist. I will talk to them about race and ask them for their definition because only when we realize that the term "race" has meaning in our lives can we begin to take it out. I will also become a beacon of what I believe in, having a wide variety of friends from different cultures has always been important to me but I never bring my different groups of friends together. Perhaps if I introduced one group of friends to another group of friends, they too could begin to actively dismantle racism in their own lives. All of this would, ultimately, help to dismantle racism in my sphere of influence. By becoming a symbol of my beliefs, I will become someone for my little brothers to look up to and mimic. And once the act of dismantling racism has spread throughout my sphere of influence it will continue to pass itself on to people outside of it.

Racism is a problem in many societies. I understand that it may be important to have certain classifications by which to group people for beneficial purposes but when it spirals out of control into hurtful words or actions, it needs to be stopped. It creates ignorance and an all-around harmful environment for the children growing up in the world today. We, collectively, must begin to be the change we wish to see in our children and the world.

Works Cited

The AAA Statement on Race. 17 May 1998. Online. 20 Jan 2008.

Conrad, Kottack P. Cultural Anthropology: The Exploration of Human Diversity. Ann Arbor: , 2004.