StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Racial and Ethnic Matter - Assignment Example

Cite this document
Summary
We are More Alike than Different Having lived in a largely homogenous society like Japan, I would say that my previous views on race were full of misconceptions and unfounded assumptions. In a way, while growing up, I was made to believe that the Japanese society’s progress is mainly attributed to our so-called “mono racial” society…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.3% of users find it useful
Racial and Ethnic Matter
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Racial and Ethnic Matter"

We are More Alike than Different Having lived in a largely homogenous society like Japan, I would say that my previous views on race were full of misconceptions and unfounded assumptions. In a way, while growing up, I was made to believe that the Japanese society’s progress is mainly attributed to our so-called “mono racial” society. For instance, the low crime rate in the country was said to be inherent in our race, often believed as a product of a collectivist culture. Oftentimes, Japanese people refer to foreigners as Gaijin (which literally means outside person), who are most often blamed for committing crimes in our society.

Living in a country that has been isolated from foreigners for hundreds of years, it is fair to say that racism in Japan, though not openly discussed, is existent. Sadly, some of those who have been discriminated are not only non-Japanese but they also include those who are not 100% Japanese. I would say that we previously have held this idea of a pure Japanese race that is superior and unique among other racial groups around the world. However, as Japan becomes global nowadays, more people have become accustomed to seeing foreigners and are thus welcome to the “differences” of people from other countries.

Having said this, I believe that the website about race and human variation has been helpful for me to be more open about the perceived differences among people. The most important thing is that the website has corrected some of the misconceptions that I have held towards people who have different looks and skin color than mine. This is because before I even began navigating the entire website, I have first taken time in answering the human variation quiz on the site. Interestingly for me, I found out that I have held two incorrect notions about race: 1.) skin color provides information to one’s cultural heritage; 2.) sickle cell disease causes dark skin color.

As I have eventually learned, I was surprised to learn that skin color is mainly caused by the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and that a person’s health is linked to his/her genetic make-up and environmental factors. When it comes to the issue on skin color, foreigners have labeled most Japanese as “yellow skinned” although I would say that this is inaccurate since we mostly have pale skin. From what I have learned in the website, this can be attributed to our adaptation of the weaker sunlight that the people receive in the country.

Also, it is important to note that there are dark-skinned Japanese in the country and most of them live in Okinawa. I could now say that their skin color can be attributed to the warm weather in southern Japan. When it comes to the issue on health, Japanese people are noticeably conscious on the overall well-being of a person, especially on the diet. Most people in Japan held unto the idea that the secret to Japanese people’s strength and longevity is found on the Japanese’s staple diet of fish, vegetable, and rice.

However, from what I have read on the website, environmental factors such as stress are also a major contributor to sickness. For instance, African-Americans may likely suffer from hypertension because they endure racial discrimination and low economic status. With this, it can be said that the health of a person, although affected by genetic factors, is also dependent on one’s nutrition, access to healthcare, and societal experiences. That is why the health of a racial group cannot be solely linked to race but to environmental factors and genetic make-up as well.

Having said these, I am convinced that there is no such thing as race and that the term is simply a product of social construct. It means that it is simply the society that labels and classifies groups of people according to physical features and differences. What most of us do not know is that the differences we see on every individual are only attributed to years of evolution and adaptation to one’s geography. These different facade that we see on other people is simply a product of years of human development and it has nothing to do with the inner qualities of people.

In fact, our similarities have been scientifically proven (through the human genome project) that our ancestors have all branched out from Africa. Scientific evidence is also telling us that all of us are more similar than alike. I genuinely feel that human beings are connected in many ways. The website simply cemented my belief that all of us are more alike than different. As the people become increasingly global, I am more confident that our understanding of the race will eventually become obsolete.

I am glad that this awareness is happening not only in the multi-cultural society like United States, but also in my so-called “mono-racial” country as well.

Read More
Tags
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Racial and Ethnic Matter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Racial and Ethnic Matter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/sociology/1431456-racial-and-ethnic-matter
(Racial and Ethnic Matter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
Racial and Ethnic Matter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1431456-racial-and-ethnic-matter.
“Racial and Ethnic Matter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1431456-racial-and-ethnic-matter.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Racial and Ethnic Matter

In What Way(S), If At All, Do Race And Ethnicity Still Matter

Moreover, recent outbreaks of ethnic cleansing from Iraq to Sudan highlight the presence of ethnicity in modern world and its conflicts (Bulmer and Solomos, 2004, pp.... acism refers to individual or institutional practices which generate and reinforce the oppressive systems of racial differences and relations (Krieger, 2000, 36).... Some like to think that racism is over; however, it is continued in the form of lethal attacks, subtle discrimination, in differential opportunities, bullying, racial profiling, color-blind racism, genocide, behavior with new migrants, asylum seekers in context with nation-state, and political initiatives in Europe and elsewhere when it comes to integration....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Racial-Ethnic Groups in the United States

[Professor Name] [Course Number] [Professor Name] [Date] Racial ethnic Groups In United States Race is not a natural or heredity phenomenon.... Moreover, the concept of racial disparities was conceptualized to segregate, divide, and rank to validate the dominance of specific ethnic components or classes.... The difference must be created that an ethnic or racial minority group is not importantly the groups with the minimum number of persons, however people who lack dominance within the segmented social strata....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Existence of Racism in America

American people's obsession with ethnic classifications is a consequence of that differentiation and not an origin of it.... In retort, the United States resorted to a law to aid conserve the uniqueness of the "White/Black racial" as well as societal dichotomy.... (Ma)There is no communally endorsed in-between cataloging, albeit the census of 2000-01 allowed individuals to recognize two or more racial heritages.... In the year 1940, the South Africa due to its chronological causes formed an outsized middle group of class so that basically three more or less elite races were recognized in law and every year, a governmental board was set to assess racial personalities and....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Man's Most Dangerous Myth: the Fallacy of Race

hellip; The author states that a racial mark has become the symbol of the suspense, in the ground of which has laid the sense of self-vulnerability.... 237-239, 315), a racial mark has become the symbol of the suspense, in the ground of which has laid the sense of self-vulnerability....
6 Pages (1500 words) Assignment

The Origins of Cultural Ethnocentrism, Racial and Ethnic Stereotypes

The paper “The Origins of Cultural Ethnocentrism, racial and ethnic Stereotypes” considers the human need for self-identification with some ethnic group; the need to recognize the individual variability within ethnic groups, and to stop stigmatizing people on the basis of race or ethnicity.... These issues spread from international commercial activity up to the violence and wars caused by racial and ethnic distinctions.... Nowadays it is impossible to take the newspaper or magazine or to watch the news on TV and not to run against the information concerning the issues of ethnocentrism, racial or national stereotypes, discrimination, etc....
14 Pages (3500 words) Coursework

Race, Ethnicity, and the Evolution of Political Legitimacy

The authors' propose that black and ethnic cultural resurgence allowed a galvanization of political strength which served the strategic function of supporting and defending issues key to each group.... The essay "Race, Ethnicity, and the Evolution of Political Legitimacy” synopsizes and analyzes the resurfacing of black and white ethnic activism subsequent to the Civil Rights movements of the early 1960s.... The essay "Race, Ethni and the Evolution of Political Legitimacy” synopsizes and analyzes the resurfacing of black and white ethnic activism subsequent to the Civil Rights movements of the early 1960s....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Comparison Between Ethnically Correct Dolls And Process of Ethnicity in England

The comparison essay needed to involve the topic on racism; as the central essay in order to be selected.... Another qualifying feature for this comparison article is the fact that it was written around the same period as the main article.... This serves to avoid conflict of ideas and facts due to informationd....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Defining Traits between Race and Ethnicity in Todays Society

hellip; A number of ethnic groups share religious or linguistic characteristics, as well, whereas others share the same history, but not one religion or language between them.... The paper "The Defining Traits between Race and Ethnicity in Today's Society" states that ethnicity and racial groups are mainly historical and cultural constructions....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us