ANTH Lecture 4 9 5 13 RACE Is it real o Its biologically meaningless What is Race o A taxonomic level below species sometimes synonymous with subspecies o Classification of inbreeding populations separated from other populations by barriers for extended period of time with very little gene flow o In Biology races are genetically and phenotypically distinct Can humans be separated into races o NO Does this mean there s absolutely no biological meaning to any or all classifications of race o NO HISTORY OF RACIAL CLASSIFICATION Early attempts implied a hierarchy inherent sets of social and behavioral traits The race of the investigators was typically at the top Used to justify colonialism conquest and slavery Even bickering over which European race had the largest or most convoluted brain MUCH GREATER GENETIC VARIANCE WITHIN RATHER THAN BETWEEN GROUPS As a species only 200 300 000 years old 100 000 years since exodus from Africa LINNAEUS 4 CATEGORIES LATE 18TH CENTURY AMERICANAS ASIATICS TRADITIONAL FORENSIC CRANIOFACIAL GROUPS MONGOLOID NEGROID THERE ARE SOME DISEASES THAT ARE SPECIFIED TOWARDS SPECIFIC REGIONS FOR CERTAIN GENETIC REASONS FOR EXAMPLE SICKLE CELL ANEMIA SOUTH AFRICA ALCOHOLISM IN OTHER CASES FOR INSTANCE APPROX 50 1 2 OF AMERICANS OF EAST ASIA DESCENT HAVE PARTICULAR ALDH2 POLYMORPHISM THAT INHIBITS METABOLISM OF ALCOHOL ASIANS ARE HALF AS LESS LIKELY AS AMERICANS TO BECOME ALCOHOLICS BC OF THEIR NATURAL BUFFER RESPONSE IN THEIR BODY RACE CONTINUED What is race from a cultural point of view o When you ask a random person what race is to them In today s language race has two main subcomponents Imprecise shorthand for genetic ancestry Memberships to a cultural groups or ETHNICITY ETHNICITY While race is supposedly membership to particular genetic ancestry ethnicity is membership to particular cultural heritage o WHY ARE RACE AND ETHNICITY COMMONLY INTERTWINED Individuals tend to maintain the cultural identity of their genetic ancestors Racial categories are cultural constructions which tend to be defined along lines of cultural differences Pressure on those exhibiting racial indicators to identify with that particular ethnicity o Differences in behavior attitudes values etc Between races tend to be due to CULTURAL AND CONTEXTUAL differences EX Latinos place a high value on extended family o Within ANY ethnicity ANY ONE can come up with a number of sub ethnicities within each race or ethnicity POST RACIAL AMERICA Socio Economic We still have substantial Social and Economic issues with each other o Whites kids are less likely to have free lunch program in schools in comparison to Black and Hispanic kids De Facto Segregation Segregation that just so happens to occur by choice Privilege The group that has privilege is unaware that it exists o Privileged Group in America White Male Heterosexual Christian Micro aggressions the idea that specific interactions between those of different races cultures or genders can be interpreted as mostly non physical aggression o brief and commonplace daily verbal behavioral or environmental indignities whether intentional or unintentional that communicate hostile derogatory or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color o Micro aggression usually involves demeaning implications and other subtle insults against minorities and may be perpetrated against those due to gender sexual orientation and ability status 09 05 2013 09 05 2013