A clear indicator that two individuals are of different species is the inability to reproduce. Race, is different than species, because, even among isolated populations, there have never been genetical differences so great that have produced any “biological barriers” to mating between different members of populations. In the past people of other races were looked at as almost a different species – but this has no scientific finding and is wholly a social construct. The classification “race” does not exist within the Binomial Naming System – it is not a biological classification, nor does it have any significant biological traits other than phenotypic ones such as skin color. Even if there were to be further classification based on geography, human variety and complex history make it impossible to establish boundaries and determine roots.
In the times of slavery the concept of race was supported by cultural, judicial and legal systems in order to perpetuate the concept that Europeans were superior to Native Americans, black people, and other indigenous peoples throughout the Americas. It has been proven that there are no substantial biological or cognitive traits present in one race that deem it superior to another. The AAA statement articulated this best, “Racial myths bear no relationship to the reality of human capabilities or behavior. Scientists today find that reliance on such folk beliefs about human differences in research has led to countless errors.”
I believe both statements could have discussed more about the effects of racism today, living in a post-civil war and post-civil rights era. There are still societal repercussions among minority groups, and, in my opinion, racism today comes primarily in the form of institutional discrimination, economic injustice and societal indifference. While these problems are multi-faceted, they are in part a consequence of our nation’s historically racist structures.
The statement by the ANP provided a little more background on this issue, citing “yet old racial concepts persist as social conventions that foster institutional discrimination.” The last point in the statement from the ANP also shines light on trait differences related to race, stating that while hereditary influences can affect behavior, they do not affect the ability of any such population to adapt in a social setting. This reminded me of adaption. While in a scientific term, this refers to bodies having a response to an environmental change, but within a social context, humans are very adaptable as well. Thousands of people each year migrate across the globe, drastically change their lifestyles and work to assimilate into a new culture. Population migrations were a topic discussed briefly during week one, but I feel they can prove how humans of all races are more similar than they are different. Whether someone be from Latin America or Afghanistan, they can both learn to adapt to new cultural environments.
7 thoughts on “Blog 3”
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I agree with you, definitely clear indications that two individuals are of different species has the inability to reproduce. Its only one race,and that the human race. There have never been genetically differences that have produced any “biological barriers” to mating between different members of populations. Also i agree when you said that racism today comes primarily in form s of institutional discrimination, economic injustice and societal indifference.
I think it’s interesting that scientist use facts such as reproduction to classify different species. Since different races are able to reproduce together this should show that there is no physical difference between folk of different backgrounds. Therefore, race is, as you said, a social construct. I think it’s interesting that you mention how it is “impossible to establish boundaries and determine roots”. It was science of the 20th century that tried to do just that in order to maintain power and determine some people lesser than others. I agree that the statements could have discussed racism today and the relation of anthropology to today social structure that incorporates race into everything.
Hey Carrianne! I really enjoyed your blog post. I thought the most interesting part of each statement was the idea that the classification of race doesn’t exist as well, specifically the idea that it is impossible to “establish boundaries and determine roots” as you put it. I also thought it was apt to bring up the fact that the concept of race was and still is enforced by unjust powers that be supported by cultural and judicial customs. I agree that the article could have gone into more in depth on the ripple effects of race today. I hadn’t thought to criticize the statements but I believe I should have after reading your post. I think you did a great job and communicated your points in a way that was easy to understand.
Carrianne,
I absolutely love your opening remarks where you explain and summarize some key ideas from biology. I had never really thought about what make two species unique and different because for me, a cat is a cat and a dog is a dog. When using your concept of inability to reproduce to explain how humans are all the same, the idea that race is a dividing factor among humans is just silly (which it already was). I also was not familiar with the Binomial Naming System that you mentioned after that comment. Furthermore, I liked how you were able to relate your knowledge to adaptation and show further how race is biologically non-existent, even if it exists in other realms (some of which you expertly touch on).
Hello Carrianne,
I really enjoyed your post. I feel like we kind of posted the same thing and thought about these issues in the same way. What stood out to me the most was where you explained how race is made culturally and it is not biologically. I totally agree. I also think it is absurd that some people look at certain races and classify them based on there race. It is sad that some races are looked at being superior to others. I really enjoyed your last paragraph regarding people adapting to their environment. It is extremely true that people do adapt to their surroundings no matter how they grew up. They will adapt to surroundings everywhere. Overall, this was a great post and I truly enjoyed reading it.
Hi,
I enjoyed your perspective on and position the ideology of race. I found it interesting that you also brought up how the Binomial Nomenclature doesn’t have a classification for different “racial” groups. I didn’t even consider that while writing my own blog post. I found it interesting as well when I was reading the positions from AAPA and AAA on how racial concepts were used to take advantage of minorities similar in the sense of the Nazi’s and even racial discriminations of blacks in both South Africa and in the US. I also found it interesting on how even in this present day we still have this concept of race and they still request self-identifications on what race you are in job applications.
I really enjoyed reading through this. Clearly, it was a well thought out and detailed post. Many of our conceptions of race, stem from some fairly ignorant and even dark situations. I like that you also focused on more biological factors, such as reproduction, that further enhance the discussion. While that was in the portion towards the beginning of your post, I do agree with you that many of our conceptions of race are a societal discussion rather than a biological one. While I do think this discussion can get quite political, I think that as long as people have a general consensus about the history of this topic and its surrounding areas, we can come to better understand each other. “We were all humans until Race disconnected us, Religion separated us, politics divided us, and wealth classified us”
Like I said, I enjoyed reading through this and the comments as well.