I found this week’s topic very interesting. With the research that I am involved in and my focus on community development and equity, diversity, and inclusion within my major, race comes up a lot; so, it was intriguing to learn about the thoughts, opinions, and positions on race from anthropologists’ perspectives.
Reflecting on the statements from the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA), I mostly agree with their positions. I agree with both organizations that our society has been conditioned to accept that there are different races due to individuals being made up of many different physical attributes; being an African-American woman I have experienced within my own conversations, and from the conversations of others, how people claim to “identify” or “categorize” certain races based on their physical features. For example, many people tend to say that African-Americans and/or Africans have larger and wider noses. I also completely agree with the AAA as they stated that the racial worldview was created to ultimately place certain groups of people into lower classes or status, and that the way people are accepted and treated in society has a direct impact on their behaviors in society. I think that this is something that has been discussed and proven time and time again within academics and personal experiences. This made me think about the abundance of individuals I know who have had negative experiences because of the color of their skin, the texture of their hair, etc. that has made them view the world differently and act differently in many ways.
As for this week’s lectures, the lecture on the Misconceptions of Race really got me thinking about my own definition of race. I just started to think about the conversations that I’ve had with family, friends, and my peers and reflecting on what I’ve heard and how I would have explained it before this; because it is true that you’ll most likely get a completely different definition of race from every person that you ask the question to. With that being said, I don’t necessarily know how I would attempt to explain the non-existence of race. I think that the conversation would be interesting amongst my friends and others because they would listen and hear me out, but I would assume that there would be many rebuttals to the topic. However, I can’t think of how I would even begin to explain in a clear and understandable why.
The lectures, readings, and position statements from the two organizations has lead me to wonder how will these anthropological positions on race (or the non-existence of it) aide in changing society’s view on race. What are the next steps for anthropologists in terms of presenting these facts to the public and what mechanisms will be put in place to try to help the general public understand, and possibly accept this view? Of course it is most likely impossible to turn everyone’s brains upside down and get them to just accept it, but how will or how have anthropologists presented this information in a way that gets the thinking gears turning in the majority of minds?
I was also very intrigued to learn what anthropologist perspective on race. I think the AAA and AAPA’s statements did a great job at explaining how people have been using race to group people into lower class or status. As you mentioned race effects the treatment of people in society. That’s why examining race through all educational fields is such an important task. Even though they do a great job at explaining that we are all people and scientifically the same, I understand how it would be hard to explain the non-existence of race. Especially with the social construction of it and the connection of race and culture. I love how you question the implication on non-existence and its impact it has on changing societies views.
Hi Jada! It’s unfortunate how it’s not always clear to other that the way certain groups behave is due to how they are accepted and treated in society based on their physical features. Indeed it has been proven, but people aren’t always receptive to it and need more guidance into understanding the real discriminatory actions that have been taking place for too long. To possibly help you with turning this topic into a progressive learning experience for someone who has never heard of it, you should start with asking what people first see about someone of a different “race”, and use their answer as proof that they have been negatively influenced by society to make assumptions about someone because of their physical features. This, then, can help you lead into all of the unethical connections society has led us to believe should be true.
In your last paragraph, I completely agree with you that these scientific facts should be more a part of the educational curriculum around the world. Most of these facts and arguments on this particular social issue you sort of just pick up here and there as you’re growing up being taught how to treat people equally, and as you hear other people openly talk about it. But it’s so important to teach new, young members of our society at an early age about the misconceptions of race.