Race (sociology)

The term race or racial group refers to dividing the human species into groups. The most widely used human racial types are those based on visual traits (such as skin color, cranial, facial features, or type of hair).^[1]

Modern biology says that there is only one human race (biology).^{[2][3]: 360} But the word race also has a meaning in sociology. Many people react in one way if they see a white person and in another way if they see a black person. That's why census forms sometimes ask people to describe their ethnic origin. It is a way of asking "what racial group do you think you are?".

1. ↑ Bamshad, Michael and Steve E. Olson. "Does race exist?", Scientific American (10 November 2003).
2. ↑ American Association of Physical Anthropologists (27 March 2019). "AAPA Statement on Race and Racism". American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
3. ↑ Templeton A. 2016. Evolution and notions of human race. In Losos J. & Lenski R. (eds) How evolution shapes our lives: essays on biology and society (pp. 346-361). Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv7h0s6j.26. This view reflects the consenus among American anthropologists: Wagner, Jennifer K.; Yu, Joon-Ho; Ifekwunigwe, Jayne O.; Harrell, Tanya M.; Bamshad, Michael J.; Royal, Charmaine D. (February 2017). "Anthropologists' views on race, ancestry, and genetics". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 162 (2): 318–327. doi:10.1002/ajpa.23120. ISSN 0002-9483. PMC 5299519. PMID 27874171.