Is race a social construct?
Question
Is race a social construct? What are the arguments for and against race being a social construct? What historical factors influenced the idea of race as a social construct?
Sources
- https://www.aporiamagazine.com/p/the-case-for-race-realism
- https://thewikle.com/images/b/bd/AI_recognition_of_patient_race_in_medical_imaging_%282022%29.pdf
- Discourse on Race Has a Conformity Problem
- https://thewikle.com/images/5/5e/Changing_the_concept_of_race_-_On_UNESCO_and_cultural_internationalism_%282020%29.pdf
- https://www.unz.com/isteve/david-reich-how-to-talk-about-race-and-genetics/
- https://scijust.ucsc.edu/2019/05/30/developing-debate-on-race-and-genomics/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/opinion/genes-race.html
- https://quillette.com/2017/06/11/no-voice-vox-sense-nonsense-discussing-iq-race/
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10539-009-9193-7
Answer from Wikle
Yes, race is largely considered a social construct by many scholars and researchers (1, 4, 6, 7). However, the debate is ongoing and there are contrasting views.
The arguments for race being a social construct primarily argue that there is no significant genetic variation among different races that justifies the racial categorizations made by societies (1, 6, 7). This view is supported by UNESCO which has worked towards changing the concept of race and promoting cultural internationalism (4). It is argued that the differences between races are more about social roles and less about biology, and that the concept of race, as it is commonly understood, has more to do with societal norms than with scientific facts (3).
Conversely, the arguments against race being a social construct argue that there are observable and quantifiable differences between people of different races, such as genetic predispositions to certain diseases and differences in physical appearance (2, 5, 8). In the field of medical imaging, for example, AI has been used to recognize patient race, which suggests that there are detectable physiological differences among races (2).
Historically, the idea of race as a social construct was influenced by several factors. One significant factor was the role of colonialism and the way it was used to justify the enslavement, colonization, and domination of non-European peoples (4). Often, race was constructed to create a hierarchy where some races were considered superior to others. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) played a significant role in the mid-twentieth century by promoting the idea of race as a social construct as part of its mission to promote peace, mutual respect, and understanding among nations (4).
The public discourse on this subject is complex and often controversial. There is a concern that the discourse on race has a conformity problem, meaning that those who hold views that differ from the consensus can be marginalized or silenced (3). On the other hand, there are concerns about the misuse of genetic research to support racist ideologies (7). Some researchers argue for a more nuanced view of race that acknowledges both the social and biological aspects of race without reinforcing harmful stereotypes or prejudices (5, 6).
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