Conceptualizing Race and Ethnicity Social Sciences Essay

Race Concept
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Race Concept
Introduction
Du Bois (2007), in his biography, states that the concept of race does not have something concerning personal interest. Still, according to him, he considers personal interest to depend primarily on the race concept. He, therefore, wants to investigate and determine how it depends on the race concept. He states that the history of the development of the race concept in America and other parts of the world naturally reflects on the education that he got. He adds that in elementary education, this concept was introduced through geography when he was taught about different races of the world, for example, Indians, Negroes, and the Chinese. When he was in high school, the race concept was naturally forced by students and teachers. At the university level at Harvard, he started to face what people call scientific dogma, such as evolution and survival for the fittest. This exposure of the race concept was used to stress in the community, and classes that played a role in the development of the whites. However, Du Bois (2007) found out that he learned this concept has several contradictions evident through his personal experience.
Why Du Bois finds the race concept so contradictory
Du Bois (2007) finds the race concept contradictory because, during various racial discussions, there was a continuous change of proofs and arguments advanced. He says, “I could have accepted evolution and survival for the fittest if the interval between the advanced and backward races, but they were not made impossible.” However, these two concepts of the race concept were too tedious and impossible. He says, “no sooner had I settled in scientific security than race distinction changed without any explanation and apology.” It means that there was no protocol followed in changing associated race concepts. In one of his experiences that justified this contradiction of continuously changing the race concept, he says that after he completed school immediately, the world war ended; there were quick adjustments of a new technique of physiological tests. These adjustments were in quick succession to put black people beyond the possibility of civilization. Therefore, Du Bois (2007) found it contradicting when the race concept changed without any explanations and apology.
Du Bois (2007) finds race distinction contradictory, as explained by his experiences in America and Germany. He describes that he does not recall the first instance he came to senses on the theory of race as he was young and unconscious. However, when there were racial differences between him and his colleagues, he became extremely exalted. He adds that when he went back to the south to fish, he became a member of a closed racial group that had loyalties. He expanded this concept of race separation, and when he went to Harvard University, it came into his blood. In his days at the university, he had no idea of race amalgamation. He describes this by based on his experiences by saying, “I frankly refused the possibility of entering into a courtship with one colored girl while in Germany.” However, these facts were quashed in America by using his European experience of t...