Race And Ethnicity: Aspects Shaping The Society

Race and Ethnicity Name Institution Race and Ethnicity Race and ethnicity are two very dynamic aspects shaping the society today and that has been very instrumental in the current state of the world today in regards to interaction and integration of people at both their domestic and international levels. A sociological approach in elaborating the intricate details of race and ethnicity helps in the understanding of both concepts and their influences in structuring the society. It is without a doubt, that the concepts of race and ethnicity play a significant role in the formation of social constructs and ideologies that have either formed peaceful coexistence or disintegration and marginalization certain members of the community. The concepts form the basis upon which people form affiliations through which they identify themselves and depending on the influence the group has on the rest of the community becomes the dominant or subordinate group of the society. The social constructs created or influenced by the concepts of race and ethnicity are characterized by superiority or inferiority complex fueled by inherited prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination of individuals or groups of people over the others. Comprehensive understanding of the concepts can only be achieved through the lens of sociological theories seeking to provide in-depth analysis of both while also providing for elaborate framework upon which coexistence is achieved in a society divided on the premise of race and ethnicity. It is common to hear in most conversations or dialogues in forums and platforms dealing with global matters addressing referring to the world as being a “village”. On more formal occasions it is referred to as the international community that consists of different nations with diverse characteristics that are unique to the individual state, republic, or country. At the global stage, representatives from each of the member states in the international community come together under one roof to address common challenges despite the social, political, and economic differences of their host nations. The coexistence of these nations in the global community is however marred with differences across the three aspects of any society. The noticeable differences amongst such congregations include skin color and languages spoken. Human beings have the tendency of developing or forming associations based on certain factors with which they identify themselves. A group of people sharing these common factors and in which they collectively believe and identify themselves forms a society or a community. People within the societal set up go on further to form social constructs that categorize individuals according to various aspects ranging from either the responsibilities held or financial status and wealth of an individual. Among the differences witnessed in the society, it is the concept of race and ethnicity that stands to be the most contentious and divisive issue demanding special attention from leaders and citizens around the world. It is important to dissect the two concepts from a sociological standpoint so as to establish the basis for establishing and explaining the correlation between them and their subsequent influences in the society. Recently, t...