In our quest for a definition of race relations, let’s begin by defining the two terms separately—“race” and “relations.”
Race is a small word, a tiny word. It is a one-syllable term containing only four letters— just two vowels and two consonants. Looking at all the complex descriptions of this unit of discourse, one would never expect it to be such a simple word.
A common definition describes race as referring to a group of people who share the same physical characteristics such as skin tone, hair texture, and facial features. As clear and concise as that may seem at first glance, it seems a little over-simplified if one considers the characteristics of blacks or African Americans. The skin tone, hair texture, and facial features of this race of people are as varied as the stars in the sky.
Another fairly common definition describes race as a group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution. And, we woudn’t dare venture into the territory of the biological definition.
The U.S. Census Bureau glossary defines race as a self-identification data item in which respondents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. This definition is kind of humorous in that if a person does not identify with one of the main categories such as white, black or African American, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native American or Pacific Islander, then they may write in an entry. If a person writes in Haitian, then they are classified as black. In other words, although they self identified as some other race, many are still classified in one of the main categories.
You get the idea. There are many definitions of race, not excluding whatever is checked or written in that little box at the hospital when a child is born. But whatever race one is, he or she will most definitely have relations with other people of other races—especially if one lives in the United States.
And just what are relations? Let’s keep this one simple by saying using the Merriam-Webster Online definition: the attitude or stance which two or more persons or groups assume toward one another.
Given all of that information (perhaps, a little too much) a clear and simple definition of race relations is: The attitude or stance that two or more races assume toward one another.
It seems that getting to
this definition exemplifies the essence of race relations itself--working
through a lot of clutter to get to something that should be very simple and
clear.
Recommended Sites:
The Princeton Prize in Race Relations
What is Your Opinion About Race Relations?
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