Ethnicity vs. Race: Are They Similar?

Though race and ethnicity tend to be used interchangeably, are the two really the same?

Race and Ethnicity: Two Different Things That Describe Human Diversity

While both race and ethnicity describe the identity of humans, these are actually two different things. They describe identity and diversity in different ways.

According to Nina Jablonski, a paleobiologist and anthropologist from the Pennsylvania State University, who is known for her studies regarding human skin color evolution, most people understand race as a mix of cultural, behavioral, and physical attributes. On the other hand, ethnicity acknowledges differences across people when it comes to shared culture and language.

This means that race is typically perceived as something that is biologically inherent and passed on from generation to generation. On the other hand, ethnicity involves attributes that are acquired or self-ascribed. Ethnicity can be based on different factors, such as shared culture and place of residency.

The question regarding the difference between both race and ethnicity shows persistent and major flaws regarding the two trait definitions. Such flaws have warranted an outsized social effect on the history of humans. Human history has also seen various census revisions regarding the inclusion of racial categories and ethnic identities.

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Global Race and Ethnicity

According to the US Office of Management and Budget, which notes the racial categories that the Census Bureau and other federal agencies use, there are five outlined racial groups. These are Asian, Alaska Native or American Indian, African American or Black, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White.

These racial categories have been there since 1997. However, there have been debates regarding whether such categories were enough. The Biden administration has also been proposing alterations for the 2030 census that could impact the counting of some populations.

When it comes to ethnicity, this could be correlated with national origin, though this is not always the case. For instance, a person could be an Asian by race and Chinese by ethnicity. However, such a type of ethnicity may not work in other areas across the world. For instance, in China, the ethnicity of a person is described very specifically. The country has 56 ethnic groups that are officially recognized. These include the Uyghurs, Mongols, and Han people.

Census forms and questionnaires typically depend on self-identification to know the race and ethnicity of a person. The website of the US Census Bureau also notes that having data regarding the self-reported race of people is crucial for policy decision-making, especially when it comes to civil rights.

Overall, these show a complex and intricate picture that could leave questions regarding how ethnicity and race should be viewed. Science also reveals that across these different categories, humans have more commonalities than differences. The challenge in the future would be to embrace such commonalities rather than the differences on their own.