Race: Race and Ethnicity Essay

Submitted By nganlieu
Words: 396
Pages: 2

Race: A group of people who are perceived by a given society to be biologically different from others
Ethnicity: People who share, believe they share, or are believed by others to share a national origin; a common ancestry; a place of birth; distinctive concrete social traits (such as religious practices, style of dress, body adornments, or language); or socially important physical characteristics (such as skin color, hair texture, or body structure)
Discrimination: Intentional or unintentional unequal treatment of individuals or groups because of attributes unrelated to merit, ability, or past performance-treatment that denies equal opportunities to achieve socially valued goals
Prejudice: A negative attitude toward a certain category of people.
Minority: A racial or ethnic group that is subjected to prejudice and discrimination.
Ethnic Group: A collection of people who share a distinctive cultural heratige.
Race and ethnicity are social constructions. They are defined and maintained through interaction. Race and ethnicity also influence all aspects of our lives, (including: health, education, work, family, and interactions with the criminal justice system). Sociologists see race and ethnicity as social constructions because they are not rooted in biological differences, they change over time, and they never have firm boundaries. The distinction between race and ethnicity is important because ethnicity can be displayed or hidden, depending on individual preferences, while racial identities are always on display.
Vietnam is a unified nation with 54 ethnic groups living together, Equality among all ethnic groups is a fundamental principle of the policy to ensure the rights of ethnic minorities. Ethnic groups,