A good lexical find

In the process of responding to someone on Orkut I ran across possibly the most functional definition of "race" (as currently abused):

A self classification by people according to the biological heritage with which they most closely identify.

This is actually a major improvement over the idea it seems most of us carry around in our heads.

Posted by Prometheus 6 on August 10, 2004 - 2:39pm :: Race and Identity
 
Prometheus 6's blog | latest article | previous | next
 

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Certainly as it is "abused" as you say. I am still leary of the definition you quote because it is based on the assumption that race has much of anything to do with biology. Certainly, "race matters", as Stuart Hall puts it, because of the social and historical effects - real effects in terms of justice and injustice in life chances and our everyday experience - but I would hesitate to ascribe these systems of difference to anything that can be measured in a test tube.

A great place to start a conversation though and something I wish more people would give thought to.

Posted by  Ghost of a flea (not verified) on August 10, 2004 - 5:20pm.

I like the definition because it speaks of choice and identity. I guess instead of "the biological heritage with which they most closely identify" we could say "the name applied to the people who identify with that name." I accept the biological reference in the starting point because I find it impossible to sever folks from their preconceptions in one stroke.

Posted by  P6 (not verified) on August 10, 2004 - 8:07pm.