Race_and_Ethnicity

Race and Ethnicity 1 Race and Ethnicity: Defining Race and Ethnicity Karolina Kwiatkowska ETH/125 Cultural Diversity Pamela Kyles September 2nd, 2011 Race and Ethnicity 2 Race and ethnicity are two different characteristics found in groups of people, commonly mistaken for the same one. According to Schaefer (2006) “The term racial group is reserved for minorities and the corresponding majorities that are socially set apart because of obvious physical differences” (p.7). In other words, racial groups focus on physical and more obvious characteristics of an individual such as skin color, hair color, etc. According to Schaefer (2006) “Ethnic groups are groups set apart from others because of their national origin or distinctive cultural patterns” (p.7). This means that a group of people identifies with each other thru common aspects such as language, religion, food habits, etc. Although race and ethnicity share few traits, they are not the same; however they are equally important in United States. United States societies seem to adopt the thought that one needs to define their race and ethnicity, rightfully so. Besides Native Americans, this country’s people come from all over the world. To maintain peace and equality between each other, we must embrace racial and ethnic characteristics in a positive way. An example of that is a disclaimer of “Equal Opportunity Employment” commonly printed on employment applications from numerous companies in United States. Race and Ethnicity 3 References Schaefer, R.T. (2006). Racial and Ethnic Groups, Tenth Edition. Prentice-Hall, Pearson Education, Inc.