5 Must Know Concepts of Race and Ethnicity

(W.E.B. Du Bois)

Last week I posted an article on the 6 sociological concepts that I thought everyone should know about. For this article, I decided to do the same -- except with concepts of race and ethnicity. So to keep the introduction short, here they are, the 5 must know concepts of race and ethnicity:

1) Identifying and Identity

Identifying is a process that occurs in context to someone's situation and history. An Asian who practices and celebrates the traditions of his culture, and is proud of his ethnicity is considered a person who identifies with his heritage. However, it is hard for people (minorities) to identify because of colonization.

Identity is an idea/belief which surpasses history and social situations. This is a stereotype or image that society has created for you and your ethnicity. Additionally, you tend to believe that this image is true. READ MORE

2) Otherness

"Otherness," according to Ship, occurs when a 'race' is being -- or has been -- cast out by the dominant group (people with power, status, and privilege). This happens because the dominant group, who creates the images of society under Eurocentric views, tends to view minorities as outsiders and subconsciously places non-whites at the bottom of the 'race' totem pole. READ MORE

3) Collective Memory of Oppression

Ship's concept of "collective memory of oppression" is defined as a memory of a painful period that an entire community remembers as a group. Even though some younger generations may not have experienced the event first hand, they can still feel the pain because of the vivid stories that are told by their family members or through books and films that they read and watch. READ MORE

4) Double Consciousness

In W.E.B. Du Bois' essay, "Of Our Spiritual Strivings," from his book "The Souls of Black Folk," he describes the concept of double-consciousness, which is something that many minorities possess because it is the ability to view themselves (and their 'race') through the lens of the dominant group. READ MORE

5) White Supremacy and Colonizing the Mind

White supremacy or the colonizing of the mind is the killing of non-western cultures and traditions via the forceful (psychological) spread of Eurocentric beliefs and images of what society should be. READ MORE

These are the five must-know concepts of race and ethnicity. If you have any questions or comments, you can leave it in the comment's area. And while you're at it, why not follow me on Twitter @EverythingSLGY and on Facebook, and share this article on your favorite social media networks.