What's the Difference Between Race and Ethnicity?

While often used interchangeably, race and ethnicity are distinct concepts with important differences.

Feature	Race	Ethnicity
Primary Basis	Physical characteristics (skin color, facial features, hair texture)	Cultural expression (traditions, language, religion, nationality)
Focus	External, biological traits (though socially constructed)	Internal, cultural practices and identity
Nature	Often assigned by society based on appearance	Often chosen or self-identified based on culture
Scope	Broad, societal categories	Specific, cultural groups
Example	A person is racially Black	That same person might ethnically identify as Jamaican-American
Flexibility	Generally fixed based on physical traits	Can change through cultural adoption or marriage
Power Dynamics	Historically used to establish social hierarchies	Represents cultural heritage and community ties

What is Race?

Race is a social construct used to categorize people based largely on perceived shared physical traits. These categories were historically created to establish social hierarchies and have no basis in biological science.

Key Characteristics of Race:

Based on physical phenotype and perceived common ancestry
Involves external identification (how you are seen by others)
Includes broad categories like White, Black, Asian, Indigenous
Genetic variation within racial groups is greater than between groups

Key Takeaway: Race is about what you are perceived to be based on physical traits, often assigned by society.

What is Ethnicity?

Ethnicity is about cultural factors and a sense of shared community. It is rooted in culture and nationality and is often something an individual chooses to identify with.

Key Characteristics of Ethnicity:

Based on cultural expression, shared practices, and a sense of belonging
Involves internal identification (how you identify yourself based on your culture)
Includes elements like nationality, language, religion, and customs
More specific and often self-defined than race

Key Takeaway: Ethnicity is about what you identify as based on cultural learning and heritage.

Examples of How They Intersect

Race and ethnicity are not mutually exclusive; they overlap and influence each other. A single racial category can contain a vast array of ethnicities.

Example 1: Asian Race

Someone racially categorized as “Asian” could ethnically identify as:

Korean
Filipino
Vietnamese
Japanese

Example 2: White Race

Someone racially categorized as “White” could ethnically identify as:

Irish-American
Russian-Jewish
Italian
Argentinian

Example 3: Black Race

Someone racially categorized as “Black” could ethnically identify as:

Jamaican
Nigerian
African-American
Somali

Why the Distinction Matters

Understanding the difference between race and ethnicity is important because:

It helps us recognize the complexity of human identity
It acknowledges that culture and physical appearance are different aspects of identity
It prevents oversimplification of diverse groups of people
It promotes more accurate data collection for research and policy-making
It fosters cultural sensitivity and understanding

Conclusion: While race is often an external label based on physical characteristics, ethnicity is an internal identity rooted in culture. Recognizing this distinction helps us understand the complex and multifaceted nature of human identity.