What are race and ethnicity? Students are often taught in social science courses that they are socially constructed categories. But what does that exactly mean? In the United States, race is commonly defined and practiced as a category based on visible phenotypes, whereas ethnicity is based on distinguishable cultural traits. Are these definitions of race and ethnicity globally universal or should they be? In this webinar, Professor Shin challenges the U.S. and Euro-centric understanding and applications of race and ethnicity. By introducing different theoretical approaches to define race and ethnicity in sociology, she will discuss how these concepts should be understood, treated and applied in our analysis. In a nutshell, race and ethnicity are malleable categories across time and space; they are subject to change depending on local and global conditions. Professor Shin will explore whether or not a distinction between race and ethnicity is analytically warranted and why discussing racism between groups who share similar phenotypical and cultural traits is not only possible, but important, especially in the context of Japanese society.
View the Webinar Recording here
