| Race Theory Essay

The word race has both biological and sociological perspectives. Race, in general terms, is a person’s physical appearance as far as the skin, eye and hair color and the physiological structure like the bone structure are concerned (Delgado and Jean 231). It is the idea of classifying individuals using their genetic ancestry. In the past, this term was used to refer to phenotypically defined human populations who have genetic similarities and differences. This paper attempts to explain the different theories of races.

There are a number of theories that have been formed to explain the concept of race. One of them is the critical race theory which originated and advanced in the 1960s’. It talks about an array of practices and theories that were put together by Americans of African, Latino and Asian origins (Delgado and Jean 43). This theory underscores the injustices that are orchestrated by racial identity. The proponents of the theory used their scholarly understanding of legal issues, in order to address social injustices and advocate for a social justice framework.

The racial identity theory developed as a result of the Nigrescence and the white racial identity theory (Anderson and Douglas 112). Even though, it was widely used as a model of studying African Americans, it also found the significance in studying the Asian Americans, later. There were, however, two principal models developed which had contrasts on Asian American personality types. Whereas Berry’s model had four personality types which were Intergrationalists, Assimmilationalists, Separationists and Marginalists, Sue and Sue’s model had only three personality types which were the traditionalists, marginal and the Asian American (Leong and Chou 156).

RACE RELATION

In this critique, Steinberg critiques Marxist ideologies. Marxism does not draw a clear line in the difference between race, racism and oppression of workers (Steinberg 72). One can, therefore, use the white racial theory to explain the numerous problems and challenges that African Americans, like Du Bois, underwent. Research models using this theory indicate that whites had biased belief that they were of a higher or supreme race as compared to the people of colors and, therefore, would not qualify to be rated together with them (Steinberg 74). This made them exploit and discriminate against the minority groups.

AFRICAN AMERICANS VERSUS ASIAN AMERICANS

It is clear that the attacks on Korean town and the Korean community were sparked off by racial segregation and stereotyping that has always haunted the U.S culture (McMullin 112). As depicted in the critical race theory, the African Americans had been fighting for economic freedom. The white dominated authorities, in a bid to avert claims by critical race theorists for affirmative action, came up with the minority model which depicted the Asian Americans as more hardworking than them hence successful. This brought about resentment and hatred from the African Americans. The white racial theory also explains the events ensued leading to the fall of Korea town into the hands of looters with no police intervention. The victims were not considered white, indeed, given the nativity syndrome. The implicit racial theories are, therefore, relevant in understanding the experiences that Korean Americans have gone through, as well as the human interactions that are dominated with racial prejudice. The racial minorities are treated as aliens in their own society and are rendered victims of racial prejudice by all the structures of the society.

The racist interactions cause dual harm for the Korean Americans because the status they were given hurt African Americans, Latinos and some whites, due to blame for not being successful like them. As Delgado describes it, Korean Americans today believe that they are just but human shields in a complex racial system trapped between the anger of the African Americans and discrimination by the whites (Delgado and Jean 361).

In conclusion, racism forms the ground and basis for discrimination and prejudice. These relationships have often promoted inequalities and marginalization against the racial minority. As this structural forces gain force, the society continues to be stratified along racial lines with the racial minority being victims of inequality.