1. Race, Ethnicity, Culture Definitions
MH 31
2014

2. Race
Race is a classification of human beings invented by Europeans which assigns human worth and social status according to features of the body like skin color and hair texture. This means race is “socially” constructed rather than “scientifically” constructed. This classification system was established to create and maintain privilege and power of dominant groups such as slave owners and colonizers.
Oppressed groups have taken race into their own hands and many think about their race with pride (such as “Black pride”.)
(borrowed from Philadelphia AWARE and Undoing Racism, Chisom and Washington)

3. Ethnicity
Ethnicity refers to large groups of people categorized according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, cultural origin, or background.

4. Culture
Culture is a way of life, passed on from generation to generation through institutions, communities, groups, families, and friends. It provides a sense of identity and belonging as well as basic values and a way of relating with others. Together, these elements form a cultural worldview.
“Culture is a ‘system of interrelated values [that] influence and condition perception, judgment, communication, and behavior.’ The worldviews of people of similar background or social experience is often similar. This similar worldview creates a shared understanding of society. One's involvement in these social groups can be referred to as his/her cultural identity. To understand a culture is to understand a particular worldview.” (