1. Essay Begin Reading Mama Lola
Themes: Race, Religion, Healing, Gender, Colonialism, Refugees, Transnationalism
Not a research paper
Discuss your topic with me
Look at the paper-writing guide

2. What does Race Mean?
March 21, 2005

3. What does Race Mean? A system for sorting people into categories.
Two factors
Identifiable Characteristics
Meaning

4. Race is a Modern Idea
Ancient societies (Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, etc.) divided people according to religion, class, status or language, not physical difference.
English word for race doesn’t appear until 1508.

5. Race is not Genetic
No characteristic, gene or trait separates members of one “race” from another.
Traits we associate with race do not vary coterminously.

6. Human Subspecies don’t Exist
Humans species is not old enough
Human populations are not isolated enough
Humans are one of the most genetically similar of all species.

7. Skin Color is only Skin Deep
Genes for skin color have nothing to do with genes for hair type, eye shape, blood type, talents or abilities.
Knowing someone’s skin color doesn’t necessarily tell you anything else about them.

8. Most Variations are Within, not Between Races
There is very little variation within the human species.
85% of that variation can be found within any one local population
Two randomly selected Koreans may be as genetically different as a Korean and an Italian.

9. Slavery Predates Race
Human societies have enslaved one another throughout history
Based on conquest, debt or other circumstances
North America’s slave trade is a unique set of historical circumstances

10. Race and Freedom are Linked Historically
American “equality” was a new concept
Early economy based on slavery
Race helped explain the denial of rights to some members of society

11. Race “Naturalized” Inequalities
Social inequalities among races was justified as “common sense” based on “natural” or “biological” understanding of race
American Indians, war against Mexico, excluding Asian immigrants, institutionalized racism

12. Race: not biological but still real
A powerful social idea
Gives people different access to opportunity and resources
In U.S. advantages disproportionately channeled to white people

13. Colorblindness is not Equality
Pretending race doesn’t exist will not undo centuries of inequality.