Race And Ethnicity As A Social Construct Essay

There is a vast body of literature that discusses the social construct of race and ethnicity in the United States. Social construct is considered to be an idea formed by human thought and interaction. Race is a biological entity, but it has been demonstrated that the perception of race can be constructed by society. Historically, race and ethnicity have been socially constructed in the United States in a divisive and prejudice manner. Despite the fact that the United States is nation of immigrants, many citizens are treated unfairly because of their racial makeup. Segments of the population is often stereo typed and labeled. As a result, these racial and ethnic assumptions are manifested in social inequalities. Racial tension has always plagued this nation, but things are starting to get better. Studies suggest that racial categories may change depending on social imperatives. Geographical settings can have an influence on race and ethnicity. The country has made significant progress in regards to race relations. Huge barriers have been removed and people are more receptive to diversity. There is a desire to embrace everyone regardless of their ethnic group for the …show more content…
Perez and Hirschman (2010) note that new immigrants from Asia and Latin America have added a large measure of cultural and phenotypic diversity to the American population in recent decades, just as waves of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe did a century ago. Lee and Bean (2004) contend that the boundaries between racial and ethnic groups are becoming blurred by high rates of intermarriage and the growing number of persons with mixed ancestry. Some people see the increased number of immigrants attempting to enter the country from Mexico as a potential problem. Several politicians have identified many of them as criminals and suggest that they should be banned from entering the United