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A  is a human population that is believed to be distinct in some way from other humans
based on real or imagined `
 differences. Racial classifications are rooted in the idea of
biological classification of humans according to morphological features such as skin color or
facial characteristics. An individual is usually externally classified (meaning someone else makes
the classification) into a racial group rather than the individual choosing where they belong as
part of their identity. Conceptions of race, as well as specific racial groupings, are often
controversial due to their impact on social identity and how those identities influence
someone's position in social hierarchies (see identity politics).

Race can be used to describe other elements of biological and regional differences. For
instance, you can be born Jewish (which is usually referred to as a religion), but it does not
mean that you have embraced the Jewish customs or religious beliefs. In such cases, the same
term can be used to describe either ethnicity or race.



, while related to race, refers not to physical characteristics but social traits that are
shared by a human population. Some of the social traits often used for ethnic classification
include:

½c nationality
½c tribe
½c religious faith
½c shared language
½c shared culture
½c shared traditions

Unlike race, ethnicity is not usually externally assigned by other individuals. The term ethnicity
focuses more upon a group's connection to a perceived shared past and culture.

Ethnicity does not always describe color either. One can claim to be African, which indicates an
entire multi-regional, multi-cultural continent. You can enhance the definition by assigning a
sub culture to the ethnicity, such as South African, or Ethiopian. There can be a wide range of
skin colors and tones throughout Africa, ranging from the white skin and fair haired faces many
associate with the Aryan race to the dark skin, black haired faces that many associate with
African regions.

The first main difference between race and ethnicity is the fact that race is primarily unitary. A
person can only belong to one race, but can have multiple ethnic affiliations. To elaborate the
point further, ethnically a person can be called Irish or Polish, but if the difference has to be
made on the basis of race, then the person is classified as black or white. The next fundamental
difference is that race is socially imposed and is also hierarchical. At the same time, a person
has no control over his or her race. It is more about how you are perceived by others around
you. But when it comes to ethnicity, a person can have control over ethnicity up to a certain
limit. We will take an example to understand the point better. If a person is born in India to
Indian parents, but is adopted by a French family in France. Ethnically he feels French, eats
French food, speaks French and is well versed with the French history and culture, but is not
aware about Indian history, language, culture, etc. However, when the person travels to the
United States, he is treated racially as Asian.

If I have to sum up the difference between race and ethnicity in one line, race is nature,
whereas ethnicity is nurture, in other words, it is birth characteristics as opposed to cultural
heritage.

Race was asked differently in the Census 2000 in several other ways than previously. Most
significantly, respondents were given the option of selecting one or more race categories to
indicate racial identities. Data show that nearly seven million Americans identified as members
of two or more races. Because of these changes, the Census 2000 data on race are not directly
comparable with data from the 1990 census or earlier censuses. Use of caution is therefore
recommended when interpreting changes in the racial composition of the US population over
time.

The following definitions apply to the 2000 census only.

c DWhite. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle
East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as DWhiteD or report
entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish.D

c DBlack or African American. A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of
Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as 'Black, African Am., or Negro,' or
provide written entries such as African American, Afro American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or
Haitian.D

c DAmerican Indian and Alaska Native. A person having origins in any of the original
peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain
tribal affiliation or community attachment.D

c DAsian. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast
Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan,
 Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. It includes
'Asian Indian,' 'Chinese', 'Filipino', 'Korean', 'Japanese', 'Vietnamese', and 'Other Asian'.D

c DNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the
original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. It includes people who
indicate their race as 'Native Hawaiian', 'Guamanian or Chamorro', 'Samoan', and 'Other
Pacific Islander'.D

c DSome other race. Includes all other responses not included in the 'White', 'Black or
African American', 'American Indian and Alaska Native', 'Asian' and 'Native Hawaiian and
Other Pacific Islander' race categories described above. Respondents providing write-in
entries such as multiracial, mixed, interracial, We-Sort, or a Hispanic/Latino group (for
example, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban) in the DSome other raceD category are
included here.D

c DTwo or more races. People may have chosen to provide two or more races either by
checking two or more race response check boxes, by providing multiple write-in
responses, or by some combination of check boxes and write-in responses.D


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The 1976 Race Relations Act makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you on
racial grounds. Race includes:

c colour
c nationality
c ethnic or national origins
Under the Act, it doesn't matter if the discrimination is done on purpose or not. What counts is
whether (as a result of an employer's actions) you are treated unfavourably because of your
race.
The Race Relations Act protects all racial groups, regardless of their race, colour, nationality, or
national or ethnic origins.
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The laws against racial discrimination at work cover every part of employment. This includes
recruitment, terms and conditions, pay and benefits, status, training, promotion and transfer
opportunities, right through to redundancy and dismissal.
The law allows a job to be restricted to people of a particular racial or ethnic group where there
is a 'genuine occupational requirement'. An example is where a black actor is needed for a film
or television programme.
There are four main kinds of discrimination:
 c direct discrimination - deliberate discrimination (eg where a particular job is
only open to people of a specific racial group)

c indirect discrimination - working practices, provisions or criteria that

disadvantage members of any group (eg introducing a dress code without good
reason, which might discriminate against some ethnic groups)

c harassment - participating in, allowing or encouraging behaviour that offends

someone or creates a hostile atmosphere (eg making racist jokes at work)

c victimisation - treating someone less favourably because they have complained

or been involved in a complaint about racial discrimination (eg taking
disciplinary action against someone for complaining about discrimination
against themselves or another person)
Employers who don't stop discrimination, harassment and bullying by their employees may be
breaking the law.
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In rare circumstances there are some jobs that require you to be of a particular racial group.
This is known as genuine occupational requirement.
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Positive action is where an employer provides support or encouragement to a particular racial
group. It is only allowed where a specific racial group is, or has been in the previous 12 months,
badly under-represented among those doing particular work, either:

c nationally
c locally
c within an employer's own workforce
The employer is allowed to provide special training to members of the racial group. They can
also encourage members of the racial group to apply to do the work or fill the posts (for
example, by saying that applications from them will be particularly welcome).
This does not mean that employers can discriminate in favour of the members of the group
when it comes to choosing people to do the work or fill the posts, that is unlawful
discrimination.
Positive action is not the same as 'positive discrimination', which is where members of a
particular racial group are treated more favourably just because they come from that racial
group. Positive discrimination is unlawful.
The median family income is the point that divides income distribution into two equal parts:
one-half of the cases falling below the median income and one-half above the median. Median
family income is based on the distribution of the total number of households and families,
including those with no income.

The United States Census classifications of race were: 'White (non-Hispanic or Latino)', 'Hispanic
or Latino', 'Asian', 'Black or African American', 'American Indian & Alaskan Native', 'Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander', 'Other Race', and 'Two or More Races'..

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