Mirielle Baluyot

Dr. Gibson

History 101-60

22 March, 2021

Response #3: RACE-The Power of an Illusion

1. In the “RACE-The Power of an Illusion”, it explains the meaning of race. It states how

different levels of rights were unevenly distributed amongst people, because people were

convinced in some races are inferior to others. Race is the idea that the human species is

divided into distinct groups on the basis of inherited physical and behavioral differences.

2. I think that race is a social construct that is a man-made idea (people’s beliefs) because in

slide #3 it stated that the concept of race began when people started to become enslaved.

Also, in slide #9 it states that, “Race is not biological, but racism is still real.” Race isn’t

backed up by biological science because in a scientific research titled, Race, Definition,

and Science by Albert Atkin, he proves that race is not biological based on a research

study conducted by Noah Rosenburg. The Rosenberg study used population clustering

techniques on more than one thousand population individuals who, by self-identified race

and ethnicity, came from over fifty ethnic groups. The results that reignited the question

of whether or not race is biologically meaningful arose when the larger genetic group was

partitioned into five clusters. Population clusters do not give us clear divisions between

groups, and allows for the mixtures of races. This means that individual membership in a

population cluster will be a matter of degree, rather than an inflexible spectrum. We don't

have a gene that dictates our race, but people have this idea that the set of phenotype
 genes we inherit from our parents that expresses our physical appearance is what

categorizes us into a specific race.

3. I learned that race is a cultural, political and economic concept in society, but it is not a

biological concept. Many individuals wrongly consider the essence of race in humans are

genetic differences. I also learned that the concept of race helped explain why some

people could be denied rights and freedoms that others took for granted, and racial

practices were institutionalized within government, laws, and society.