What is the difference between "race" and "ethnicity"?

Question

Please keep it simple I'm very confused :)

Answer 1

both Race and ethnicity are social constructs. but race would usually refer to the idea that a group of people are similar biologically and is more likly to be imposed on people while ethnicity is more likely to be something that you classify yourself as and relate to. the links could be imaginary thoughh such as Irish people or Italian people linking together in foreign countries based on the fact they are of a similar ethnicity. ts based on the idea that people have a shared history and culture.

The are both complex terms that are hard to describe as they mean different things to different people but thats how i interpret it.

Answer 2

It's the same thing.

Answer 3

There is a definite, though somewhat subtle difference.

Race just refers to a group of people with shared genes and physical characteristics.

Ethnicity refers to a group of people with a shared history, culture, sense of identity, language, geography, and genetic makeup.

So "ethnicity" is a broader category than race.  It includes race, but must also include a shared culture, and sense of history as a people, and usually a common language and geographical location.

For a more complete explanation, see the website below, especially the section on "race and ethnicity."

Answer 4

Technically, race is species.  So, there is only one race of humans: homo s. sapiens.  Ethnicity is a pretty word for an individual's ancestry.  My ethnicity is Jewish, his ethnicity is Eastern-European, your ethnicity is Black (African, whatever).

That's what I think, anyway.

Answer 5

It is by no means the same thing.

Race is a social interpretation of physical differences in humans, so people are grouped by skin colour, hair, facial features etc.  The idea of 'race' is now slightly outdated in social anthropology, and is more likely to fall under the umbrella of ethnicity.

Ethnicity in broad terms describes the way that social groups differentiate between 'us' and 'them'.  Generally the group must be named.

It all gets complicated because ethnicity can draw on many features in order to differentiate between one group and another. One such factor is frequently racial characteristics, but could equally well be language, descent, place of residence, religion etc.  

So race might be seen as existing within a framework or ethnic differentiation.