Racism and Cultural Identity (Term Paper Sample)

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Race and Cultural Identity
The impact of race on cultural identity is a subject that prompts extensive research by anthropologists. Culture is referred as the customs, beliefs, values, attitudes and behavior exemplified by a certain ethnic or social group. It is through culture that one group differentiates itself from another group. An individual’s cultural identity is influenced by various factors among them class, nationality, race, sexual orientation, institutions, rituals, art, religion and gender. Race influences the economic, political and social structure of a nation (Prograis, 6). Race is a major national issue in the current progressive world. Racism has a significant negative impact on people and affects cultural identity, which impacts professional and personal lives.
The modern world is characterized by a multiplicity of cultures such that many ethnic, race, religious and cultural communities live together. Many of these diversities originate due to culture, hence people who identify with a particular group can develop or change the identity or belief based on what the cultural identity expectations or norms of the group dictate. Incidences of racial discrimination continue to be reported in the modern world, signifying the severity of this subject. Historically, these incidences were few, but have increased due to racial interactions and the diversity in the interpretation of cultural identity. In America, Native Americans, African American, Latino Americans just to mention a few has complained about the negative social construction made against them. Race influences cultural identity leading to the creation of certain social constructions which impact on overall identity. On February 201, Lakota students protested via video of how unhappy they were with the negative portrayal of Native Americans in the media (NPR, 2014). This incident is a representation of the many cases of racial discrimination that occur in the Third World Countries and developed countries.
In the contemporary world, racial identity often materializes in reference to another individual or group leading to ethnic stereotypes. The symbolic environment is a reconstruction of linguistic categories and a representation of the external world. Social classifications are of various types and are used daily to refer to an individual or group. Racial stereotypes are social classifications that are established by racial groups by selecting conspicuous traits and exaggerating them to form a shorthand depiction of the groups (Josselson, 113). Racial stereotyping varies depending on various dimensions such as the level of complexity and clarity, awareness and consciousness. Stereotyping affects the victim’s lives and if occasioned by racial identity will contribute the construction of cultural identity. As previously mentioned, cultural identity is occasioned by various factors among them being race. As such, various epithets may be developed to refer to such racial groupings such as the term rednecks.
In America, the term Redneck is often used to refer to rural white people in the Southern America. The development of this term came about due to stereotyping which affects the cultural identity of South Americans (BBC, 2014). Racial discrimination of Southerners may impact on their behavioral and mental health hence weakening the connection with the broader American community. Racial stereotyping can also impact on the housing, employment and education of the victim. The impact of race on cultural identity will continue to be a significant one due to various reasons. As previously stated, social construction based on race impact on cultural identity. By the time children are pre-schoolers they are already familiar with racial differences in the community. As children grow up, they are predisposed to a multiplicity of perceptions towards certain individuals, hence affecting the development of social constructions. In order to prevent the development of negative social perception towards certain individuals or groups, children should be educated positively regarding racial groupings.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds that every individual is equal in the face of the law (Lepard, 55). As such, racial discrimination should be discarded from the society through embracing Ubuntu. Ubuntu is derived from Archbishop Desmond Tutu theory and book that there is “No Future Without Forgiveness”. According to Mr. Clinton, it is imperative that the world embraces Ubuntu since humans require one another (BBC, 2014). Mr. Clinton gave an example to emphasize the importance of kindness and humanity that if one was the most wealthy, intelligent and beautiful person and abruptly found themselves alone then life would be challenging. This example was given to describe the importance of developing harmonious relationships with different racial grouping.
The impact of race on the construction of cultural identity is also profound in regards to issues touching on the LGBT community. The development of negative social misconceptions towards African Americans gay people result to the development of misconstrued conceptions towards this group. Education plays a significant role in the elimination of this misconception but the negative cultural identity constructed by race has made elimination virtually impossible. Cultural identity and race also affect marriages whereby some partners are rejected on account of these factors. One example of marriage opposition due to race and cultural identity can be seen in Elizabeth Mayo’s case (CNN, 2014). The narrator’s marriage was opposed since her partner was half black and she was Spanish. The narrator reckons that racial epithets were commonly used in her family, signifying the prevalence of the ill.
The impact of race on cultural identity is so profound and can be seen in the negative conception given to the Muslim community. Terrorism activities are more rampant in the present era and with some Islamic groups such as Alkaeda taking the blame, innocent Muslims are often labeled as terrorist. This negative cultural identity affects the professional personal lives of these people and may result to stereotyping. Cultural and racial identity impacts the interpretation of relationship and the learning environment in general (Josselson, 207). International and minority groups have to conscious...