I was reading in a mag. that race is more of a social construct than a biological one. What's your thoughts?

Question

I am an African American who has always been interested in finding out more information about my roots. Oral traditions in my family suggest that we came from Ethiopian Hebrews that migrated to West Africa 200 yrs before the slave trade. I went to a organization that took samples of my DNA AND TO MY SUPPRISE I my ancesters came from FREAKIN GERMANY!!!! (I WAS SHOCKED AND TO BE HONEST A BIT MADDDD, I thought it was a trick, but it was true))

This brings me to my pressing question, If I as an African American have stronger ancesteral ties to Germany than I do my own homeland, what statement does this say about race? Is race more of a societal or social construction than a biological one? If an African American can have more DNA commonalities then his/her original people (Africans) then the whole concept of race and ethnicity needs to be re-explored.

Answer 1

I have heard that in order to achieve racial harmony in the U.S. that whites must stop acting like masters and blacks must stop acting like slaves. A black man said this. I was shocked. But, he explained, six hundred years of social constructs do not disappear overnight.

Answer 2

In some ways, it is a social construct. But it's biological too. Otherwise we wouldn't be different colors. But just because you're part German doesn't mean that much. I can't remember what part of Africa Germany explored/settled, but it could be like the US when there were slaves- sometimes the slaves would have babies that were their owners' progeny.

Answer 3

It's a social construct IMO. Two people of different "races" can have DNA that is more similar than any given two people of the "same" race. Irish immigrants to the US used to be considered an inferior race of people, so these things can and do change over time. In Japan, Chinese folks are definitely considered to be of a different race, but some white folks say, "they all look alike to me" when it comes to Asians.

Back in my old neighborhood we made the Greek kid play on the black team when we played black vs. white street basketball. In a neighborhood less Anglo-Saxon than mine the same kid would definitely be considered "white". So there's nothing to race but our attitudes towards the construct.

Answer 4

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it probably is a duck.