Race. Race as an Essentialist Concept & Race as a Social Construction Essay

Race. Race as an Essentialist Concept & Race as a Social Construction - Essay Example This paper will give a describe ethnicity and race through the social construction approach and primadialist approach. Social constructionist perspective states that the idea of race, which is best understood as the classification of individuals in terms of skin color, hair or body shape, is a biological concept employed when rationalizing and approving the unjust behavior towards groups of individuals by others. The instrumentalist approach further asserts that, social environments enhance the concept of races. Race only exists as long as it is in the collective agreement, imposition and agreement among people. Even if, race fall short of ontological existence, in the society it is real (Ishiyama & Breuning 218). According to social constructionist approach, ethnicity is viewed to be a contemporary instrumentalist symbol that advances the materialistic interests of different groups. These groups’ composition is subject to change due to competitive opportunities. Through this theory, ethnicity and ethnic groups are inventions or creations by opportunistic elites with the intention of manipulating the concept of ethnicity for their personal gain (Ishiyama & Breuning 222). The essentialist theory is based on the principles that, race is a reflection of essence intertwined in biological genes. It further states that race is an indication of traits or abilities, and it is unchangeable. Race to a primordialist is inborn, and a natural phenomenon which man cannot influence (Spencer 43). The primordialist approach is embedded in the view that ethnicity is a permanent feature which is rooted deeply in all essential experiences and activities performed by groups of persons. The approach asserts that individuals in society are divided on a permanent basis and in a manner that is unchangeable. Ethnic groups according to essentialist perspective are unique units categorized on the concept of a common origin. The concept of a common