Human Race Analysis
What is a race? For many people, a race is defined as the color of your skin, but in fact, this term has a variety of meanings. Some of these come up often in everyday life, as we discuss “the human race.” Other definitions used on government forms, as when Americans record which race they belong to for the U.S. Census. Some meanings are far more technical when for example a “biologist talks about different races of a particular species of plant or animal” (MacEachern 34). The context in which the word race used has an array of definitions, but in the day to day life, we continue to distort the differences between these meanings. One of the most vital tasks of an anthropologist is to examine the biological and cultural variability that is present
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George W. Gill is an American anthropologist who is considered an expert in skeletal biology. In an interview, he stated, “Slightly over half of all biological/physical anthropologists today believe in the traditional view that human races are biologically valid and real” (Gill, 2000). Gill is certainly one of those anthropologists. Because of his extensive background in forensic anthropology, Dr. Gill believes that race can be identified through bones. He argues that just like bones can determine the age or sex of the person, and it can also identify their race. Gill states that “I am more accurate at assessing race from skeletal remains than from looking at living people standing before me” (Gill, 2000). Dr. George W. Gill believes that race is still a useful concept for anthropologists in the sense of classifying skeletal features such as the nose, mouth, femur, and the …show more content…
The one that everyone is most familiar with is a group of people that share a physical trait, such as skin color. Anthropologists will continue to investigate the concept of race. It is analyzing whether biological racial concepts are applicable models for studying the variability surrounded by humans. I argue that it is not a correct model for studying the variability surrounded by people. Because everyone has interbred with one another, there are hundreds of thousands of “micro-races” around the world. The term “race” does nothing more than promote needless confusion. There is no reason for anthropological research to be held back by terminology that confuses rather than illuminates the world. I know that it is very unlikely that the world will stop using physical traits as models for social differences. The race is a term deeply ingrained within humans, and it will not be easily given up. The idea of race remains a fundamental part of structuring the social world and helping us make sense of the
George W. Gill is an American anthropologist who is considered an expert in skeletal biology. In an interview, he stated, “Slightly over half of all biological/physical anthropologists today believe in the traditional view that human races are biologically valid and real” (Gill, 2000). Gill is certainly one of those anthropologists. Because of his extensive background in forensic anthropology, Dr. Gill believes that race can be identified through bones. He argues that just like bones can determine the age or sex of the person, and it can also identify their race. Gill states that “I am more accurate at assessing race from skeletal remains than from looking at living people standing before me” (Gill, 2000). Dr. George W. Gill believes that race is still a useful concept for anthropologists in the sense of classifying skeletal features such as the nose, mouth, femur, and the …show more content…
The one that everyone is most familiar with is a group of people that share a physical trait, such as skin color. Anthropologists will continue to investigate the concept of race. It is analyzing whether biological racial concepts are applicable models for studying the variability surrounded by humans. I argue that it is not a correct model for studying the variability surrounded by people. Because everyone has interbred with one another, there are hundreds of thousands of “micro-races” around the world. The term “race” does nothing more than promote needless confusion. There is no reason for anthropological research to be held back by terminology that confuses rather than illuminates the world. I know that it is very unlikely that the world will stop using physical traits as models for social differences. The race is a term deeply ingrained within humans, and it will not be easily given up. The idea of race remains a fundamental part of structuring the social world and helping us make sense of the