Roth 2016

Abstract

Race has become a complex and conflicting thing for many people. The many aspects of race make it difficult for someone to just identify with one. Things like self-identification and identification from other people (who pick up on racial aspects) make it just one race. Race is socially constructed, the structure of race is maintained by micro-interactions that maintain a cognitive structure in race (1311).

Mapping the Multiple Dimensions

(See figure 1) Graph depicting typology of race dimensions with terminology used to describe said terminology. Non-exhaustive and more descriptive of scholars' race components they have studied. All of the components are fluid and over time may change as well as be influenced by contextual factors within society. The fluidity within racial identity is conceptually different from the others in the graph. Self-identification is measured with open ended self identification questions. Racial self classification tends to be the method used for race questions on the national census, this leads to people having a “census race” that may diminish people's experiences to one that fits into the already established boxes. The complexities of that person's race and experiences with race is simplified and not looked at with all of its complexities (1314). Observed race dimensions could be complicated by the two previously mentioned aspects, appearance and others perceptions could complicate someone's relationship with their race. An example of this can be observed with someone latino being confused as white. The two previous observed aspects mentioned help in further profiling what someone may constitute as. Observed skin color like observed race is influenced by the person doing the perceiving. Black and white interviewers saw more color variation within their own race than in others. Racial ancestry is often unknown, what most people consider their racial ancestry would be the known ancestry, it does not make sense to study these ancestries in the census as with race in general it is really easy to simplify and reduce racial experiences to something that fits within a box (1319).

Major Themes in the Literature: Inconsistencies Across Dimensions

There are major inconsistencies between race and its associated factors, self classification and observed race (external observations) . We see this manifests in various forms such as through medical records, interviewer classifications, and death certificates (1320). It is hard to know if the interviewer or health administrator is recording observed race based on appearance or on interaction as well. In addition observers also rely on contextual cues and racial classification norms when guessing the race of others (1322). Consequences of inconsistencies: increases stress and leads to negative mental health outcomes by invalidating a person's self image and identity (1322).

Key Terms

Racial Identity: refers to a person’s subjective self identification, it is not limited by predetermined options, and it is not represented by a person's efforts to fit themselves into any given set of boxes. (1313)

Racial Self-Classification: refers to the race that is checked on an official form or survey such as a census or federal financial aid forms. It is typically measured with a close-ended self identification question.

Observed Race: the race that others believe you to be. Outside perspective of an individual. In lived experience, observed race is repeatedly assessed in daily life. There are two subtypes

Appearance-Based Observed Race: based on solely readily observable characteristics. Ie. person’s phenotype, visible status markers, clothing, hairstyle, etc…

Interaction-Based Observed Race: shaped by information revealed through interaction, including a person's accent or language ability, name, knowledge, etc… (1315)

Phenotype: refers to aspects of a person's physical appearance that are socially understood as relevant to racial classification ie, skin color, nose shape, lip shape, eye color, etc…

Racial Ancestry: a dimension of race that influences other dimensions, such as racial identity and observed race.

Known Ancestry: what a person believes her racial ancestry to be based on family history.