The Social Construction Of Race Analysis

As humans, we often like to think of ourselves as masters of our own destiny. As we continue through the routine patterns of life, we see that most of us have the autonomy to decide which foods we eat, which political parties we support, etc. Ultimately, however, we are impacted by forces outside of our immediate control, and often our comprehension. We become elements in social constructionism, the understanding that our beliefs, social institutions, and ourselves are the result of culture and society. It is the basis of sociology, and permeates the entirety of our society. I agree with the concept of social constructivism because it is powerful enough to shape our experiences, interactions, and realities. Through the various social categories …show more content…
He discusses the institutionalization of race, in which racial categories come to be embedded into the laws. They ultimately come to be embraced, and tend to shape people's identities. Lόpez also proposes that what seems to be true is not really true- it is not all about phenotype. How we categorize differences are entirely cultural, and race cannot exist outside of culture. Lόpez also emphasizes the specific role of law in affirming racial identities by claiming that judges and legislators, those who have a major role in creating and enforcing social order, continue to concentrate and magnify the power of race (Lόpez 192). Resultantly, race becomes common sense- a way of comprehending, explaining, and acting in the world. Lόpez clarifies, "Race may be America's single most confounding problem, but the confounding problem of race is that few people seem to know what race is" (193). This single quote speaks volumes in the context of this essay, because it shows how deeply engrained race has become in our lives, due to social constructionism. Lόpez sheds light on how "the notion that humankind can be divided along White, Black, and Yellow lines reveals the social rather than the scientific origin of race" (194). He concludes with the reminder that because race is socially constructed, our ideas and thoughts form part of a wider social fabric into which other …show more content…
It is powerful enough to shape our experiences, interactions, and realities. This notion is illustrated through various social phenomena, including but not limited to race and gender. Without often realizing it, we perpetrate and ultimately become the force that is social constructivism. The works of sociologists Steve Bruce and Joel Charon delve into the intricacies of social constructionism and the important of perspective. Race and gender are discussed in regards to social constructionism, within the works of Haney Lόpez and Lorber and Martin. Social constructionism is not only exemplified through race and gender, but also through the prevailing objectification of the female body. We must understand that categories such as race and gender are socially constructed, rather than inherent in biology. Only then can we successfully work towards dismantling social institutions that are inequitable and oppressive to certain groups of people. In order to undermine the harmful effects of social constructionism, we must also be cognizant of our roles within the larger