Spotlight on Students: Race Essay

The following post features exemplary work from one of my Anth 102: Introduction to Physical Anthropology students.  For this assignment students were tasked with analyzing the lack of biological evidence to support notions of race perpetuated by modern societies and cultures. Please acknowledge her hard work by letting her know how well she did and how much you enjoy her work.  :)

By: Heather Lindenberg

The concept of race has become a social construct that has been changed throughout history due to new and old social norms. Race is primarily looked at by biologists and anthropologists as human variation. Human variation is able to debunk the idea of race as one looks at the biological factors, which include melanin production, eugenics, and the vitamin D hypothesis.

To start off the deconstruction of race, one first needs to know the differences between “race” and “ethnicity.” In the AAA Statement on Race , the American Anthropological Association has stated that race in America has been frequently defined as, “natural and separate divisions within the human species based on visible physical differences” (AAA 1). This statement is debatable because when Americans think of race, they tend to think of skin color, face shape, hair color, eye color, nose shape, and even hair texture than look at race from a biological standpoint. Society from before World War II has constructed this false idea and is still confused with the real definition today. From a biological standpoint, race is entirely a matter of adaptation to different environments, genetics, and culture.  Ethnicity, however, can be referred as an individual respectively distinguishing with a similar social, cultural, or ancestral group. (AAA 1). Ethnic groups are defined by common beliefs, religion, habits, language, geography, kinship, and history. Race and ethnicity are easily confused. The main  difference is race is a biological/environmental adaption, while ethnicity is a social group one distinguishes with because of a common cultural history.

I will now start off with a major piece of evidence, which is melanin production. Melanin is essentially a built in sunscreen that absorbs harmful UV rays. Better said in Gina Kirchweger’s article The Biology of Skin Color: Black and White , melanin can be describes as, “the main determinant of skin color, to absorb or disperse ultraviolet light” (Kirchweger 1). Melanin can leave temporary or permanent effects on the human skin. Getting a tan in the summer is one example of temporary melanin production. While a permanent effect of melanin production can be skin cancer and more importantly a genetic effect that leaves the skin permanently darker due to the environment. If one experiences almost constant sun exposure, from living near the equator, his/her skin becomes darker in generations to help aid in survival. If one were to live in the north where there is hardly any sun exposure, dark skin would be unnecessary because one does not need as much “sunscreen” as someone who lives near the equator. Skin color is a major physical component most often confused with race. The production of melanin is biological evidence toward the confusion that race is not only based on skin color. Melanin is the scientific cause for why skin color divides people and has introduced specific categories for skin tones.  This brings up a lot of racism and misconception for one’s identity based on an individual's skin.

The next step in deconstructing race is the social issue of eugenics. Eugenics is better explained by Dr Jerry Bergman in his article A Brief History of the Eugenics Movement.  Bergman’s definition of eugenics is best described as,“the science of improving the human race by scientific control of breeding” (Bergman 1). Eugenics was once used to “scientifically" excuse racism because it was a way to treat those with “negative traits” with inequality due to the attempt to breed those who have the most positive traits. This was and is a major influence toward the misconceptions of race because it made people from early ages believe certain traits and aspects of a person were wrong or less superior. People who found themselves to be more superior than others were mostly northern Europeans. They believed how they looked and acted was more beautiful and intelligent than any other individuals. As this idea built, it made race become more of a social misconception and still shows signs of this to this day.

The last piece of evidence that will deconstruct race would be evidence of vitamin D production in different variations of people. When thinking of vitamin D, it is thought mostly in one’s childhood, which is true. Without enough vitamin D, it can result in rickets, which is described in Lynn Kilgore’s book, Introduction to Physical Anthropology , “a condition that leads to skeletal deformities, especially in weight bearing bones of the legs and pelvis” (Kilgore 418).  What vitamin D has to do with race and human variation is that UV ray exposure is necessary for vitamin D production.  Evidence shows that those with darker skin tones actually have a harder time breaking down vitamin D, while those with lighter skin have bodies which “substantially supports vitamin D” (Kilgore).  Vitamin D is evidence that race exists on more than phenotypes/physical appearance, but also exists in genetics. Linking melanin production and vitamin D debunks the concept that race is all visual.

Eugenics could potentially “make” the most superior breed of humans although race and skin color does not justify what is superior or not. Race in modern society has become a concept of how  someone looks is assumed, defined, and grouped incorrectly. Race is a biological misconception and the truth is, race is based more on genetics than looks. An individual may have ancestors located close to the equator but if their genetics do not provide evidence of say a lack of vitamin D (which is widely common in Africans), it may mean that they do not have a specific African background. Race is a part of being culturally diverse and the assumptions of one’s race by visuals has led to slavery and even the Nazi movement. Race is not a myth; it is a biological misconception based on phenotypes. The next time I assume someone is from a certain part of the world, I will stand back and clear my mind from assumptions before I actually ask this person about their ancestral background.

Resources

AAA. "AAA Statement on Race." Connectwith AAA . American Anthropological Association,

2016. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

Bergman, Jerry. "A History of the Eugenics Movement." A History of the Eugenics Movement .

Investigator 72, May 2000. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

Kilgore, Lynn. Introduction to Physical Anthropology . 20132014 ed. Belmont: Yolanda Cossio,

2014. Print.

Kirchweger, Gina. "The Biology of Skin Color: Black and White." PBS . PBS, Feb. 2001. Web.

02 Mar. 2016.