Humans have always tried to find a way to better understand the human

experience. Society has explored countless biological theories that attempt to bring us
closer, or further separate us from being a part of one single human race. Through the
progression of this course, we have been introduced to countless ideas, beliefs, and
historical processes that have attempted to unpack and challenge the idea that race is
indefinitely a biological phenomenon. Looking through a socio-political lens we are
better able to deconstruct these hegemonic ideologies, while looking at how society has
been an active figure in constructing, and deconstructing the ideas of race and its
origins. This paper will be analyzing the meaning, importance, and implications of the
idea that race is social, rather than biological, through historical developments that have
shaped the moral belief of our the modern day society.
In order to be able to analyze the concept of race, we have to fully understand
the active role society takes to construct meaningful realities for those who live in a
particular society. In doing so, one needs to recognize the overarching power of
ideology, while being able to identify how society is constantly constructing and
deconstructing identities and realities. This process is constructed by dominant
members in society to create meaning for people, places and things; while in the pursuit
of various causes. Specifically when looking at the dominant perceptions regarding the
reality of race, the meaning of race is important for the use of justifying control and
inequality, an excuse for doing the inexcusable, a framework for explaining human
differences, and to rationalize guilty consciences (Fleras, 32).
The meaning behind the social construction of race is important because it
directly affects the lived realities of those who are marginalized by these oppressive

ideologies. Similarly, Augie Fleras sought that the meaning behind the social
construction of race is important because people perceive other to be racially distinct
and rely on these perceptions to discriminate or differentiate. (Fleras, 33). Therefore,
understanding the importance of the socially constructed meaning of race is important
because of the real life consequences and discriminatory reality that are faced by
racialized minorities today.
Canada appears to be deeply conflicted over the concept of race (Fleras, 39).
The idea behind the meaning of race is often referred to the ranked order the different
types of races we see, that can automatically position one race more superior to
another. However, the meaning behind what we believe race to be today stems from the
various historical processes such as Colonialism, Social Darwinism, and the Eugenics
movement (Fleras, 39). These historical events heavily shifted the meaning behind race
and the social reality that comes with this ideology. Social Darwinism evolved into a
widely acceptable doctrine of racial superiority towards the end of the nineteenth
century (Fleras, 39). This movement originally suggested a biological explanations for
racial difference, however, these ideas were revamped, and socially constructed to
provide philosophical justification for Western colonialism by condoning the subjugation
of colonized people (Fleras, 39). Thus the hegemonic meaning of race that was
created by dominant members of society was used in multiple points in our history to
exploit and destroy marginalized people, and their nations.
This phenomenon is heavily seen within the Aboriginal community. Aboriginal
people are disproportionately ranked among the poorest people in Canada based on
disparities in income and inequality (Fleras, 190). Through this example it is clear to see

how the meaning of race has stemmed from one simple biological idea, and has
completely evolved to create oppressive social and institutional systems. There has
been a long standing history of marginalizing and segregating Aboriginal people to
closed quarters, stripping Aboriginal people of their land, and creating oppressive
restrictions in terms of Aboriginal people being able to claim their rights (Fleras, 190).
These actions were justified because of the way people thought about the
Aboriginal people as a race. Furthermore, history has shown us that Aboriginal people
were seen as barbaric and uncivilized (Fleras, 192). As a result, the meaning of their
race has made exploitation and extermination possible and perfectly justified on a
national level. Hence, race is defined by what others think you are capable of, their
conduct towards you, and the kind of behavior others expect from you; whether good or
bad. The average person knows very little about the racial struggles that Aboriginal
people are continuously subjected to. The type of racial oppression Aboriginal People
face are not considered to be biological in modern day society; it has increasingly
developed into a social issue. This is an excellent example highlighting the fact that the
meaning of race is socially constructed in regards to the reality that has been created
for Aboriginal People. The hegemonic effects of the socially constructed meaning we
associate with race has continued to demonize, segregate, and oppress Aboriginal
People. Therefore, one can see that the meaning of race can hold biological legitimacy,
but has an everlasting negative social effect in terms in inequality.
The meaning behind race has been socially constructed through various forms of
discourse. These types of discourses include pictures, movies, suggestive language,
and many more (Althoff, 406). Constant exposure to any type of discourse will

consequently leads to the internalization of these values, morals, and beliefs. In regards
to race, the powerful and privileged are responsible for what they present to society,
including the ways in which they presentations are represented.
It is no secret that racialized minorities such as Black men and women are highly
misrepresented as being violent, ignorant, hyper sexualized beings. Social categories
construct the social identities that affect what motivates people and how they operate
(Althoff, 405). Subsequently, when individuals are exposed to this type of discourse they
begin to believe that this is the definition only possible definition of a Black man/women.
Not realizing that the perceived violence, ignorance, and hyper sexuality in terms of
the African race holds relatively no weight in biology; rather it the product of a social
construction. Sociological literature frequently claims that scientists across the
disciplinary spectrum have arrived at the common conclusion that race is socially
constructed, not biologically anchored (Morning, 440).
Looking at race as a social construct is important in deconstructing historical
processes like colonialism, and newer events like neo-colonialism. Biology may
suggested that racialized minorities are less civilized. Regardless of whether that
statement is true or false, this ideology is used as a premise by dominant members of
society to justify exploitation. The importance of understanding that race is socially
constructed is necessary to critically think about what race means, and how are these
meanings are in enacted on a global scale.
Realizing this process is important because we can better comprehend what
were are made to understand reality to be. In doing so, we are better able to objectively
think about what we believe about race and how different types of social constructions

of race exist (Obach, 252). Thus, we are able to get a better understanding of how
these ideas of race are used in every stitch of our social life to make dominant races
move up the social ladder quicker and easier than racialized minorities.
Additionally, realizing that race is socially constructed is important because
references to race must go beyond its status as a folk theory. Rather, race reflects,
reinforces, and advances the principle of white supremacy as a global system (Fleras,
38). Hence, individuals are purposely marginalized in order to advance one race over
the other. Acknowledging the constructed meaning of race is important because we
would be capable to recognize and resist systematic racism, and inequality.
The social construction of race has caused hegemonic racial classification and
has drawn public attention. One of the most crippling implications of racial classification
is weak support for government programs to alleviate economic distress in the inner
city (Wilson, 486). Racialized minorities have fought the long battle of pushing and
fighting to get the proper care and attention that any other human being would receive
without resistance. However, these minorities are constantly receiving the shorter end of
the stick. These people are tainted by what dominant members of society were led to
assume about the worthiness of these people. So, when these racialized minorities
have their backs against the walls, and ask for help, they are met by opposition because
of the social reality that was constructed for them. It is extremely important to realize
the politics behind why we are constantly bombarded by negative representations of
minorities
Racialized minorities such as young black men and women not only find
problems when it comes to what people perceive them to do, say, or act. They also find

structural and systematic disadvantages based on the actions people expect from a
Black man/woman. This phenomenon is highly reflective when it comes to the work
force. White men who usually own the means of production hire racialized minorities to
work for them (Wilson, 487), and even then, there are preferences about which
racialized minority the owner would prefer. In most cases, the owner would not hire the
Black man/women because of the socially constructed representations they are led to
believe. These representations, in comparison to other racialized minorities are heavily
saturated by ignorant and degrading ideologies (Wilson, 487).
For example, such judgmental statements like blacks rated less intelligent,
more violent prone, lazier, less patriotic, and more likely to prefer to live off of welfare
than whites (Wilson, 491), show that these ideologies hold basis on a social level.
Whether one would prefer to live off of welfare or not cannot be linked to any kind on
biological attribute or characteristic; this assumption is simply socially constructed.
Therefore, this example does an excellent job at showing the importance of the
meaning of race, exposing the meaning of race to be socially constructed while
demonstrating hegemonic implications that race has on racialized minorities. In doing
so, that lack of employment shows the negative societal repercussions of these
hegemonic assumptions.
In conclusion, looking through a socio-political lens we are better able to
deconstruct repressive ideologies, while looking at how society has been an active
figure in constructing, and deconstructing the ideas of race and its origins. This paper
has analyzed the meaning, importance, and implications of the idea that race is social,
rather than biological, through historical developments that have shaped the moral

belief of the modern day society. Acknowledging the constructed meaning of race is
proven to be important because we, as a society, would be capable to recognize and
resist systematic racism, and inequality.

Work Cited
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the Netherlands." European Journal of Criminology 10.4 (2013): 394407. ProQuest. Web. 6 Jan. 2015
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Fleras, Augie. "Aboriginal Peoples in Canada" Unequal Relations: An Introduction to
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Morning, Ann. ""Everyone Knows it's a Social Construct": Contemporary Science and
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Obach, Brian K. "Demonstrating the Social Construction of Race." Teaching
Sociology 27.3 (1999): 252-7. ProQuest. Web. 6 Jan. 2015.
Wilson, William Julius. "When Work Disappears: New Implications for Race and Urban
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