Michael Omi And Howard Winant Racial Formations Summary

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RACE: SMOKE AND MIRRORS

The study of race and its social formation in the article "Racial Formations" by Michael Omi and Howard Winant challenge our socially accepted concepts of "race", race being defined as the social categorization of black, white, yellow and red people. Race plays a pivotal role in society because it has a overwhelming influence on an individuals life choices and outcome. Society has historically placed positive and negative stereotypes on different races. Whites are presented and in many cases perceived as the standard of civility and beauty. People of color are conveniently grouped together as disingenuous to American patriotism in addition to being subjected to perpetuating stereotypes such as being lazy, criminal, and deviant to general society. Race in scientific terms is a fabrication, and societal terms it is a reality. Through the study of race and it's history we are able to understand it as a myth while analyzing it's social implications.

The findings of sociologist Max Weber and anthropologist Franz Boas allow Omi and Winant to support theories of race as a social construct. Weber did not subscribe to race being the cause of social conflict but instead saw political factors and agendas as the driving force behind racial …show more content…

When we are encountered by someone who is of "mixed races" we subconsciously attempt to put them in a racial category for our own ease and comfort. When we are unable to categorize an individual based on their race, society views them as being without an "identity". Society has the urge to continue to categorize people because it dictates how they shall be treated going forward based unsubstantiated beliefs. Omi and Winant refer to those who operate based on racial beliefs as "amateur

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