Race and Ethnicity

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Recommended: Introduction What is globalization

In Globalization The Essentials, Ritzer says that all racial and ethnic statuses are products of social definitions based on seemingly objective traits (Ritzer.p264). Markus and Moya make a similar proposition, that race and ethnicity are not things that people have or are, rather they are actions that people do. they go on to say that race and ethnicity are social, historical, and philosophical processes that have been "done" for years. This idea is interesting in suggesting that people who claim a race or ethnicity are "doing race and ethnicity to themselves. It also suggests that people who use these categories to indentify groups, or as a basis of discrimination, are "doing" race and ethnicity to others. Stereotypes and other notions based on race and ethnicity are simply more ways people do this to eachother (Markus.et.al.p140) While there have been many previous "scientific studies" that "prove" the differences between races (such as the questionable study of measuring skull sizes to determine the IQ of a race), We now know that these studies were not accurate and were simply means by which to justify racism. Current studies have proven that there are actually no biological markers that are unique to one race or ethnicity(Markus.et.al.p144.). Unfortunately, as Ritzer cites, if men define a situation as real, the consequences of these situations become real.(Ritzer.p265) We can see today, that the consequences of the imagined race and ethnicity have become very real. What is Globalization Doing to Race and Ethnicity? Some argue that globalization, particularly migration and integration, will lead to a homogonized race and ethnicity, or at least a major decline in the variety of racial and ethnic identities. Senna suggests ... ... middle of paper ... ... have migrated to, and must take any job that is offered. Because many of them are not legal they often end up in stereotyped jobs where they are poorly treated and have low wages, but can not argue their situation without being deported. It is similar with sex trafficking but also alsmost in reverse order. The traffickers usually pick up people who need work before they migrate, and sometimes keep the visas that these people need to get back home so they can not leave. It is upsetting that these traffickers are able to exploit the migration laws so easily and I feel something should be done about this. One solution could be for an online visa tracking, many airports or cities have computers at least in main areas. This would allow for people who have a lost or stolen visa to migrate uninhibited, and could also help slow the traffick of people with conterfeit visas.

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