CONCEPT  AND CLASSIFICATION OF RACE AND ETHNICITY

 

INTRODUCTION: 

Race refers to classification of humans into relatively large and distinct population groups based on appearance through heritable phenotypic characteristics, often influenced by and correlated with culture, ethnicity and socio-economic status. Race is a concept, applied in various senses, even by human biologists. In the present context we are concerned with anthropological or biological concept of race. As a biological term, race denotes genetically divergent human populations that can be marked by common phenotypes..

The term ‘RACE’ refers to the genetically transmitted physical characteristics of different human group. • Human beings are grouped into three major races: 

• The Caucasoid Race: people of Europe, the Middle East and India 

• The Mongoloid Race: people of Japan, China, Nepal, Korea and Vietnamese 

• The Negroid Race: includes black African people, the American Negroes and their descendants.

 According to Vidal de la Blache: “A race is great divisions of mankind, the members of which though individually vary, are characterized as a group by certain body characteristics as a group by certain body characteristics which are transmitted by nature & retained from one generation to another”.

Hooton (1926) defined race as a great division of mankind, the members of which, though individually varying, are characterised as a group with a certain combination of morphological and metrical features, primarily non-adaptive, which have been derived from their common decent.

Dobzhansky (1970) has defined race in population concept as “Race are genetically distinct Mendelian populations. They are neither individuals nor particular genotypes; they consist of individuals who differ genetically among themselves.”

Classification of Races

 Different ethnologists have classified human races differently. Of these few most important are as follows: The very first attempt to identify the physical features of some human populations Racial Classification is found in ancient Sanskrit literature. The dark complexion Nishads (Australoids) were distinguished from the yellow coloured Kiratas (Indo-Mongoloids). These two were again different from the light coloured Indo-Aryans. 

In 200 B.C., the Chinese distinguished mankind into five groups on the basis of skin colour and Egyptians into four racial types. 

Bernier’s attempt to classify humans may be considered as the first attempt to classify human race in to four groups. In 1921 Bradley made another attempt to systematize the racial types using dichotomous method and distinguished into  three racial types, i.e., White (Bearded and Beardless); Negroes (Straight haired and Woolly Haired), Intermediates (Mulattoes). 

Linnaeus (1958) introduced binary nomenclature and proposed a systematic classification of human species, Homo Sapiens into six subdivisions, viz., Homo ferus (Savage), Homo Americans, Homo europeans, Homo asiaticus, Homo asser (Negro) and Homo monstrous (abnormal).

 In 1775 Bluemenbach, a German scientist studied the craniological material and classified mankind into five types: 1) Caucasian, 2) Mongolian, 3) Ethiopian, 4) American, 5) Malayan. 

In 1848 Pickering identified eleven human races, viz., Mongolian, MalayPolynesian, Australian, Papuan, Negrito, Hindu, Nubian, Hottentot, Abyssinian and White. In 1870 Huxley proposed a classification of mankind including five principle races divided into fourteen secondary races. 

Classification Criteria 

There is no single way of classifying mankind. In the past, physical characteristics delineate three to five races. Later on blood types and even hereditary diseases were taken into account for classification which includes 8 races. Caucasoid, Negroid, Mongoloid, Indie, Australoid, Polynesian, Melanesian. Micronesian and American Indian. The physical characteristics of the three major racial groups, i.e. Caucasoid, Negroids and Mongoloids was advocated by “Huddon and Krogman”. The fourth minor group is Australoids (Australions). Racial hatred and prejudice spring from an irritational dislike of whatever is different. The worst results are colour bars and oppressions of certain groups. In South Africa the colour bar was legally based on the “Apartheid” or separate movement.

Bases of Racial Classification: Physical Traits

 Superficial or external characteristics 

I. Skin Colour: According to Griffith Taylor skin colour is the most obvious but least satisfactory of the physical characterictics to be used as a criterion.

 On the basis of skin colour, races are classified as white (Caucasians), Yellow (Mongoloids), & black (Negro). These are over generalizations. 

II. Hair Texture & Colour: The character of hair has been used as an important criterion for classification of human races. It varies from race to race and is usually classified as the following y Haddon: a) Straight hair (Leiotrichi) – Mongoloids, Polynesians and Amerinds b) Wavy hair (Cymotrichi) – Caucasoids, Pre-Dravidians, & Australoids c) Wooly hair (Ulotrichi) – Negritoes and Negroids Hair colour varies through black, dark brown, reddish brown, light brown, blond, golden & red.

 III. Colour And Shape Of Eyes: Eye –orbital index is the ratio of the breadth and length of the eye. It is 80 for the Negroid, 85-87 for the Australoid and 89-95 for the mongoloid. But more significant is the shape of the eye and the Ephicanthic fold, e.g., in the Mongoloids the upper folds of eye droops over to give the impression of a shit like opening. 

IV. Form of Face and Jaw: These are the conspicuous features and are the oldest method of distinction. PROGNATHISM (projecting lower jaw) can be easily observed. Caucasoid have a more prominent chin while Mongoloids have a broader, flatter, outward sloping jaw. The Negroids have an outward sloping jaw. .

V. Stature: Stature (body height) is the most discernible trait of the human body. The average stature of the world population is 165 cm whereas no human group is less than 150 cm. in stature. The Bushman, the Pygmies and the other Negrito people are human dwarfs (148-158 cm.) the medium stature (159-168 cm.) is preponderant, but some groups like the Nordic have high stature (169+). Topinard’s classification is very helpful in classifying races on the basis of stature.

 Classification of Sir Herbert Hope Risley (1915):

Sir Herbert Risley was British anthropologist and physiognomist.Herbert Hope Risley was the Census Commissioner for India in 1901. He stated that the population of India consisted of seven basic types: Mongoloid, Dravidian, Indo-Aryans, Turko-Iranian, Mongolo-Dravidian, Aryo-Dravidian’ Scytho-Dravidian. Risley’s classification was revised and published in ‘The People of India, 1908’.Risley believed that the Mongoloid and Dravidian races were the original inhabitants of North East India and south India respectively.Scythians arrived from central Asia and swipe down the west coast and Aryans arrived shortly after. He also believed that the basic linguistic divisions of the Indian subcontinent could be tracked back to racial origins.

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According to Risley, India has Seven (7) Racial Types: 

• The Turko-Iranian Type 

• The Indo-Aryan Type 

• The Scytho-Dravidian Type 

• The Aryo-Dravidian Type

 • The Mongolo- Dravidian Type 

• The Mongoloid Type 

• The Dravidian Type