Everyone seems to agree with the video on race we saw last Wednesday, that race is not genetic but a perception that has been culturally ingrained in us. This reminded me of a phenomenon that we have been discussing in my Animal Behavior class. There are many species of songbirds that have been divided into smaller communities that then evolve separately over a period of time, sometimes as little as one year. The two separate groups will evolve their own slight variation to the species particular song. The two populations will then not breed with each other because they hear this minor variation that is not detectable to human ears. The birds are otherwise visually and genetically identical. This seems to be what we think of as race, and not just in Kenya. We are seeing a slight variation and assigning to that visual image all kinds of cultural meaning. By acknowledging that variation we are segregating and creating races. Skin color is obviously one vary visual factor, so why not hair color? Why aren’t red haired people separated into a “race”? If a visual image is so important in culture, why aren’t they called American Redheads and assigned a stereotype? How did we historically choose what traits to assign meaning to? It is hard to pin down the exact meaning of the terms race and culture, but they go hand in hand and both exist in Kenya. Anne
From my learnings and experiences, humans encounter a plethora of data through their senses: sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. We retain, interpret, analyze, etc. this data by categorizing it, and categorizing it, and categorizing it into labels we and those before us have created through language. For example, you see a plant, you categorize it as a flower, shrub, vegetable, etc. You continually categorize it under the labels that you have already categorized. The plant you see is now edible. The edible plant you see is now a fruit. The fruit you see is now a strawberry. And so on. Race is another categorical label that we have now resulting from those before us. In order for 'race,' (this includes all different interpretations of 'race') to not exist in our modern day language, involves three possibilities. 1)a future categorical labeling system which eliminates that word. 2)an evolution of humans that retain every sensory experience, therefore ridding us of the need for categories and labels. Or, 3)A de-evolution of humans taking away all our senses, and therefore, the need to label at all. I'm sure there are more examples. Whatever connotation the word 'race' has to our world's diverse peoples of present day, it exists still. So, yes, in my opinion, different races exist in Kenya based on my personal perceptive understanding of the word 'race.'
In todays world. Race is a huge issue. Race is what defines each and everyone of us as a person. We may be the same on the inside, but the outside, what we stand for is different. Without race this whole world would be bleak. It would be the usual. Just plain and boring. So, yes Kenya is a race. Its what facinates people world wide. They may have the same skin color, but the cultural backgrounds are different. And that is unique.
I can't figure out how to make my own thread, so I'm just going to comment on this one. Based on my pre-conceived notions about race, I am moved to say that yes, there are races in Kenya. Based on the film, I would say that race is more of a social construct than anything else (biological, physical) It's more mental. It is hard for me to vizualize someone as a person without a race attached, so I will say yes, again, but with wiggle room. To me, race has always been a defining factor, a way of categorizing and organiznig, and I think that it is okay in that way, but if race really is purely visual, does it exist in the ways we think of when we think of someone's race? In that respect, I'd say that no, it doesn't. For the sake of my sanity, though, I'm going to say that yes, races do exist in Kenya in one form or another, maybe not in the conventional sense we as Americans are used to, but they do exist.
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Everyone seems to agree with the video on race we saw last Wednesday, that race is not genetic but a perception that has been culturally ingrained in us. This reminded me of a phenomenon that we have been discussing in my Animal Behavior class. There are many species of songbirds that have been divided into smaller communities that then evolve separately over a period of time, sometimes as little as one year. The two separate groups will evolve their own slight variation to the species particular song. The two populations will then not breed with each other because they hear this minor variation that is not detectable to human ears. The birds are otherwise visually and genetically identical.
This seems to be what we think of as race, and not just in Kenya. We are seeing a slight variation and assigning to that visual image all kinds of cultural meaning. By acknowledging that variation we are segregating and creating races. Skin color is obviously one vary visual factor, so why not hair color? Why aren’t red haired people separated into a “race”? If a visual image is so important in culture, why aren’t they called American Redheads and assigned a stereotype? How did we historically choose what traits to assign meaning to?
It is hard to pin down the exact meaning of the terms race and culture, but they go hand in hand and both exist in Kenya.
Anne
From my learnings and experiences, humans encounter a plethora of data through their senses: sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. We retain, interpret, analyze, etc. this data by categorizing it, and categorizing it, and categorizing it into labels we and those before us have created through language. For example, you see a plant, you categorize it as a flower, shrub, vegetable, etc. You continually categorize it under the labels that you have already categorized.
The plant you see is now edible. The edible plant you see is now a fruit. The fruit you see is now a strawberry. And so on.
Race is another categorical label that we have now resulting from those before us. In order for 'race,' (this includes all different interpretations of 'race') to not exist in our modern day language, involves three possibilities. 1)a future categorical labeling system which eliminates that word. 2)an evolution of humans that retain every sensory experience, therefore ridding us of the need for categories and labels. Or, 3)A de-evolution of humans taking away all our senses, and therefore, the need to label at all. I'm sure there are more examples.
Whatever connotation the word 'race' has to our world's diverse peoples of present day, it exists still. So, yes, in my opinion, different races exist in Kenya based on my personal perceptive understanding of the word 'race.'
In todays world. Race is a huge issue. Race is what defines each and everyone of us as a person. We may be the same on the inside, but the outside, what we stand for is different.
Without race this whole world would be bleak. It would be the usual. Just plain and boring.
So, yes Kenya is a race. Its what facinates people world wide. They may have the same skin color, but the cultural backgrounds are different. And that is unique.
This is a great thread, bringing science in, and our reflections on the meaning of science. Makes me look even more forward to our potluck.
I can't figure out how to make my own thread, so I'm just going to comment on this one. Based on my pre-conceived notions about race, I am moved to say that yes, there are races in Kenya. Based on the film, I would say that race is more of a social construct than anything else (biological, physical) It's more mental. It is hard for me to vizualize someone as a person without a race attached, so I will say yes, again, but with wiggle room. To me, race has always been a defining factor, a way of categorizing and organiznig, and I think that it is okay in that way, but if race really is purely visual, does it exist in the ways we think of when we think of someone's race? In that respect, I'd say that no, it doesn't. For the sake of my sanity, though, I'm going to say that yes, races do exist in Kenya in one form or another, maybe not in the conventional sense we as Americans are used to, but they do exist.
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