Multiracialism
Encyclopedia
Multiracialism is a concept or ideology
that promotes a society composed of various races, while accepting and respecting different cultural backgrounds. It is a society that consists of a diverse mix of people, whether it be relative to their ethnicity, language
, culture
, religion
, and traditions.
and Switzerland
are good examples of societies that promote multi-ethnic and diverse populations..
, or Office of Management Budget are the ones who determine racial and ethnic classifications. There are four racial groups in the United States: White
, Black, American Indian
or Alaskan Native, and Asian
or Pacific Islander
. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Bureau of Census adopted its racial classification scheme that showed that approximately 10 percent of Americans considered themselves non-white, and of that group, nearly all considered themselves as black. Since then, things have changed such as the notion of race due to an increase in intermarriage
, and an increase in the growth of the Asian American and multiethnic Latino American populations. This resulted in one out of four Americans considering themselves White, Black, Asian, and/or Latino American.
. There were two premises that the government instilled upon Americans. “First it makes policy sense to put every American into one and only one of a limited number of discrete race groups, with the decennial census being a primary vehicle by which the counting and classifying should take place. Second, when policy treats Americans differently depending on what race they belong to, it should make use of this government classification.” Policies such as who can vote, buy alcohol, own property be drafted, and so on since 1970 have always had set boundaries and little dispute. However, racial categories have not been as straightforward. From 1977, the government tried to better the countries racial categories but had some revisions along the way. It was not until 2000 that the U.S. census was the first to allow respondents to record numerous racial classifications.
because it downgrades them to a lower status. They classify the members in their families solely as “human” instead of labeling the multiple components of their heritage.Although, it is also common to explain the mixed heritage of this human. Also, some individuals consider themselves multiracial but have a hard time identifying themselves by every constituent of their heritage. Some may not feel close to some parts of their heritage or even all parts of their heritage. “Concern has been raised that this approach to multiracialism cannot provide individuals with a sustained sense of community because the group’s only commonality is the “ambiguous status” of its members, and such a tenuous connection is not enough to provide the emotional support that multiracial people need.” A multiracial person can also face complexities such as deciding whether to identify themselves with their father's or mother's racial group or both. This can be problematic when society does not support them with their decision.Furthermore, societal racism and discomfort with interracial marriage exists as well. There are people who have a strong prejudice
for intermarriage and people marrying outside their race. They believe that those who cross ethnic lines are rejecting their heritage
and the distinction and certain values that their heritage has.
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
that promotes a society composed of various races, while accepting and respecting different cultural backgrounds. It is a society that consists of a diverse mix of people, whether it be relative to their ethnicity, language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
, culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, and traditions.
Examples of Multiracialism
Countries such as SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
are good examples of societies that promote multi-ethnic and diverse populations..
History
In the United States, the federal agencyFederal agency
Federal agency may refer to:*United States federal agencies—see List of United States federal agencies*Federal agency -See also:*Government agency*Statutory corporation*Statutory Agency*Crown corporation*Government-owned corporation...
, or Office of Management Budget are the ones who determine racial and ethnic classifications. There are four racial groups in the United States: White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, Black, American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
or Alaskan Native, and Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
or Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Bureau of Census adopted its racial classification scheme that showed that approximately 10 percent of Americans considered themselves non-white, and of that group, nearly all considered themselves as black. Since then, things have changed such as the notion of race due to an increase in intermarriage
Interracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
, and an increase in the growth of the Asian American and multiethnic Latino American populations. This resulted in one out of four Americans considering themselves White, Black, Asian, and/or Latino American.
Racial Classification in America
From 1790 to 1990, the classification of racial categories changed and so did the nation’s demographicsDemographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
. There were two premises that the government instilled upon Americans. “First it makes policy sense to put every American into one and only one of a limited number of discrete race groups, with the decennial census being a primary vehicle by which the counting and classifying should take place. Second, when policy treats Americans differently depending on what race they belong to, it should make use of this government classification.” Policies such as who can vote, buy alcohol, own property be drafted, and so on since 1970 have always had set boundaries and little dispute. However, racial categories have not been as straightforward. From 1977, the government tried to better the countries racial categories but had some revisions along the way. It was not until 2000 that the U.S. census was the first to allow respondents to record numerous racial classifications.
The Debate over a Multiracial Background
For many years, there have been mixed marriages occurring between different racial and ethnic groups. Before 1970, it was less likely for interracial marriages to occur and most people wanted to marry within their group. Throughout the past thirty years, interracial marriages have tripled. There are many advantages and disadvantages to growing up with a multiracial background. Children growing up in a multiracial family can sometimes face issues with identity formulation and classification. An important aspect in the lives of multiracial children is the way they are labeled by themselves, their families, and society. By being classified and labeled, this provides children with a sense of self–empowerment and self-determination.Disadvantages of a Multiracial Background
There are some multiracial families that are against the idea of racial labelingLabeling
Labeling or labelling may refer to:* Automatic label placement* Labeling , as in cartography and maps* Labelling, the act of a society using a word or phrase to describe or ostracize a person* Labeling theory, in sociology...
because it downgrades them to a lower status. They classify the members in their families solely as “human” instead of labeling the multiple components of their heritage.Although, it is also common to explain the mixed heritage of this human. Also, some individuals consider themselves multiracial but have a hard time identifying themselves by every constituent of their heritage. Some may not feel close to some parts of their heritage or even all parts of their heritage. “Concern has been raised that this approach to multiracialism cannot provide individuals with a sustained sense of community because the group’s only commonality is the “ambiguous status” of its members, and such a tenuous connection is not enough to provide the emotional support that multiracial people need.” A multiracial person can also face complexities such as deciding whether to identify themselves with their father's or mother's racial group or both. This can be problematic when society does not support them with their decision.Furthermore, societal racism and discomfort with interracial marriage exists as well. There are people who have a strong prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
for intermarriage and people marrying outside their race. They believe that those who cross ethnic lines are rejecting their heritage
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
and the distinction and certain values that their heritage has.