Race lesson 4B: the social construction of race in the US continued

Because race is a social construction, we can use our sociological imagination to see that race changes depending on where you live and also when you live.  As we saw in yesterday's lesson,  race has changed throughout the history of the United States including who is considered "white".  

Choose one of the readings below and read it to see how the definition of race and whiteness has changed.

Here are some sociology readings about how different groups have changed over time:

• My post on How Jews became white, which draws on Karen Brodkin's research.
• Arab Americans and racial identity by Kristine J. Ajrouch and Amaney Jamal
• How Italians became white; Vicious Bigotry and Reluctant Acceptance (NY Times)
• How Armenians became white.
• When the Irish weren't white.
• Hispanic Identity and Race in Chicago by Ana Y. Ramos-Zayas
• Are Asian Americans Becoming White? by Min Zhou 

All of these are examples of how race has changed over the years in America.  Who is considered white changes because there is no empirical or objective way to define race.  Race doesn't exist in any biological or empirical sense, it only exists as a social construction.



7A How does this article explain that whiteness has changed over time?

B What are the factors that have changed it?

C Is it surprising that the idea of who is white has changed so much over the years?  Which group is most surprising to hear about?