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In 1998, the American Anthropological Association issued a statement on race. Which of the following is NOT among the points made by this statement?

A) Race is a social construct
B) There are clear and distinct biological races
C) Racial categories are historically contingent
D) Racism is harmful and unjust

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The statement by the American Anthropological Association highlighted that there are not clear and distinct biological races, thus option B) is incorrect. Race is recognized as a social construct without biological foundation, and racial categories are seen as historically contingent with significant social implications.

Step-by-step explanation:

In 1998, the American Anthropological Association issued a statement on race, and among the points it made, the answer to which is NOT included is: B) There are clear and distinct biological races. The statement instead supported the view that race is a social construct, that racial categories are historically contingent, and that racism is both harmful and unjust. Overwhelming evidence from anthropology, biology, and genetics indicates that while there are genetic markers for physical traits, they do not align with the traditional categories of race used for social classification. Furthermore, if social constructs were to change—grouping people by characteristics other than those currently used—our racial classifications would look completely different.

Racial categories do not reflect biological distinctions and are instead socioculturally constructed. This construct of race has powerful implications for social identity and relations, and acknowledging its foundational role in producing inequality is crucial for understanding and addressing racism.

User Istvan Szasz
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