Culture Trumps Scientific Fact ‘Race’ in US American Language

Once described as humankind’s most dangerous myth, ‘race’ remains a most contentious concept: it is defined one way but used in another. This article examines the use of the term ‘race’ in the utterances of American opinion leaders (scholars and the judiciary, executive, and media) and employs it to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social analysis Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 97 - 115
Main Author: Agwuele, Augustine
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford Berghahn Journals 22.06.2016
berghahn journals
Berghahn Books, Inc
Subjects:
Africa
African culture
Analysis
Behavior change
Behavior modification
Connotation
Consciousness
Cultural anthropology
Cultural customs
Cultural heritage
Education
Elites
Emotions
English language in the United States
Equity
Humanity
Humans
Judiciary
Knowledge
Language
Leadership
Learning
Linguistic anthropology
Mass media
Montagu, Ashley
Opinion leaders
Physical anthropology
Race
Racism
Skin color
Social aspects
Society
United States
Utterances
Western Europe
White people
Worldview
Xenophobia
United States
United States > US
Africa
Western Europe
education
race
culture
language use
customs
modernism
knowledge
ISSN:0155-977X, 1558-5727
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Once described as humankind’s most dangerous myth, ‘race’ remains a most contentious concept: it is defined one way but used in another. This article examines the use of the term ‘race’ in the utterances of American opinion leaders (scholars and the judiciary, executive, and media) and employs it to explore the dissonance between substantiated knowledge and cultural impositions and the manner in which customary norms outperform scientific facts in everyday interactions. Arguing that the use of the word ‘race’ by opinion leaders furthers its socio-culturally assumed connotations and excites associated emotions and worldviews, the article asks if the change in behavior expected from learning ever occurs in social matters and what the responsibilities of (American) elites are in providing purposeful leadership toward a just and fair society.
Bibliography:Original Article
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ISSN:0155-977X
1558-5727
DOI:10.3167/sa.2016.600207