Understanding the Difference Between Ethnicity and Race
Ethnicity and race are often used interchangeably, yet they describe fundamentally different aspects of human identity. Grasping the distinction clarifies personal narratives, informs policy design, and prevents costly misunderstandings in healthcare, marketing, and education. Core Definitions and Historical Construction Race is a social system that sorts people into broad, visually inferred groups—Black, White, Asian—originally created…