Race, culture and identity ( social policy and criminology) Essay

Race, culture and identity ( social policy and criminology) - Essay Example As Song (2001, p.58) suggests, this kind of grouping not only designates racial groups to a specific role in the society, but it also puts the minor groups into the shadow and subordination to the so-called â€Å"major† ethnic groups. Relatively, this racial and ethnic positioning also puts the â€Å"other† race into confusion as they become burdened by the nature of their identity. Racism, as a social problem, needs to be remedied to help the marginalised race overcome the barriers of color (A. Smedely and B. Smedley, 2005, p.16). In this way, people will be able to understand ethnic and racial identities as well as appreciate the significance of cultural diversity today (Frable, 1997, pp.142-143). Considering these ideas, this paper draws on scholarly articles to discuss the intertwining concepts of race, ethnicity, and identity. Specifically, this paper aims to discuss those concepts in relation to the â€Å"Black† subject. The Black subject stems from issues related to race, ethnicity, and identity. As Blacks and those who are considered non-white continue to suffer from racial and ethnic tensions worldwide, issues on race, ethnicity, and identity will continue to prevail in the society. Considering this situation, it can be said that studying these concepts would enable people to understand the nature of the Black subject, and the reason why it came into being. Before discussing the origin of the Black subject, it is essential to understand the concepts of race, ethnicity, and identity. These three concepts interrelate in a way that people use those to identify and differentiate themselves. The concept of identity, in the words of Brubaker and Cooper (2000, p.7), refers to three things: 1) product of socio-political action, 2) self-hood, and 3) group category. All these three aspects apply in the context of the Black subject. Black, as a group category,