Race vs. Ethnicity — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 6, 2023
Race refers to physical characteristics, while ethnicity refers to cultural identity and practices.
Difference Between Race and Ethnicity
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Race is typically associated with the physical characteristics of a group, such as skin color, facial features, and hair texture. It is a social construct that has been used to categorize humans into large and distinct populations.
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Ethnicity refers to the cultural factors, including nationality, regional culture, ancestry, and language. Unlike race, ethnicity is not determined by physical characteristics but by social and cultural bonds.
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Race is often perceived as a broader categorization that does not account for the complex cultural and historical identities that people possess. The concept of race can lead to generalizations and assumptions based solely on physical appearance.
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Ethnicity, conversely, encompasses the traditions, customs, and meanings that individuals from the same cultural group share. It highlights the diversity within and among groups that race alone cannot define.
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Both race and ethnicity can intersect and influence an individual's identity and experiences. However, while race is often imposed on individuals through social constructs, ethnicity is usually self-identified.
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Comparison Chart
Basis of Classification
Physical characteristics
Cultural identity
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Changeability
Perceived as fixed
Can be more fluid
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Example of Attributes
Skin color, bone structure
Language, traditions, religion
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Sociological Concept
Often imposed
Generally self-identified
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Impact
Can influence socioeconomic status
Shapes cultural practices and norms
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Compare with Definitions
Race
Race, as a concept, has evolved and is debated in scientific and social contexts.
Biologists argue that race has less scientific basis than previously thought.
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Ethnicity
Ethnicity can be chosen or changed, as it is tied to cultural self-identification.
She embraced her ethnicity after learning more about her ancestral customs.
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Race
A competition between runners, horses, vehicles, etc. to see which is the fastest in covering a set course
Hill started from pole position and won the race
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Ethnicity
Ethnicity refers to the cultural identity and characteristics of a group.
His ethnicity is Italian, and he takes great pride in his cultural heritage.
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Race
A strong or rapid current flowing through a narrow channel in the sea or a river
Angling for tuna in turbulent tidal races
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Ethnicity
Ethnicity encompasses traditions, language, and history shared by a group.
The festival celebrated the rich ethnicity of the local population.
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Race
A water channel, especially one built to lead water to or from a point where its energy is utilized, as in a mill or mine.
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Ethnicity
Ethnicity often influences people's sense of community and belonging.
The community center programs are tailored to the ethnicity of the neighborhood.
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Race
A smooth ring-shaped groove or guide in which a ball bearing or roller bearing runs.
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Ethnicity
Ethnicity adds complexity to understanding identity beyond race.
Students explored their own ethnicity in the cultural studies class.
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Race
A fenced passageway in a stockyard through which animals pass singly for branding, loading, washing, etc.
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Ethnicity
Ethnic character, background, or affiliation.
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Race
(in weaving) the channel along which the shuttle moves.
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Ethnicity
An ethnic group.
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Race
Each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics
People of all races, colours, and creeds
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Ethnicity
The common characteristics of a group of people, especially regarding ancestry, culture, language or national experiences.
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Race
A ginger root.
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Ethnicity
An ethnic group.
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Race
Compete with another or others to see who is fastest at covering a set course or achieving an objective
The vet took blood samples from the horses before they raced
Two drivers raced each other through a housing estate
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Ethnicity
Race; common ancestry.
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Race
Move or progress swiftly or at full speed
I raced into the house
She spoke automatically, while her mind raced ahead
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Ethnicity
An ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties;
Ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations
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Race
A group of people identified as distinct from other groups because of supposed physical or genetic traits shared by the group. Most biologists and anthropologists do not recognize race as a biologically valid classification, in part because there is more genetic variation within groups than between them.
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Race
A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution
The Celtic race.
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Race
A genealogical line; a lineage.
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Race
Humans considered as a group.
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Race
A usually geographically isolated population of organisms that differs from other populations of the same species in certain heritable traits
An island race of birds.
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Race
A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.
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Race
A distinguishing or characteristic quality, such as the flavor of a wine.
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Race
A competition of speed, as in running or riding.
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Race
Races A series of such competitions held at a specified time on a regular course
A fan of the dog races.
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Race
An extended competition in which participants struggle like runners to be the winner
The presidential race.
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Race
Steady or rapid onward movement
The race of time.
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Race
A strong or swift current of water.
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Race
The channel of such a current.
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Race
An artificial channel built to transport water and use its energy. Also called raceway.
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Race
A groovelike part of a machine in which a moving part slides or rolls.
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Race
See slipstream.
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Race
Of or relating to race; racial
Race relations.
Race quotas.
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Race
Of or relating to forms of popular entertainment made by and largely marketed to African Americans in the early 1900s
Race literature.
Race records.
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Race
(Sports) To compete in a contest of speed.
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Race
To move rapidly or at top speed
We raced home. My heart was racing with fear.
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Race
To run too rapidly due to decreased resistance or unnecessary provision of fuel
Adjusted the idle to keep the engine from racing.
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Race
To compete against in a race.
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Race
To cause to compete in a race
She races horses for a living.
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Race
To transport rapidly or at top speed; rush
Raced the injured motorist to the hospital.
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Race
To cause (an engine with the gears disengaged, for example) to run swiftly or too swiftly.
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Race
A contest between people, animals, vehicles, etc. where the goal is to be the first to reach some objective. Example: Several horses run in a horse race, and the first one to reach the finishing post wins
The race around the park was won by Johnny, who ran faster than the others.
We had a race to see who could finish the book the quickest.
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Race
Swift progress; rapid motion; an instance of moving or driving at high speed.
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Race
(computing) A race condition.
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Race
A progressive movement toward a goal.
The race to cure cancer
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Race
A fast-moving current of water, such as that which powers a mill wheel.
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Race
A water channel, esp. one built to lead water to or from a point where it is utilised.
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Race
Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life.
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Race
The bushings of a rolling element bearing which contacts the rolling elements.
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Race
A group of sentient beings, particularly people, distinguished by common ancestry, heritage or characteristics:
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Race
A large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage compare ethnic group. See Wikipedia's article on historical definitions of race.
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Race
A large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of common physical characteristics, such as skin color or hair type.
Race was a significant issue during apartheid in South Africa.
The Native Americans colonized the New World in several waves from Asia, and thus they are considered part of the same Mongoloid race.
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Race
A large group of sentient beings distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage compare species, subspecies.
A treaty was concluded between the race of elves and the race of men.
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Race
A group or category distinguished from others on the basis of shared characteristics or qualities, for example social qualities.
The advent of the Internet has brought about a new race of entrepreneur.
Recent developments in artificial intelligence have brought about a new race of robots that can perform household chores without supervision.
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Race
(biology) A population geographically separated from others of its species that develops significantly different characteristics; a mating group.
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Race
(zoology) Subspecies.
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Race
(animal husbandry) A breed or strain of domesticated animal.
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Race
An infraspecific rank, a pathotype, pathovar, etc.
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Race
(obsolete) Peculiar flavour, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavour.
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Race
(obsolete) Characteristic quality or disposition.
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Race
Ancestry.
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Race
A rhizome or root, especially of ginger.
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Race
(intransitive) To take part in a race (in the sense of a contest).
The drivers were racing around the track.
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Race
(transitive) To compete against in a race (contest).
I raced him to the car, but he was there first, so he got to ride shotgun.
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Race
(intransitive) To move or drive at high speed; to hurry or speed.
As soon as it was time to go home, he raced for the door.
Her heart was racing as she peered into the dimly lit room.
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Race
To run rapidly when not engaged to a transmission.
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Race
To assign a race to; to perceive as having a (usually specified) race.
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Race
To raze.
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Race
To run swiftly; to contend in a race; as, the animals raced over the ground; the ships raced from port to port.
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Race
To run too fast at times, as a marine engine or screw, when the screw is lifted out of water by the action of a heavy sea.
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Race
To cause to contend in a race; to drive at high speed; as, to race horses.
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Race
To run a race with.
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Race
A root.
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Race
The descendants of a common ancestor; a family, tribe, people, or nation, believed or presumed to belong to the same stock; a lineage; a breed.
The whole race of mankind.
Whence the long race of Alban fathers come.
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Race
Company; herd; breed.
For do but note a wild and wanton herd,Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,Fetching mad bounds.
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Race
A variety of such fixed character that it may be propagated by seed.
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Race
Peculiar flavor, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavor; smack.
Is it [the wine] of the right race ?
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Race
Hence, characteristic quality or disposition.
And now I give my sensual race the rein.
Some . . . great race of fancy or judgment.
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Race
A progress; a course; a movement or progression.
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Race
Esp., swift progress; rapid course; a running.
The flight of many birds is swifter than the race of any beasts.
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Race
Hence: The act or process of running in competition; a contest of speed in any way, as in running, riding, driving, skating, rowing, sailing; in the plural, usually, a meeting for contests in the running of horses; as, he attended the races.
The race is not to the swift.
I wield the gauntlet, and I run the race.
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Race
Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life.
My race of glory run, and race of shame.
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Race
A strong or rapid current of water, or the channel or passage for such a current; a powerful current or heavy sea, sometimes produced by the meeting of two tides; as, the Portland Race; the Race of Alderney.
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Race
The current of water that turns a water wheel, or the channel in which it flows; a mill race.
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Race
A channel or guide along which a shuttle is driven back and forth, as in a loom, sewing machine, etc.
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Race
Any competition;
The race for the presidency
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Race
People who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock;
Some biologists doubt that there are important genetic differences between races of human beings
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Race
A contest of speed;
The race is to the swift
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Race
The flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller
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Race
(biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species
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Race
A canal for a current of water
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Race
Step on it;
He rushed down the hall to receive his guests
The cars raced down the street
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Race
Compete in a race;
He is running the Marathon this year
Let's race and see who gets there first
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Race
To work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others;
We are racing to find a cure for AIDS
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Race
Cause to move fast or to rush or race;
The psychologist raced the rats through a long maze
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Race
Race is a classification of humans based on shared physical or social qualities.
Policies on race affect how resources are distributed among different communities.
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Race
Race is often used to identify groups of people with common ancestry.
The census collected data on race to analyze demographic changes.
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Race
Race can be a contentious term due to its history in social inequality.
The conference on race tackled various issues, including systemic racism.
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Race
Race is sometimes conflated with ethnicity, though they are distinct.
The discussion highlighted the distinct experiences of various races in the country.
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Common Curiosities
Are race and ethnicity the same in census data?
No, the census usually treats race and ethnicity as separate categories for more accurate demographic data.
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Is race only about skin color?
No, race can include other physical traits like bone structure and hair texture.
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Can ethnicity include race?
Ethnicity can be influenced by race but primarily focuses on cultural identity.
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Can someone have multiple ethnicities?
Yes, individuals can identify with multiple ethnicities based on their cultural background.
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Is the concept of race biological or social?
Race is considered a social construct, not a biological one.
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Why is it important to distinguish between race and ethnicity?
Understanding the difference is crucial for appreciating the diversity of human experiences and identities.
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Is ethnicity linked to nationality?
Ethnicity can be related to nationality but is not limited to it, as it includes broader cultural aspects.
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Can racial or ethnic categories affect health outcomes?
Yes, they can influence access to healthcare, disease prevalence, and treatment outcomes.
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Do race and ethnicity have legal implications?
Yes, they can affect civil rights, affirmative action policies, and anti-discrimination laws.
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How do race and ethnicity affect identity?
They both contribute to an individual's identity but in different ways; race is often about how society perceives a person, while ethnicity is about cultural self-identification.
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Can ethnicity be changed?
Yes, since it's based on cultural factors, people can change or adopt new ethnic identities.
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Can a person's race change over time?
Social perceptions of race can evolve, but an individual's race as a category typically does not change.
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How should race and ethnicity be addressed in the workplace?
With respect and sensitivity, recognizing their impact on diversity and inclusion.
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Are race and ethnicity self-identified?
Ethnicity is self-identified, while race can be both self-identified and ascribed by society.
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Is the classification of race consistent worldwide?
No, different cultures and countries may have various systems for classifying race.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
