FUNDAMENTAL FACTS ABOUT RACE!

We all have inherited ideas about race and racial difference. Some of these ideas are based on little more than misinformed stereotypes, others reflect ongoing fears shaped by outdated politics and social policies; usually these are passed on from one generation to the next. Although many dream of a colorblind world, the truth is that race still matters in today's society. Why race matters and what level of importance we continue to give it will ultimately depend upon our understanding of the history of race and racial hierarchies. Following are 10 facts about race, which you may not be aware of.
1) Race matters today, but the concept of "race" didn't always exist
Fact: The ancient Greeks classified people according to culture and language, not according to physical differences. Foreigners, including Africans, were accepted as Greek citizens so long as they assimilated - i.e. learned the language and adopted similar customs and styles of dress.
2) Slavery is not inextricably linked with the concept of race
Fact: Both Greece and Rome enslaved people on the basis of battles won/lost; this was regardless of appearance. When the concept of "freedom" was introduced during the American Revolution, it shone a spotlight on the young nation's key moral contradiction: how could the concepts of freedom, equality, and natural rights of man stand alongside the practice of slavery? The growing notions of race and racial inferiority helped to resolve this contradiction by depicting Africans as different, separate from, and less deserving of the same rights that European settlers enjoyed.
zSB(3,3)
3) There is no single genetic marker for race - race has no genetic basis
Fact: Throughout history, the search for “race” was fueled by preconceived ideas about “superiority.” Early "scientists" validated racial hierarchy, but modern scientists have discovered and continue to prove that no single gene, trait or characteristic distinguishes one race from another; two reasons: 1) human beings haven't been around long enough to evolve into subspecies, and 2) human beings have always been mobile, mixing genes with different populations. Genes are inherited independently. Race is a socially
constructed concept, which over time has served as key support for social and political interests.
4) Although we behave as if race matters a lot, most variation occurs within races
Fact: 85% of human genetic variation exists within any given population - whether Italian, Chinese, or Korean - than between. Two Chinese mean are likely to be as genetically different as a Chinese man and an Italian man.
5) Despite the lack of scientific evidence, race matters
Fact: Race continues to be a powerful factor in determining which groups have access to resources and opportunities. The effects of past divisive social and political policies continue to be felt; the goal of a "colorblind" society will not ameliorate these effects. Pretending that race doesn't matter does not equate with treating people equally. Instead, the identification and reshaping of social policies that continue to advantage or disadvantage certain groups must be undertaken.
6) Race classification is a political, not a scientific or biological matter
Fact: Because race is a political and social issue, definitions and classification systems differ from one country to another. For example, Brazil has many more racial categories than the U.S, and Haiti has a vastly different definition of "white" than the U.S.
7) Race matters today, but the interesting fact is, we are all mixed
Fact: Humans have been mixing for centuries, and when you consider that evolutionary biologists have shown that we are all descendents of the original peoples of Africa, it is easier to understand just how closely connected we all are. New DNA home tests, although they are currently considered controversial, have resulted in fascinating findings for a vast number of Americans who have traced their DNA to foreign countries and cultures all over the globe.
8) Racial classifications have consistently changed over time
Fact: who's white, who's black, who's Asian have all changed just within the highly politicized American racial classification system. A close look at the highly imperfect classification system in use today reveals an incomplete map and an inconsistent application of guidelines and definitions. For example, in order to claim identity as an "American Indian" one must earn it; they must prove tribal membership or a minimum percentage of blood relation. On the other hand, to classify as "Black or African American" all that's necessary is a single "drop," or one ancestor, and the option of choice in identity is removed.
9) Race is a double-edged sword
Fact: Although the system itself lacks any biological or scientific basis and has been used primarily as tool for restricting access to resources and opportunities, we cannot simply do away with it in one fell swoop. The fact remains, that systems and institutions based on these classifications continue to reinforce opportunities (or lack thereof) among certain groups. Without tracking the effects of these institutions and biased systems, we would not have any way to identify whether or not we, as a society, had truly reached the goal of equality.
10) Racial categories lack neutrality and objectivity
Fact: racial categories (along with their definitions) were constructed and reconstructed to support shifting political goals and, most often, specifically for the purpose of excluding certain groups. For example, in the 1900s U.S. courts decided who was legally "white" to determine naturalization rights; these ever-shifting decisions were most often arbitrary and/or contradictory.

A MUST READ - skill development resources for improved inter race relations and communication across races.

Interracial Communication - The Key Source of Pitfalls, Obstacles & Traps
Why and Where Things Go Wrong When Communicating Across Race

"Like a pane of glass framing and subtly distorting our vision, mental models determine what we see." --Peter Senge

Mental Models
In order to understand where things go wrong in interracial communication, we first need to understand what Mental Models are. The term "mental models" was first coined by Scottish psychologist Kenneth Craik in the 1940s. He defined them as psychological representations of reality. As such, mental models are the source of the powerful images, assumptions, and stories we hold about people and cultures. Established by past events, experiences, or teachings, they serve, going forward, as filters through which we see, interpret, and respond to the world--limiting us to familiar ways of thinking and behaving. Unfortunately, mental models serve as the prime vehicle by which prejudice, stereotypes and social hierarchies get passed down from one generation to another. On the other hand, the good news is that mental models have the potential to evolve, and they often do with the help of new learning and experiences and interaction with new individuals and environments. Mental models play a powerful role in shaping what we see and hear, what we feel, and what we do.
Mental Models & Communicating Across Racial Difference
Mental models influence what we see and hear, as they determine what information we pay attention to and what information we take in.

The first is Top-down bias, which is the tendency to allow existing "knowledge" (i.e. stereotypes, assumptions about other people) to inhibit the acquisition of new information, and to preserve biased thoughts and actions. Top-down bias is in effect whenever someone assumes that you must like rap music just because you're a person of color, or, that you don't know what it's like to suffer social ostracism just because you're white. In both scenarios, such assumptions, whether verbalized or unspoken, carry great potential for shaping our actions and resulting in misunderstanding and tension.
The second is Confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek evidence that confirms original beliefs and ignore evidence that doesn't. Confirmation bias is in effect when you continue to say that all blacks are unmotivated and unintelligent, although the CEO who turned your company around is black, or, when you decide that the new white president of your university's multicultural group is racist after all, just because you see them chatting at lunchtime with a homogenous group of other whites.
Mental models are powerful because they shape our emotions (e.g. feeling fearful when we encounter a young black man on a lonely street) and determine our actions. A more generalized example of this might be the following: If we believe that people are basically good, we might be more inclined to be nice to strangers, feel happy engaging with others, trust our neighbors, leave our doors unlocked, and be more social. Yet, if we believe people are fundamentally evil, we may be more inclined to lock our doors tight, be wary of and nervous around strangers, take a long time to trust others, and surround ourselves with a very small circle of friends. The danger is this: powerful mental models determine our experiences and in doing so, they perpetuate themselves; mental models also explain how two people can have two completely different experiences with the same situation, or with the same group of people. Bottom line: it is important to understand that how you approach something (with both your mindset and actions) has everything to do with how you'll experience it.
The Many Challenges with Mental Models
The challenges that mental models present are significant, especially in relation to intercultural/interracial communication.
* Aside from being self-perpetuating, they are also most often invisible to us - leading us to think our ideas are based on truth and fact, rather than distorted truths, misguided assumptions, and narrow stereotypes; if we don't recognize their influence, then we can't question or alter them.
* They interfere with our ability to see the world in new and different ways and to identify and integrate new information - in other words, to learn.
* They often take the form of deeply held, yet unfounded assumptions or beliefs about others.
* They serve as powerful vehicles for the perpetuation of stereotypes from one generation to the next.
Communicating Across the Races: The Importance of Mental Models
The Subtleties That Wreak Havoc on Communication Across Races
The Subtleties of Mental Models in Interracial Communication

Because mental models tend to exist outside of our awareness, they are seldom tested and challenged. In an intercultural/interracial context, actions resulting from outdated mental models are difficult to counter because the underlying thoughts defining the mental models are seldom verbalized. These thoughts are, nonetheless, indirectly communicated, as they tend to result in microinequities - subtle intercultural or interracial offenses. Microinequities have been described as small events that are covert, unintentional, hard to prove, and often unrecognized by the perpetrator, although Jane Touhey points out that they “may be small in nature, but not trivial in the overall cumulative effect.” Individuals perceive microinequities in “small,” yet common offenses such as:
* Americans ignoring the foreigner on the team because his English-speaking ability is somewhat limited.
* People of color ignoring a white person’s attempts to empathize or articulate shared experiences with bias.
* White Americans failing to make eye contact with people of color in the group, even when they initiate dialogue or pose a direct question.
As individuals belonging to groups lower on the social hierarchy (an informal construct representing the varying levels of power based on gender, ethnicity, racial group, and other classifications) are more likely to experience bias and discrimination, they often develop a keen ability to detect micro inequities.
When they do perceive one has occurred, they tend to speculate about the specific thought process or mental model that preceded the offending behavior, and end up struggling over whether or not to address what so far has mostly taken place in an unspoken arena.

Changing Mental Models and Improving Interracial Communication
We can only become aware of our mental models if we first have the desire, and then are encouraged, trained, and supported in doing so. Perhaps the motivation to develop such a desire can come from understanding that faulty mental models reflect most negatively on us when we speak and act from them. Faulty mental models communicate a lack of intelligence or social finesse, minimize credibility, and thwart the development of effective intercultural relationships. The implications for instructors, counselors, and other professionals whose effectiveness ultimately depends on the ability to establish positive working relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds are significant. Unfortunately, most of us underestimate just how much we rely on preexisting information and stereotypes to guide our interactions with others and just how emotionally tied to them we really are. Invested in our mental models, we resist acknowledging or modifying them even when we encounter conflicting data or new information. As with so many other things, awareness is only the first step. Once we are aware of our mental models, we may still be unsure how to go about changing our behaviors and attitudes. Following are some tips to guide the use of mental models in a constructive way:
* Be aware that mental models are tacit. They tend to exist outside your awareness until you go looking for them, and yet they play a powerful role in guiding your actions and emotions.
* Make a concerted effort to examine your specific mental models closely. Think about the messages you received from family (particularly previous generations) and friends about other groups of people.
* Identify areas where your mental models are likely to negatively impact others at work or in your community.
* Slow down your thinking long enough to question the rationality and basis of your thoughts, and you will discover the underlying assumptions influencing your thoughts and actions.
* Reflect on conflicts or other situations that failed to go a well as you wanted and examine them by examining the mental models that may have been operating at the time.
* Replace faulty mental models with more constructive ones – those based on more accurate or specific information.
* Continually seek “fresh material” with which to evolve your mental models.
*Inquire about the perspectives of others in a nonjudgmental way.

Researchers have found that we can change even long-held, deep-seated beliefs if, over time, we work to modify short-term everyday models as the opportunities arise.
This article is a modified excerpt from the book Intercultural Communication by Thomson Publishing and written by Susan Eckert.