Extra Credit

DUE:     NLT Monday, November 1
VALUE:   Up to 10 points
LENGTH:  1,200 words (4-5 pages)

Some people say that race is "real" and can be distinguished by DNA or
other physical characteristics. Others say it is not, it is ONLY a 
social construct and has no meaning. Imagine that the following discussion
occured between you and your roommate. You have read Kendall and listened
to lecture. How would you respond to your roomate, drawing from what
you've learned?

   My roommate is enrolled in an anthropolgy class here at NIU. She was taught
   that the definition of race is an ethnic group assumed to have biological
   basis, which came right out of her book. Kendall says the definition of race
   is a category of people who have been singled out as inferior or superior,
   often on the basis of physical characteristics such as skin color, hair
   texture, or eye shape. My roommate's anthropology teacher says race does not
   exist. Her instructor taught that race is based on your genes and not the
   physical characteristics that Kendall says are true. My roommate's instructor
   says race does not exist because we are made up of so many different races,
   and have not been seperated long enough to develop our own race. Therefore
   we are mutts; scientifically race does not exist. Kendall says that it is
   based on physical characteristics. Does this mean she is putting race into a
   stereotype and my roomates instructor is correct, or what is really the real
   definition of race? 

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