The definitions of race and ethnicity seem to be often confused, and usually, the line between them blurs, and people do not use the terms correctly. At first, there was no difference between these two concepts, and I believed that race implies specific cultural features and characteristics. However, over time through considerable research and readings, I realized that it only defines the physical and biological aspects of the people (Blakemore, 2019). In turn, ethnicity determines the cultural side of the people and includes the traditions, customs, and common historical background (Blakemore, 2019). I always had a precise understanding of this term, although usually, I assigned the same characteristics to the race. Thus, the race is about the biological specifics, and ethnicity has the cultural and historical context underneath it.
Despite the fact that both race and ethnicity are deeply interconnected and extremely important in defining human nature from a social perspective. It is impossible to separate one from another, but some have more power and influence in society. While race is associated with biological features, it is related to the supposed cultural background that the representatives of a certain race might have. However, it is not entirely accurate, and often it is more complicated than it may seem at first. For instance, Asian people can be born in European countries and among the European traditions and, despite their physical characteristics, hardly have something in common with their origins. It eventually will determine the person more since they learned from the specific culture that may not match their race according to the common assumptions. Therefore, ethnicity is more important and strongly influences human interactions, especially if they are free from prejudices and stereotypes.
Reference
Blakemore, E. (2019). Race and ethnicity explained. National Geographic. Web.