Sociology Racism What Is Obama\'s Race? Barrack

SOCIOLOGY

Racism

What is Obama's race?

Barrack Obama's biography and upbringing are spiced up by interaction with different races as perceived by the modern world. He was born of a white mother from Hawaii in American and a black African father from Kenya. Moreover, Obama was raised, for a better period of his young life, in Jakarta, Indonesia together with his stepsisters. Therefore, to answer the question of Obama's race is a daunting task. He is neither fully white nor fully black due to the parental racial difference. Obama himself, in his book "Dreams from my father" strengthens this aspect of his life. He says that he was segregated by both the white fellow students and the black ones as well while at high school.

Thinking race globally

Racism is a social aspect of human life more than anything else is. It involves the segregation of a particular group of people basing on some form of stereotyping. This can be physical, for example skin color, or any other basis that is discernible. The nature of race in itself is intricate and complicated since it differs from one region depending on the region or country. Racial perceptions in these different segments are in most cases influenced by historical events such as slavery, disenfranchisement, scientific advancements, and other forms of segregation. Consequentially, there is evidence linking the term race as having held a differently meaning in the olden times. At that era, race was more socially and geographically inclined as compared to the physical implications of race that we have contemporarily.

Romans view of the Gaus

The Gaus are described by various ancient Roman authors has having two faces. In the one hand, they are described as indecisive and aggressive in battles, on the other, they are viewed as having been clean and neat. However, one thing stands out; the Roman elites that lived at that time viewed the Gaus as an inferior race, since they succumbed to their ideals and accepted their rule. The superiority complex that was exhibited in these early times by the Roman Empire was further integrated by the Europeans in their quest to colonize the world. Moreover, Darwin's theories that categorized different peoples as being inferior intellectually also played a crucial role in propelling racism to higher heights.

Seven people in a room

Racism, as described in the passages above is more complicated than just a matter of skin color. There a number of individuals who strongly believe that they are better or superior to other people. Yet another group is of the school of thought that racism is closely related to social characteristics of a certain people. Further still, there are those who hold that racism is driven by a necessity of a certain "superior" group wanting to maintain the status quo; believing it is the right thing to do. They may harbor motives to eliminate those groups they perceive inferior or undeserving. It is therefore, as earlier described, to have a universal perspective of racism. What may be regarded as racism, say in Europe, may not be racist in Africa.

However, the effects of this monster, racism has hit humanity where it hurts most, their dignity. It has fuelled hate among the souls of certain people, to the extent of purposely determining to eliminate another group of people due to issues that in most cases are beyond their control or making. This is preposterous and leaves a sour taste to the mouth. However, an observation of the various attempts made by scholars reveals that racism as some aspects that are common in all racist orientations. These aspects are the ideal held by a group of people suggesting that they are superior to another group of people. These people may feel interactions with the inferior grouping may dilute their purity.