Ethnicity Overview - Ethnicity refers to the cultural characteristics shared by a group of people. An ethnic group might share common values, customs, behavior, family origin, religion, or language, among other things. Understanding different ethnic groups gives us a greater appreciation of the diversity of the human population.
Ethnicity refers to socially defined cultural characteristics shared by a group of people.
For example, Italians in the U.S. in 1900 would not have been considered white by the northern European-descended white people in power. Fortunately, people today understand that all non-native Americans are immigrants. But while there is growing appreciation of the diversity in the U.S., ethnic differences are still at the root of intense fighting between Bosnians and Serbs, Israelis and Palestinians, and Irish Protestants and Catholics. Living peacefully with ethnic differences is one of the great challenges of the human race. Explain how ethnic categorization has both a positive and negative side.