race

Race is a relatively modern concept, whose origin can be traced to European expansion and the era of colonization. Distinct from the anthropological notion of a human race, the sociological concept of race is defined as a relation based primarily on skin color, which is then linked to other characteristics, like hair, eyes, nose, and lips, or cultural practices. More important, these traits represent the outward appearance of race, the essential issue being that race is essentially a relation of power.