Answer to Question 1
Popular usages of race have been based on the assumption that a race is a grouping or classification based on genetic variations in physical appearance, particularly skin color.
Sociologists emphasize that race is a socially constructed reality, not a biological one. A race is a category of people who have been singled out as inferior or superior, often on the basis of real or alleged physical characteristics such as skin color, hair texture, eye shape, or other subjectively selected attributes. An ethnic group is a collection of people distinguished by others or by themselves, primarily on the basis of cultural or nationality characteristics. Examples of ethnic groups include Jewish Americans, Irish Americans, and Italian Americans. Ethnic groups share five main characteristics: (1) unique cultural traits, such as language, clothing, holidays, or religious practices; (2) a sense of community; (3) a feeling of ethnocentrism; (4) ascribed membership from birth; and (5) territoriality, or the tendency to occupy a distinct geographic area by choice and/or for self-protection. Race and ethnicity take on great social significance because how people act in regard to these terms drastically affects other people's lives, including what opportunities they have, how they are treated, and even how long they live. Historically, stratification based on race and ethnicity has pervaded all aspects of political, economic, and social life.
Answer to Question 2
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