Race is a concept that refers to dividing people into groups based on various physical characteristics and ascribing social meaning to those groups. The modern meaning of the term race with reference to humans began to emerge in the 17th century, and since then, it has had a variety of meanings in the languages of the Western world. Most definitions have in common an attempt to categorize people primarily by their physical differences. In the United States, for example, the term race generally refers to a group of people who have in common some visible physical traits, such as skin color, hair texture, facial features, and eye formation. However, the term race has also been applied to linguistic groups, religious groups, and even to political, national, or ethnic groups with few or no physical traits that distinguish them from their neighbors.

Race is a social construct used to group people. It was constructed as a hierarchical human-grouping system, generating racial classifications to identify, distinguish, and marginalize some groups across nations, regions, and the world. Race divides human populations into groups often based on physical appearance, social factors, and cultural backgrounds. However, both race and ethnicity are social constructs used to categorize and characterize seemingly distinct populations.

It is important to note that race has no genetic basis, and the social concept of race still shapes human experiences. Racial bias fuels social exclusion, discrimination, and violence against people from certain social groups. In turn, racial prejudice confers social privilege to some and social and physical disparities to others, and is widely expressed in hierarchies that privilege people with white skin over people with darker skin colors.

In summary, race is a concept that refers to dividing people into groups based on various physical characteristics and ascribing social meaning to those groups. It is a social construct used to group people and was constructed as a hierarchical human-grouping system, generating racial classifications to identify, distinguish, and marginalize some groups across nations, regions, and the world. However, race has no genetic basis, and the social concept of race still shapes human experiences.