Skip Channel4 main Navigation
Explore Channel4
Food
Homes
Film
4Car
News
See All
Race: Science's last taboo
Defining Race
We talk about ‘racism’ but do we really understand what ‘race’ means?
The Oxford English Dictionary gives 5 different definitions for the word and points out that some believe its usage should be avoided altogether, while The United Nations issued a Statement On Race affirming that there was only one race, the human race.
Find out more about how the season explores the issues
your definitions
The Latest 20
An extremely unstable dichotomy of insignificant physicals differences constanly constructed and reproduced within a black/white binary.
Luke
I think race is like ethnicity but it's not just about your parents or what you look like but what you identify with and your lifestyle.
Paula
We've got white people who go for tanning, will you say they are trying to be black???don't be an idiot, be proud of who you are. Jamal-USA
Jamal
Our genetic background, our history and future is in our DNA.
R.C
A clumsy ill defined clustering of various ends of the spectrum of the of the small 0.1%> differences in genetic makeup; an invalid term.
Max
Different types of people e.g. irish, pakistanis, french etc...
kyle doherty
human
lisa lam
the colour people are
unknown
What race is NOT is being just a 'social construct'. SC makes no sense at all given evidences seen with twins and other hereditary traits.
Austin
It is a scientific continuum of differences between the genetics of people across the world, used to categorise positively and negatively
Sarah Powell
Race is skin color plus skin-color-associated superficial physical characteristics, including facial morphology and DNA-determined hair type
Francis L. Holland
Race is a convenient label for people to use to demonstrate their superiority
Anon
'Race' seperates how we look on the outside but doesnt change the person we are inside!
Lor
for me there is only one race - humaans, or humanity. we're not really that diverse. many differences, product of varied environments
uttermince
Race is an illusion of no real substance used to divide humans and "justify" ideas of supremacy.
Creeball
We all need to work togther selflessly, to ensure that in this century 'race' becomes a neutral word and our world becomes an equal place.
Gaydre Egan
a social construction applied to each and every one of us in order to separate us into groups relating to culture, religion, heritage etc.
jessica
Used to distinguish the differences between each and everyone of us which will inevitably lead to discrimination. I drew the short straw.
sai
Race is a human competitive activity which produces winners and losers as a indelible part of it`s structure.
Errol Richards
sight&sound plus 5 mins of fame black&white divide&rule you dont have to live inside the media
Ron

Channel 4 © 2009. Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.