Racism and discrimination are two related concepts that are frequently criticized around the world. Racism, the belief that one’s race is superior to another, often leads to discriminatory behavior, making racism a form of discrimination, specifically racial discrimination. Despite the similarities, racism is a narrower category within discrimination. The following sections provide a closer examination of these two concepts.
Discrimination
Discrimination is a broad term that refers to treating people differently based on various factors, such as gender, race, community, skin color, facial features, height, or even their voice. Examples of discrimination include biased attitudes and stereotypes towards people of certain racial or ethnic backgrounds. The term “discrimination” was commonly used during the American Civil War to describe the prejudicial treatment of Black people by white people.
Discrimination is not limited to skin color; gender inequality has led to gender discrimination, where women experience prejudicial treatment in various aspects of life, such as in the workplace or in societal roles.
Racism
Racism is the belief that one’s own culture and race are superior to others, leading to the mistreatment of members of other races. One of the most infamous examples of racism is the Holocaust, where hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed by Nazis during World War II in Germany. Racism can result in changes in behavior and attitudes towards members of other racial or ethnic groups, sometimes even receiving state support.
An example of racism with a variation is casteism, where people from higher castes treat those from lower castes inhumanely.
Key Takeaways
- Discrimination is the preferential or prejudicial treatment of people based on factors such as gender, age, skin color, and racial background.
- Racism is a subcategory of discrimination, involving the prejudicial treatment of people from different races or groups due to feelings of superiority of one’s own race and culture.
- Racism is a widely denounced concept and has led to conflicts and wars between people of different races.
