Racism is a very strong feeling of affiliation to his race or aversion to a different one to a point of prejudice. It is either or both an extreme pride of one’s ethnic background and a strong dislike for another which he considers inferior to his. Racism has its historical roots and beginnings.
Ethnocentrism is a racist form of unjustly considering one’s race as superior to any other. Additionally, he is seeing another culture from the standards of his own. Since he thinks his own culture is far better than the other, his perspective is inaccurate. “Ethnocentrism represented a failure to value the human other.” (Windschuttle, 2002, p.5).
Historically, primitive tribes called themselves The True Ones, The Good Ones, and Human Beings, while referring to others as Earth Monkeys, Louse Eggs, and with other names denoting non-humans. Writing on December 20, 2004, about a Christmas in 1999, Anthropologist Ken Barger’s immersion in the Eskimo – Inuit community’s snowmobile race, afforded him an appreciation of his weakness seen as a strength by the Eskimos. Today with cultural and educational exchanges, people from different cultures are afforded the opportunity to experience life on the other side of the fence with the objective of understanding and respecting cultural differences.
Xenophobia is a fear of a different culture or race. The fear is brought about by inequality and inequitable access to economic, social, and political opportunities. Such fear is felt by immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, displaced persons, and those who are not natural citizens. Historically, colonies and states were used to mono-culture and mono-ethnic existence. With the current wave of migration and the influx of different religions, traditions, languages, cultures, ethnic and racial identities, these are seen as perceived threats to mono-cultures.
As a counter-measure against Xenophobia, NGOs around the globe meet in world conferences and include in their agenda provisions for Multiculturalism and Respect for Diversity. Rotterdam in the Netherlands is setting the pace for its ethnic minorities which account for 27% of its 42% immigrant population. Their program includes among others the strengthening of the participation of these minorities in subsidized institutions and encouraging initiatives in entrepreneurship.
Miscegenation is simply a union or a marriage between couples of different ethnic backgrounds. The earliest and perhaps the first-ever recorded inter-racial marriage was that of John Rolfe and Pocahontas. During his incumbency, President Thomas Jefferson proposed that Indians and those living in the colonies mix and blend to become one people. American Patriot Patrick Henry also suggested that inter-marriages between Indians and Whites be encouraged by giving them incentives. During those times, inter-racial marriages were condemned and looked down upon, because the minorities were discriminated. Today, however in many countries around the world inter-racial marriages are very common. Even the Crown Prince of Denmark married an Australian Commoner. Queen Noor was Lisa Halaby, an American who married the King Hussein of Jordan.
Nationalism is a strong sense of belonging to their country by a group of people with things in common. This bond sets them apart from outsiders, thus, making Nationalism exclusive. This can be traced to the early Hebrews, as the chosen people with a common cultural history. The same goes for the Greeks, and the Germans in the 19th century. In the 20th century with the breakup of the Austria-Hungary, Ottoman empires, and the Soviet Union, nationalism grew stronger. Acceptance of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds is now very much evident in modern-day America, which is a big melting pot of cultures. Immigrants flock to the US. They now have a strong Black middle class, and other ethnic minorities play prominent and active roles in the political, media, sports, and business arena.
