The Multiple Dimensions of Race as Categorical and Continuous

• In Event: Racial and Ethnic Minorities Section Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table Eight: Racialized Constructions of Social Identities and Categories

Abstract

Do Americans conceive of race not just as a set of categories, but also as continuous? That is, are some people considered more, or less, part of a racial group than other people who are also seen as belonging to that group? This question matters because redressing racial inequality hinges on understanding the racial schemas embedded in minds and social institutions. I draw on a nationally representative survey of over 1,000 respondents to examine conceptions of racial group membership as continuous or categorical. I find three major patterns. First, most Americans at least sometimes conceive of race as allowing varying degrees of group membership, rather than simply as binary. Conceptions of race as continuous are not related to a single dimension; rather, continuous views emerge with moderate frequency for a wide range of dimensions of race. That is, perceived degrees of membership may be due to variation in levels of ancestry, self-identification, cultural heritage, and more. Second, respondents of color are more inclined than Whites to think of racial membership as a continuum, and respondent race also significantly shapes which specific dimensions are seen as continuous. Third, younger respondents deploy continuous lenses more often than their elders. I consider roots and implications.

Author

• Raj Andrew Ghoshal, Elon University