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Do you know why the term 'mixed race' has become something that scholars avoid in the 21st century?
As society develops a deeper understanding of racial and cultural identity, the term "miscegenation" seems to have been pushed back into the corner of history. The term first appeared in an anti-slavery pamphlet in 1863 and was meant to refer to interracial marriage or mixing. Although the term was often used in a derogatory sense in the past, scholars have begun to avoid using it as the 21st century has arrived, especially as society has increasingly recognized the socially constructed nature of race.
Modern science generally believes that race does not have an inherent biological meaning, but is an identity assigned by society.
In today's society, scholars prefer to use terms such as "interracialism" or "cross-culturalism", which are more neutral and avoid the negative connotations of the word "mixed race". meaning. For historians, the shift is not just about changing vocabulary but also reflects society's growing maturity regarding race relations and diversity.
Calls to eliminate racial barriers
Over the decades, legal and cultural changes regarding interracial relationships have made the practice of "mixing races" less taboo. In the United States, the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Loving v. Virginia that anti-mixed marriage laws were unconstitutional, a ruling that paved the way for interracial marriage. Along with the legal changes came a fundamental shift in social attitudes toward racial mixing.
Today's scientific consensus is that human genetic variation is relatively small and that no substantial distinction can be made based on race.
In this context, the term "racial mixing" no longer seems to appropriately reflect contemporary social reality and multiculturalism. Many sociologists and cultural scholars have attempted to understand and describe these dilemmas and opportunities across race and culture from a broader perspective. They believe that it makes more sense to focus on the universality of human beings.
Cultural and social controversies
Although interracial marriage is no longer prohibited by law, it is still accompanied by various social and cultural controversies in many communities. A survey in the United States found that African Americans are much less accepting of interracial marriage than white people. This has triggered deep reflection on ethnic and cultural identity.
Furthermore, contrary to expectations, the data show that divorce rates tend to be higher in interracial marriages than in same-race marriages. This finding has led scholars to pay more attention to the challenges that cross-cultural couples face in adapting to social concepts, family pressures, and cultural differences.
Reshaping of group identity
For individuals from multicultural backgrounds, how to find self-identity in life has become an important issue. Many people incorporate multiple cultures into their self-identity, but society's expectations for a single cultural identity make this process challenging. By redefining their identities, many people choose to embrace their diversity rather than being stuck in just one cultural community.
In Latin America, the word "mestizaje" is usually seen as a fusion of cultures, as opposed to the derogatory term "mixed race."
With the advancement of globalization, cross-cultural exchanges and collisions have become the norm. Can we find a more inclusive cultural positioning in this process? This will be an issue that future researchers and sociologists need to ponder.
In this historical and cultural context, scholars' avoidance of the term "racial hybridity" is not only out of linguistic caution, but also out of respect and understanding for human diversity. Because in this era of rapid change, it is time for us to reflect on and embrace our common humanity, and not be bound by narrow racial boundaries. So, in the 21st century, how do you view this social phenomenon and the deeper meaning behind it?
