The so-called “category of race” has always been of extreme significance in the American society. All people of America prefer clear differentiation in terms of social, political, cultural, and, of course, racial identification. The article under consideration exemplifies the attempts of the American society to overcome the pressure of multi-racism through creating the scientific background for rejecting the idea of mixed-race people.
The article under consideration is entitled “An Invisible Monster: the Creation and Denial of Mixed-Race People in America”. The author of the article is Cynthia Nakashima, who provides readers with information about tendencies that have existed in the American society in relation to mix-raced people. The author emphasizes the fact that America has the tendency to fit everything into its system. Hence, mix-raced people also had to be identified in traditional terms of belonging to the particular race. The evolution of the understanding and acceptance of mix-raced people demonstrates not only the way all these people have been treated. It also shows the way the American culture and mentality has been changing through the history.
In my opinion, the American desire to explain the phenomenon of mixed-racism is predetermined by the fear of losing the dominance. The dominance of the White race has always been the core principle in all country starting from the times of slavery. Consequently, any other change in the social and, in this case, racial order was a threat to the whole society. When the problem of mixed-racism was raised, it was explained, mostly, with the help of adverse theories. The rejection and negative attitude are typical reactions to something previously unknown for all humans.
That is why American scientists attacked the issue of mixed-racism with the help of biological and sociocultural factors. The author of the article provides the examples of such biological and sociocultural approaches. Thus, the hybrid degeneracy theory is the most vivid example of protecting American people from the threat of multi-racism. The second step in explaining the phenomenon was based on the sociocultural ground. Thus, scientists aimed at proving that mixed-race people cannot fit into any modern society (Nakashima 165). Their behavior will be unacceptable and potentially deviant. The next step was the rejection of the idea of multi-racism.
All these phases of the American treatment of the multi-racism are directly connected to the development of society. Thus, hybrid degeneracy theory was formulated to prevent the spreading of interracial marriages. When it did not help, the next approaches tried to establish the connection between already existed mixed-race people and their adverse behavior and impact on society. The final stage was the denial of the existence of multi-racism.
As far as the article was written in 1992, it is worthwhile mentioning that tendencies towards multi-racism changed since that time. I consider that the American society became more aware of the problem. Besides, the rapid globalization should be regarded as one of the most significant processes that has altered the perception and understanding of mixed-race people. The U.S. also made a step forward towards the identification of race. Thus, in 1997, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget introduced new criteria for race identification. Also, five possible races were recognized. One more significant change happened in 2000 when the Race and ethnicity in the United States Census made it possible for mixed-race people to identify that they belong to more than one race.
Work Cited
Nakashima, Cynthia. “An Invisible Monster: the Creation and Denial of Mixed-Race People in America.” Racially Mixed People in America. Ed. Maria Root. Newberry Park: Sage Publications, 1992. 163-178. Print.