Political science

I have attached the instruction for the essay and the articles to use.
500 words maximum
no quotation please

In your answers, draw upon relevant observations or insights from the assigned or optional readings (particularly the McClain et al article.

 Define racial identity. Identify at least one person or set of people (i.e. family, teachers, friends, celebrities, political figures, etc.) who have had an important influence on your own racial identity. Describe how and why they have influenced your racial identity.   ((((MY race is middle eastern/ white)

Identify at least one event or experience you have encountered or witnessed that has had an important influence on your own racial identity. This can be something you have personally undergone, or a public event (i.e. an election or a racial controversy in the news). Describe how and why that event/experience has influenced your racial identity.

[NOTE: If you feel that you do not possess a strong racial identity—as opposed to a national, cultural, religious identity, etc.—make that the focal point of your personal reflection. Why is it that you do not have a strong racial identity? How have people and events in your life shaped that absence of a strong racial identity?]

Formatting

• Maximum of 500 words, double spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font.
• Please upload your submission in .doc or Google doc format. Please NO .pages or PDF files.
• Use parenthetical citations and include a works cited page. MLA or APA style. Works cited page does NOT count toward the maximum word limit.
• Citeat least 1 This source can be an assigned reading OR something from outside the course that you find on your own.
• You can use the questions as sub-headings for the paper.

Scoring Guide (15 points):

• 4 pts for defining racial identity
• 4 pts for identifying a specific person/set of people and describing their influence on your racial identity.
• 4 pts for identifying a specific experience/event and describing its influence on your racial identity.
• 3 pts for discretionary points for following formatting and proper grammar rules, and overall quality of writing

ANSWER

Racial Identity

Racial Identity

Racial identity is the meaning and prominence that a person ascribes to their culture and other people. The development of racial identity exists as a lifelong process where people learn and interpret distinct racial groups. They acquire the significance and meaning of race in their lives. The acquired identity determines how they live and interact in the social setting. The whites have one of the most potential racial identities that have continued to provide them with an advantage across various global communities. As a supremacist group, whites have shaped policies, strategies, and other related functional approaches. The people of color-related groups continue to experience challenges due to their race. In the U.S, racial identity studies have primarily focused on African Americans (McClain et al., 2009). This is due to the physical, psychological, sociocultural, and cultural elements associated with their culture. Overall, racial identity is related to the feelings, attitudes, and perceptions that people ascribe to their race and other groups.

The family unit has played a key role in shaping my racial identity. As Minniear and Soliz (2019) state, family communication plays a crucial part in developing racial meanings and a general understanding of the racial identity perspective. Close and extended family members educate young people about their cultural practices and behavioral expectations. As young people grow up, they align themselves with the taught cultural practices and values. Personally, my family members and close relatives passed vital insights regarding our white cultural ideals. They would sit me down and speak to me about the Middle Eastern culture and the expectations that we must fulfill when growing up. Also, by observing how my parents and relatives behaved and interacted with other cultural groups, I had an opportunity to learn more about my racial identity. I acquired practices that aligned with my culture. For example, I observed how my parents interacted with the whites and other racial groups and learned that we are expected to engage more with other fellow members as a Middle Eastern citizen.

The shaping of racial identities is central to the interactions occurring at the family level. Children and the youth continue to receive training that shapes their understanding of their cultural values, beliefs, and systems. Families educate young people about race-based threats and distinct coping methods with a wide range of experiences (Umana-Taylor & Hill, 2020). Racial socialization at the family level provides young people with the opportunity to learn about appropriate behaviors that they are expected to fulfill. I have acquired distinct experiences that have shaped my cultural belief. One of the most memorable one when growing up was restrictions on associating with the African American community. One time, one of the close family members found me playing with African American children. He called me aside and urged me to stop playing with the children because we belonged to different races. He spoke about us being a respectable group, and we should not lower ourselves to their level. This encounter made me learn about our cultural superiority compared to that of the black community and the expectations that I have to fulfill in my daily interactions and engagements.

References

McClain, P. D., Johnson Carew, J. D., Walton Jr, E., & Watts, C. S. (2009). Group membership, group identity, and group consciousness: Measures of racial identity in American politics? Annual Review of Political Science, 12, 471-485.

Minniear, M., & Soliz, J. (2019). Family Communication and Messages about Race and Identity in Black Families in the United States. Journal of Family Communication, 19(4), 329-347. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2019.1593170

Umaña‐Taylor, A. J., & Hill, N. E. (2020). Ethnic–Racial Socialization in the Family: A Decade’s Advance on Precursors and Outcomes. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 244-271. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12622