Racism is Attitude and Statement of Discrimination Based on Race, Understand Its Aspects

Kapanlagi.com - Racism is one of the issues that is often discussed, not only domestically but also internationally. Racism is one of the topics that always attracts attention. Moreover, issues related to racism still frequently arise, especially in multicultural countries.

Racism is closely related to discriminatory actions. Racism is a view or belief that considers one race superior and other races inferior. Of course, such views cannot be justified as they can trigger unfair behavior.

To better understand that racism is an attitude or behavior that should not be done, consider the following summary from various sources.

1. Definition of Racism

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In the Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language (KBBI), racism comes from the word racialism, which means an attitude based on prejudice based on ethnic descent. Racialism is also defined as unfair treatment towards a certain ethnic group or nation. In KBBI, racism can also be interpreted as a doctrine that considers one's own race to be superior.

Based on the explanation of the meaning of the word, racism is generally an attitude, statement, and action that tends to favor or discriminate against certain groups of people based on their racial identity. Racism is often seen as a crime, as it shows injustice and goes against ethical norms, humanity, and human rights.

Racism is more likely to occur in multicultural countries. This is because multicultural countries have various ethnicities, races, and even nations. Therefore, friction or conflicts of interest between these groups are very likely to occur and can lead to racist behavior. Especially in the current digital era, the issue of racism continues to be echoed. However, on the other hand, racist behavior is becoming more prevalent.

2. History of Racism

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Racism is not a topic or issue that has recently emerged. The issue of racism has existed since ancient times. According to dream.co.id, the word 'race' has existed since 1600.

In Alo Liliweri's book, Prejudice & Conflict: Intercultural Communication in Multicultural Society (2005), Francois Bernier is mentioned as the first person to propose the idea of differentiating humans based on skin color and facial features. Based on physical characteristics, humans are then classified into 4 major races: black, white, yellow, and red.

The concept of race was also introduced by Charles Darwin, who classified humans based on biological and physical characteristics. One of the criteria he used was skin color. A publication from Telkom University revealed that racism developed when different races met in the context of colonization. This publication is supported by Spoonley's opinion (1990:96), stating that race is a colonial concept that developed when European nations collectively expanded.

Since then, the concept of racism has become more known, especially in the field of sociology. As part of the ideology of colonialism, racism is evident in the actions of white European colonial societies towards other races. For example, towards the Maori descendants in New Zealand.

3. Aspects of Racism

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Racism is an attitude or behavior that should be avoided. Because racism can trigger injustice. In addition, racism will also increasingly show superiority and inferiority. Even worse, racism will form differentiation of human degrees and discriminatory behavior. Therefore, it is important to understand racism from both aspects that include.

1. Aspect of Racial Discrimination
Racial discrimination is any behavior that shows a tendency to differentiate races. One of the most obvious forms of racial discrimination is the separation or segregation of places of residence in a region based on race. This is commonly found in urban areas.

2. Aspect of Racial Prejudice
The aspect of racial prejudice is the root of racist behavior. This racial prejudice triggers negative views towards certain individuals or groups, which can refer to certain characteristics such as race, religion, occupation, social class, and so on.

The aspects of discrimination and prejudice towards race are two interconnected things. This means that to stop racist behavior, both aspects must be seriously considered. Because prejudice can be misinterpreted as a rationalization of discrimination. Likewise, vice versa.

4. The Importance of Avoiding Racism

For peace and tranquility, racism is an attitude that must be avoided. This is because racism can trigger hatred and conflicts between individuals or even between racial groups. That is why it is important to stay away from racist behavior. Some ways that can be done to avoid racism are as follows.

1. Fully realize that everyone is different and that it is normal. By doing so, you will be able to avoid prejudice or stereotypes towards a particular race or group.

2. If you already have stereotypes, gradually change them. Start trying to understand others from a more positive perspective.

3. Try to put yourself in someone else's shoes. By doing so, we will learn to appreciate each other more.

Those are some reviews about racism, which is the act of discriminating against races. Hopefully, it will be beneficial and broaden your knowledge.

(kpl/psp)