Racism as an Exploration of the Dynamics of Discrimination to the Detriment of Ethnicity and Cultural Identity

Abstract

This academic article addresses the complexity of social interactions through the use of the term “ethnicity,” not the traditional approach to the term “racism,” recognizing the inappropriate negationist connotation associated with the term “race.” Therefore, this article examines how ethnic identities are shaped by perceptions, relationships, and conflicts between humans. By using “ethnicity,” we understand the cultural, linguistic, and historical differences that underlie ethnic identities. It addresses how these identities are formed, negotiated, and sometimes exaggerated for political and social purposes, and further examines how shared cultural narratives, values, and cultural traditions play a fundamental role in the cohesion of ethnic groups. The study focuses on the implications of the term and use of “ethnicity” for society in general, considering how interethnic attitudes, perceptions, and interactions are shaped by these dynamics. To analyze how “ethnicism” can lead to subtle or explicit forms of discrimination, segregation and violent conflicts, as well as to explore ways to mitigate interethnic tensions in order to promote intercultural and linguistic dialogue, education on diversity and mutual respect, through an approach centered on “ethnicism”, whose objective of the article is to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities of these interethnic relations, to recognize cultural diversity and the richness of ethnic identities, which, in doing so, is expected to contribute to a better informed debate on the construction of inclusive societies, where the valorization of ethnic identity coexists in harmony and equality among all existing social and ethnic groups.