Definition

‘Race’, culture and ethnicity are terms that are used interchangeably and without any conceptual clarity potentially creating confusion both for the public and services. A clear differentiation between these terms is therefore necessary. The word ‘culture’ denotes a way of life (for example, family life, behaviour patterns, beliefs and language) and generally refers to the non-material aspects of life common to members of a group (for example, child-rearing practices, family systems, ethical values or attitudes) which are not static. ‘Ethnicity’ refers to a sense of belonging based in both culture and ‘race’, when either ‘culture’ or ‘race’ is inappropriate and undesirable. The term ‘black’ could, therefore, be used to describe people politely – referring to people identified not just by the colour of their skin ...