Sociology 205 - Unit 1

Question 1

What causes variations in skin colors among humans

Answer 1

1. various levels of exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
2. Different skin colors evolved to balance the need for folate and vitamin D. Darker skin blocks more folate-destroying UVR. Lighter skin permits more UVR to be absorbed and allows them to make more Vitamin D

Question 2

What does it mean to say that race is a socially constructed concept?

Answer 2

“Race” originated as a folk ideology about human differences and was constituted of beliefs and attitudes about those differences that had bases in social, political, and economic conditions stemming from the emergence of race-based slavery.