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Racial formation theory is an analytical tool in sociology, developed by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, which is used to look at race as a socially constructed identity, where the content and importance of racial categories are determined by social, economic and political forces. Unlike other traditional race theories, "In (and Winant's ) view, racial meanings pervade US society, extending from the shaping of individual racial identities to the structuring of collective political action on the terrain of the state". == Race is a social concept == In order to delve further into the topic of racial formation, it is important to explore the question of what "race" is. Racial formation theory is a framework that has the objective of deconstructing race as it exists today in the United States. To do this, the authors first explore the historical development of race as a dynamic and fluid social construct. This goes against the dominant discourses on race, which see race as a static and unchanging concept based purely on physical and genetic criteria. Instead of claiming race as something that is concrete, where the person's biology and upbringing are what shape racial identity, Omi and Winant suggest that race is something that is fluid, where "the racial order is organized and enforced by the continuity and reciprocity between micro-level and macro-level of social relations". In the above definition, the "micro-level" social relations refer to "the ways in which we understand ourselves and interact with others, the structuring of our practical activity in work and family, as citizens and as thinkers", basically, a person's individual interactions with other people. The "macro-level" social relations refer to the social structures and common ideologies of a society. Relevant social structures include collective organizations like businesses, the media and the government, and the common ideologies include cultural and stereotypical beliefs on race, class, sexuality and gender. Omi and Winant also believe that "race () an unstable and 'de-centered' complex of social meanings constantly being transformed by political struggle". Because of this, people are able to constantly contest the definition of race both in the micro- and the macro-level. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Racial formation theory」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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