Race and Class - Essay Example

Race and class are often confused as one but these two concepts are different. Richard Kahlenberg states that race is concerned with categorizing people on the basis of color while class is viewed from a family perspective. For instance, the author states that family structure is an issue of class, not race. Some families are disadvantaged by virtue of their level of income, education as well as the area in which they live. If these people are also given preferential treatment, they can also get access to other opportunities like those who belong to the privileged groups in society.

Cross-racial coalitions can be built if people belonging to the same class are categorized into the same group. For instance, people belonging to the same class like rich whites and blacks can get similar preferences and they can get the same opportunities for advancement in their lives. in other words, the element of class can create equality among different people compared to the aspect of racial equity. If the issue of race is taken into account, even rich blacks can be looked down upon despite the fact that they belong to the same class.

Grouping people on the basis of race is discriminatory. It shows a lot of gaps between different races such as whites, blacks as well as Asians. In other words, the issue of race cements the element of white supremacy where they are treated as superior to any other race which might not be true. When preferences are allocated on the basis of class, disadvantaged people are also considered since a certain percentage of places in a given institution would be reserved for them.