‘Mixed Race’: The Term of Choice… |
…This analysis shows that the term of choice of most respondents in general population and student samples was ‘mixed race’. Based on the criterion of currency amongst the community described by the terms, ‘mixed race’ is clearly the strongest candidate for those contexts where a conceptual basis of ethnic/racial identity or group allegiance or membership is required. Terms invoking two groups – such as ‘mixed parentage’, ‘dual heritage’, and ‘biracial’ – are preferred by very few and ‘mixed origins’ and ‘mixed heritage’ fare little better, although few find them offensive. Others such as ‘multi-ethnic’ and ‘mixed cultural’ have not entered the popular lexicon. Yet concern about the disputed meaning of race – and the historical legacy of the term – make the widespread adoption of ‘mixed race’ unattractive to some sociologists and anthropologists…
Aspinall, Peter J., 2009. “‘Mixed race’, ‘mixed origins’ or what? Generic terminology for the multiple racial/ethnic group population,” Anthropology Today Volume 25, Issue 2, 3-8.