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Best Essay Topics on Race & Ethnicity to Secure an A+

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You’ve probably been taught a million times that all human beings are equal, and it is WRONG to discriminate against people based on their race or ethnicity. But sometimes, you’ll catch a racially-charged stray comment from your friends or relatives which will inevitably make you stop in your tracks.

They KNOW what they said is wrong.

So, why would they say something like that in the first place?

It’s because racism is ingrained in society worldwide to such an extent that people who are not chronically online to keep up with worldwide news do not have any clue that they are being racist. Awareness about racism and ethnic discrimination is almost non-existent, resulting in a society that doesn’t progress past racial stereotypes.

That’s why it is crucial that educational institutes expose students to the complexities of racism and ethnicity through essays that can widen your perspective on the issue.

Why are Essays Concerning Race and Ethnicity Issues Crucial?

A cursory glance at the crime rates and victims in the UK would reveal that mixed ethnic group account for greater risk than white people. Furthermore, harmful racial stereotypes have even led to people being wrongfully accused of things they didn’t do.

Therefore, it’s high time people take conscious steps to curb this social evil. To achieve this goal, various educational institutions have introduced awareness programs and cultural festivals to allow students to interact with peers from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Additionally, they’ve also focused primarily on assigning essays on race and ethnicity. When working on such papers, students have to confront their inherent bias and learn to unlearn their prejudices and start over from scratch.

How to Choose Essay Topics on Race and Ethnicity?

Now, the first and arguably the most crucial step to essay writing is choosing the topic. A single misstep in this stage will surely result in hours of pain and unnecessary regrets, which you can completely avoid as long as you don’t make rash decisions when choosing your essay topic.

Since people continue to face racial and ethnic discrimination daily, you’ll never run out of debatable topics to explore in this area. But be careful! Don’t pick the first topic that crosses your path.

Since racism and ethnicity are sensitive topics, you should exercise caution and follow these tips for selecting a unique race and ethnicity essay:

  • Avoid topics that are too controversial unless you have enough evidence to back up your claims.
  • Choose a topic that interests you personally. For example, if you’re part of the Hispanic community, you’d feel more at ease highlighting the racism faced by the Hispanic community instead of the struggles of the Asian community.
  • Ensure that the topic you’ve chosen leaves room for discussion. For example, if you choose an essay titled “Why is Racism Not an Acceptable Part of Society?” you’ll lose your audience’s interest immediately because EVERYONE knows racism is bad. There is zero room for debate. 
  • Check whether your chosen topic has enough resources that you can cite. A well-researched paper should be informative and contains lots of examples to help the readers understand your argument.
  • Ensure you have enough time to complete the paper. You cannot compromise with the deadline, so it’s best to come to a middle ground on the topic and choose something that you’ll be able to do justice to within the due date.
  • Choose a topic where you can be objective. Essays on race and ethnicity are bound to stir up some personal feelings, especially if you’ve been a victim of racism. But in academic papers, objectivity is a MUST. You cannot allow your emotions to rile you up and impact your writing.

A simple glance at these six tips will certainly clear your mind and help you think twice before choosing any topic. So, good luck and remember – 70% of your chance of an A+ essay depends on your ability to choose the best topic. No pressure, though!

Tips for Writing a Race and Ethnicity Essay

Even if you’ve been writing essays for years, there’s a high chance you might stumble writing your race and ethnicity essay if you rush the process. Since such topics are a frequent occurrence in academic writing, you can boost your essay tutoring quality by following these tips:

ALWAYS conduct in-depth research from reliable sources.

Racism and discrimination based on ethnicity are recurring problems in society. As a result, you’ll find innumerable write-ups on this issue that come from unreliable sources. Hence, your first task is to filter out such sources and choose dependable journals and research papers for reference.

Stay away from biased opinions.

A quick glance through your research material should help you identify ones where the writer expresses a biased view. However, to make your essay stand out, you should NOT rely on bias but provide objective opinions and statistical evidence to support your claims.

Include personal experiences with racism or ethnic discrimination.

If you’ve ever been a victim of racism or have been discriminated against because of your ethnicity, you can include this experience in your essay. Using anecdotes can help the audience empathise with your situation. But ensure to limit the occurrence of such anecdotal examples in your essay.

100+ Best Essay Topics on Race and Ethnicity & Examples

Did you run out of creative ideas for race and ethnicity essay topics? Sometimes, all you need is a fresh perspective to find inspiration. On that note, here are 100+ topics carefully chosen by leading experts in the field to help you start your essay on the right foot.

A. Argumentative Essay Topics about Race

1. Racism is prevalent amongst minorities who are subject to racism as well – Agree or disagree?

2. Does the fear of the unknown prompt racial discrimination?

3. Will stricter laws against racism reduce the recurrence of racially-charged violence?

4. Do you think religious heads promote racism for their selfish gains?

5. Would you consider the White Lives Matter movement originated from a racist motivation?

6. Should racism be considered a crime punishable by law?

7. Children are not racist by birth but learn to discriminate against people of other races because of their surroundings – Agree or disagree?

8. Would you consider the music industry racist when it benefits from Black musicians without giving them equal representation on top music charts?

9. Do you think the societal system is geared towards favouring white people?

10. “Animation movies meant for children always portray people of minority communities as villains” – Explain.

11. Is there a possibility that World War III might be triggered because of racism?

12. Should there be healthcare disparity because of race?

13. “It is not possible to resolve racial issues through dialogue” – Agree or disagree?

14. Is treating Muslims as possible terrorists during immigration in the USA merely a precaution or racially-charged action?

15. Do affluent Black people deserve special treatment because of their race?

B. Innovative Ethnic Studies Topics

1. Compare and contrast how the judiciary system protects ethnic minorities in the USA and the UK.

2. Why do parents hesitate to send their wards to institutes that are ethnically diverse?

3. Does a student’s ethnicity influence their academic performance?

4. Explore the incorporation of ethnicity in contemporary art in the USA.

5. Analyse the communication issues faced by different ethnic groups in everyday life.

6. Explore the crime patterns in different ethnic groups across the USA.

7. Do you think ethnicity plays an important role in the creation of social identities?

8. Analyse the bias of law enforcement against certain ethnicities.

9. Do educators of different ethnicities receive the same respect as white educators in a conservative American school?

10. How do sitcoms and animations spread stereotypes regarding different ethnicities?

11. Explore how ethnically minority women deal with double discrimination because of their gender and ethnicity.

12. Ethnicity: A crucial factor when forming relationships

13. Compare and contrast the lives of affluent ethnic people to those from low-income backgrounds in Australia.

14. The role of ethnicity in establishing a successful business in the USA

15. Do social media promote more hate towards certain ethnicities?

C. Excellent Race Topics to Write About

1. The effects of racial discrimination on the education sector in the USA

2. Effective steps to make countries more conscious of racial discrimination

3. Why do racially-charged crimes still exist when the evils of racism are familiar to all people?

4. The influence of globalisation on racism in low-income communities in South America

5. Employment discrimination based on race in top companies across the globe

6. Did the Black Lives Matter movement manage to bring forward the grievances of the Black community?

7. The influence of the internet in highlighting racial discrimination

8. The inclusion of racially minor characters in cartoons as caricatures

9. How does Ta-Nehisi Coates explore racism in the USA in Between the World and Me through letters?

10. Racial discrimination as a weapon for political movements

11. Instances of racism in the Chinese community in the USA

12. Reasons why anti-Asian crimes reached their peak after COVID-19

13. The challenges of minorities achieving their American Dream

14. What sociological factors lead to racial discrimination?

15. Explore instances of wage disparity in top companies due to racism

D. Racism in America Questions for A+ Essays

1. Were instances of racially-charged crimes in the USA fewer under Barack Obama than under Donald Trump?

2. Does the American healthcare system discriminate against Black people?

3. How does the experience of racism change from high school to university in the USA?

4. Are poor people more likely to experience racism than affluent people in the USA?

5. Do fashion magazines in the USA play a role in spreading racist conventions?

6. Can America’s multicultural system put an end to racism?

7. What impression does America give to the world if the global superpower is riddled with racism?

8. How did the prejudice against African-Americans evolve in the USA?

9. Can racial discrimination lead to an unstable labour force?

10. Should the USA adopt stricter measures to deal with racial discrimination in education?

11. Were white women able to set aside their racial beliefs against black women during the Women’s Movements in the USA?

12. Is lack of education the only factor that leads to the propagation of racial beliefs?

13. Is racism prevalent in the sports industry in the USA?

14. How has institutionalised racism in the USA affected the mental health of young adults?

15. Is ignoring racist comments the best way to protest against racism in the USA?

E. Ethnicity Essays for High School Students

1. Compare the growth of xenophobia in the USA to that of the UK.

2. Is it racist to use AAVE in everyday language if you’re not an African-American?

3. Police response to crimes by people of different ethnicities and their internal bias

4. Explore the relationship between ethnicity and cultural beliefs.

5. Do popular media influence the way people view different ethnicities?

6. Analyse the attitude of the older generation in Japan to people of different ethnicities.

7. Is the younger generation in the UK more tolerant towards people of different ethnicities?

8. How can people remove the barriers of ethnicity and live harmoniously in society?

9. What socio-political and economic factors are responsible for the rise in intolerance against people of different ethnicities?

10. Relation between self-esteem and ethnicity in the 21st century

11. Is there any relation between ethnicity and emotional intelligence?

12. How do ethnonational traditions find a place in American society?

13. The development of political bias against ethnic minorities in Australia

14. How do ethnic cultures and traditions continue to evolve through generations?

15. Do gender roles differ in households of various ethnicities?

F. Race and Ethnicity Essay Topics for University Students

1. Compare the legal safeguards against racism in New Zealand and the USA.

2. Political measures to reduce racial tensions in the African-American community

3. Analyse the psychological effects of suffering from racial discrimination from a young age.

4. Does racism necessarily have to lead to a hate crime?

5. Discuss the ongoing issue of racism in the American workplace.

6. Critically analyse the lack of representation of people of colour in American pop culture.

7. Discuss the history of oppression and racism in the USA.

8. “Racism doesn’t end, but is filtered with kind words.” – Explain.

9. Has technology helped reduced the instances of racism or allowed racist ideologies to spread?

10. What are the consequences of an ethnically-charges disagreement?

11. Should all schools globally have a fixed quota to allow students from minority races to gain access to education for free?

12. How does racial violence affect other people in society?

13. Can private schools in the UK be legally held responsible for withholding promotions from teachers because of their race?

14. Describe how Hitler’s campaign evolved from nationalism and twisted to xenophobia.

15. Is acceptance and humility the only way to end racism?

G. Research Topics on Race and Ethnicity

1. The challenges of living in a racially diverse country with close-minded people

2. The use of racism to justify xenophobia

3. Discuss the success of the Black Lives Matter movement and its effect on the Black community in the USA.

4. The evolution of the concept of racism from the early 17th century to the 21st century

5. Would you consider racism in the UK to be worse than in America?

6. How did Shakespeare tackle racism in his play Othello?

7. Explore the history of racism and critically analyse the reason behind the origins of such discrimination.

8. Can spreading awareness about racism to young children help eliminate this social evil?

9. Compare and contrast the evolution of feminism and racial liberation in the USA.

10. Analyse the treatment of African-American women in Victorian society.

11. How has the native-American language lost its relevance throughout the years?

12. Can the USA government snip racism from its roots by prioritising global exposure?

13. “Black people can never be racist.” – Agree or disagree?

14. Do racially marginalised people find enough representation in modern media?

15. Analyse how Cisneros has explored ethnicity in The House on Mango Street.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between race and ethnicity?

Ans. While race and ethnicity are used interchangeably in some places, the two are quite different. Race is a term used to differentiate people based on their physical characteristics, such as skin colour, eye colour, hair colour, etc. Meanwhile, ethnicity is a broader concept that is attributed to cultural identity. When differentiating people by their ethnicity, you must consider their place of origin, language, religion, customs, etc.

2. How have perceptions of race and ethnicity evolved over time?

Ans. The changing perceptions about race and ethnicity owe much to the internet and how fast information travels from one place to the other. Through various social movements, people have come to terms with the fact that all racial and ethnic segregations are artificially-constructed differences. Several experts have also highlighted the issues faced by racial and ethnic minorities in the community and have encouraged policies for fair treatment.

3. What are the effects of racial and ethnic discrimination on individuals and society?

Ans. Several individuals subject to racial and ethnic discrimination have admitted to suffering from physical and mental ailments. The constant feeling of “not belonging” can result in feelings of loneliness and lead to anxiety and depression. Amongst physical concerns, several studies have noted respondents highlighting high blood pressure, increased addiction to drugs and alcohol and development of atherosclerotic disease.

4. What is white privilege, and how does it impact society?

Ans. White privilege refers to the societal benefits that white people enjoy over people from minority groups. However, it’s wrong to assume that every white person enjoys such privileges. Instead, it’s easier to consider white privilege as a built-in advantage that most white people enjoy in society. These privileges can lead to ill feelings and deserving people not getting the recognition due to them.

5. How has immigration shaped the racial and ethnic landscape of the United States?

Ans. Large-scale immigration has helped build up a racially and ethnically diverse landscape in the United States. Immigrants from Latin America, Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe, and various other countries across the globe have found a home in the USA and brought along their cultures along with them. Furthermore, intermarriage between people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds has led to several people of mixed ancestry being born.

6. What role do stereotypes play in perpetuating racial and ethnic discrimination?

Ans. Racial and ethnic stereotypes play a crucial role in propagating racism and ethnic discrimination. These rigid frameworks are usually a result of a system of beliefs that take a few traits of an ethnic group and make it their entire identity. Such stereotypes are usually negative in nature and are used as excuses for racist behaviour.

7. What is cultural appropriation, and why is it controversial?

Ans. Cultural appropriation refers to the inappropriate adoption of someone else’s culture or profiting off a different culture without giving them their due credit. Such appropriation is seen as controversial because people usually use other cultures for their benefit without giving that culture proper respect.

8. How has the Black Lives Matter movement impacted discussions of race and ethnicity?

Ans. The Black Lives Matter movement, triggered by the death of a black man, George Floyd, under police custody, became an international phenomenon. People worldwide criticised the USA for the racism that African Americans experience in everyday life. This movement also led to innumerable debates, political debates and social activism to make people aware of the underlying racism in society.

9. How do race and ethnicity intersect with other identities, such as gender and sexuality?

Ans. Intersectionality refers to how various sections of inequality, such as race, religion, sexuality, etc., intersect in a person and create a unique dynamic. Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw developed the intersectionality theory, which goes into further detail about how race, class, gender, sexuality and ethnicity interact with each other and influence the experiences that people have in society.

10. What steps can individuals and society take to address systemic racism and promote racial and ethnic equality?

Ans. The steps that individuals and society can take to reduce systematic racism and ethnic inequality are –

  • Increase opportunities for education in low-income communities
  • Familiarise and educate children about racism from a young age
  • Speak out against racist behaviour immediately
  • Urge the government to introduce stricter anti-racism policies

Hi, I am Mark, a Literature writer by profession. Fueled by a lifelong passion for Literature, story, and creative expression, I went on to get a PhD in creative writing. Over all these years, my passion has helped me manage a publication of my write ups in prominent websites and e-magazines. I have also been working part-time as a writing expert for myassignmenthelp.com for 5+ years now. It’s fun to guide students on academic write ups and bag those top grades like a pro. Apart from my professional life, I am a big-time foodie and travel enthusiast in my personal life. So, when I am not working, I am probably travelling places to try regional delicacies and sharing my experiences with people through my blog. 

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