Are all systems of human racial classification around the world the same?
No, because human racial classification is a cultural construction; there is no universal system of classifying race. Rather, each culture has its own way of determining race. Some systems are very similar, like the racial classification systems used in the U.S. and Japan, while others are different, like the one used in Brazil. For example, concepts of race in the U.S. and Japan are very rigid and fixed from birth. In contrast, race in Brazil is fluid and flexible. Race in Brazil is determined in part by an individual’s parents, in part by an individual’s phenotype, and in part by an individual’s socioeconomic status. As result, a person’s race in Brazil can change as they become wealthier or poorer. In the U.S. or Japan, a person’s socioeconomic status does not affect their race.
