The difference between nationality, ethnicity and race (1 Viewer)

RainbowMoon · 26 October 2023

I feel like this is the most confusing difference out there that a lot of people get mixed up (including me) so I think I was able to clarify in simple terms/well-known analogies (for KPOP fans).

Nationality - Where you have legal citizenship and that's what you would see under celebrity's profiles. If you gave up your birthright citizenship, like Mina did for instance (U.S.), then that isn't a part of your nationality anymore, and you would just be Japanese. But if you were Rose and were born in New Zealand (birthright citizenship), moved to Australia and legally lived there for a lot of your life (adopted citizenship), and then moved legally to South Korea and got your citizenship there, your nationality would be Kiwi-Australian-Korean (assuming she didn't give up any of her citizenships)

Ethnicity - Where your heritage is from. You don't necessarily have to be born in this place which it makes so confusing but I think that as long as you have close enough family members who have this place as their ethnic background or their nationality, it's also yours. For example, if you're Jeon Somi your mom is South Korean and your dad is Canadian but you were born in Canada, then your ethnicity is South Korean-Canadian. it doesn't matter what your nationality is, that is your ethnicity. (but she's also South Korean-Canadian because she has citizenship in both countries)

Race - A construct of society/government standards based on your appearance and sometimes your ethnic background. This is what you think of when you think Black, Caucasian, East Asian, SEA, Latino/Hispanic, MENA, Native American/Indigenous, South Asian, etc. This is sometimes based on your ethnicity but not always as you can be Caucasian and still have Latino/Hispanic or MENA, etc. ethnicity. Mostly based on what you look like and how it relates to other people of your race.

In this case, my nationality is American, my ethnicity is African American and my race is Black!

Selfmate · 26 October 2023

Peachingu said:
if you're Jeon Somi

but one might say that her ethnicity on her father's side is actually Dutch since his father is descendant from Dutch immigrants???

uran · 26 October 2023

Thank you it always annoys me when people mix ethnicity with race and nationality

Willow · 26 October 2023

uran said:
Thank you it always annoys me when people mix ethnicity with race and nationality

True

RainbowMoon · 27 October 2023

Selfmate said:
but one might say that her ethnicity on her father's side is actually Dutch since his father is descendant from Dutch immigrants???

That would make sense, actually!
Maybe ethnicity is decided by your parent's ethnic background. I just know it has something to do with your family's background.

RainbowMoon · 27 October 2023

uran said:
Thank you it always annoys me when people mix ethnicity with race and nationality

You're welcome! Glad I could help :P (even though I basically summarized my answer from asking ChatGPT LOL)

Kataphract · 27 October 2023

srs though FUCKING GLAD SOMEONE SAID ITTTTTTTTT

RainbowMoon · 27 October 2023

Kataphract said:
srs though FUCKING GLAD SOMEONE SAID ITTTTTTTTT

Yep! Everyone gets these confused, especially with ethnicity and race (even though they have a lot of overlap!). So I thought maybe I could help, especially since we are fans of such a globalized industry

Kataphract · 27 October 2023

Peachingu said:
Yep! Everyone gets these confused, especially with ethnicity and race (even though they have a lot of overlap!). So I thought maybe I could help, especially since we are fans of such a globalized industry

Selfmate · 27 October 2023

Peachingu said:
That would make sense, actually!
Maybe ethnicity is decided by your parent's ethnic background. I just know it has something to do with your family's background.

I think it's always difficult with immigrants...
like obviously my parents immigrated to Australia when I was young but I was still born in China
what of my sons who are born in Australia and their sons - to me their ethnicity will always be chinese