Chapter 13 explores race and ethnicity in the United States. Being conscious of our ethnic and racial identities can help us to identify ourselves as part of a group. However, race and ethnicity are also used to stereotype individuals, dismissing their unique and individual qualities. Such stereotypes can not only hurt, but they dehumanize groups of people, promoting prejudice and intolerance. The readings in this chapter challenge us to reflect on the ways in which diversity both divides and unites us, and to consider how we can use this diversity to enlighten and empower our futures through dialogue. As you read the essays in this chapter, consider the following:

• In what ways can racial and ethnic stereotypes limit our relationships with others and distort the way in which we define ourselves?
• How can we find constructive ways to engage in a dialogue about race and ethnicity without hurt feelings or defensive responses?
• What benefits can we derive from identifying ourselves with particular groups? What are the disadvantages of such identification?
• Can America continue to exist as a unified nation if its population is fragmented into separate groups divided by language, culture, and class? Is creating a "melting pot" desirable?
• Does racial profiling create a spirit of mistrust among the nation’s minority groups? Is it ever justifiable?
• Why has racial profiling emerged as one of the political hot-topics of the new century? Is news-exposure likely to stop the practice?
• Are dialogues on race in America ever likely to find a common ground?

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