Racial Formation in the United States Essay

Based on Omi and Winants discussion, we can say that racial formation is an ever changing process in which an individual or a group of people are classified as to what is their social status and classification in the society with reference to the present societal, economic, and political condition. A process that we might probably say since racial formation is shaped and molded with reference to the group’s or individual’s historical background and the current view of the people in general in the current society. As to race, we can identify it as a classification of an individual into a group in which he or she has an appalling similarity; its most common basis is an individual’s physical appearance if not by classifying its country of origin. Racial project and Racist project otherwise are two dealings of which an individual or a group of people in a race are either subjected into racial privileges or discrimination. It is actually quite confusing but the fact remains that there are actions that are imposed in accordance to race of which only certain individuals or groups are given or afflicted, both of which having a negative and positive outcomes individuals and to society. Based on Omi and Winants discussion and examples of racial and racist projects. Are Ethic/ race-based California state university campus organizations Racial or racist projects? If we were to take into account Omi and Winants discussion, we can say that such organizations can be both racial and racist projects. In a way such campus organizations both functions as a protector and, if not intentionally, exploiter of individuals and groups coming from different races. They both promote the welfare of their own race and neglect other existing kinds. So depending on the actions and visions they hold on to and their current racial social status, (being on the advantage or disadvantaged side) it is then we can identify if they are racial or racist projects. Take for example the African Students Organization as cited in the Clubs and Organizations Directory (http://www. csun. edu/getinvolved/clublisting/directory. php, 2008): African Students Organization Seeks to mobilize and foster increased cooperation and coordination among broad coalition of students, international organizations, and individual faculty and staff members committed to the progress of empowerment of Africa and peoples of African ancestry With their initial mission and vision we can actually say that they are a racial project of which they promote and reach out to their fellow African academic colleagues. We can further say it I, because in the current political and social status, they are the ones on the disadvantage side. Hence, those of which has the intention of racial discrimination and prejudice are those we can call as racist projects. REFERENCES: Omi, M. and Winant,H. (NY: Routledge, 1986/1989). Racial Formation in the United states from the 1960s to the 1990s. Retrieve September 12, 2008 from http://aad. english. ucsb. edu/docs/Omi-Winant. html. CSUN-Division of Student Affairs. Clubs and Organizations Directory. Retrieved September 12, 2008 from http://www. csun. edu/getinvolved/clublisting/directory. php.