Citation
Guo, Guang; Fu, Yilan; Lee, Hedwig E.; Cai, Tianji; Harris, Kathleen Mullan; & Li, Yi (2014). Genetic Bio-Ancestry and Social Construction of Racial Classification in Social Surveys in the Contemporary United States. Demography, 51(1), 141-172. PMCID: PMC3951706Abstract
Self-reported race is generally considered the basis for racial classification in social surveys, including the U.S. census. Drawing on recent advances in human molecular genetics and social science perspectives of socially constructed race, our study takes into account both genetic bio-ancestry and social context in understanding racial classification. This article accomplishes two objectives. First, our research establishes geographic genetic bio-ancestry as a component of racial classification. Second, it shows how social forces trump biology in racial classification and/or how social context interacts with bio-ancestry in shaping racial classification. The findings were replicated in two racially and ethnically diverse data sets: the College Roommate Study (N = 2,065) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 2,281).URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13524-013-0242-0Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2014Journal Title
DemographyAuthor(s)
Guo, GuangFu, Yilan
Lee, Hedwig E.
Cai, Tianji
Harris, Kathleen Mullan
Li, Yi