Race vs Ethnicity?

Simple:

Race is often seen as the classification of people based on physical traits like skin color, and ethnicity refers to the cultural traits and shared heritage of a group, such as language, ancestry, and customs. Race is about how others tend to classify you based on physical appearances, while ethnicity is about how you identify culturally.

More complex:

Race and ethnicity are concepts used to categorize and describe individuals and groups. They are distinct but related ideas that reflect different elements of identity:

Race:
Race is generally understood as a social construct that categorically divides people based on physical characteristics such as skin color, facial features, and hair texture. Historically, it has been used to establish and justify hierarchies and systems of power, often with no scientific basis for the distinctions it purports to make. The concept of race is considered problematic by many because it can promote stereotypes and does not have a clear foundation in genetics.

Ethnicity:
Ethnicity, on the other hand, refers to shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that set apart one group of people from another. That is, ethnicity is rooted in cultural expression and identification. Factors that can contribute to one’s ethnic identity include ancestry, language, history, society, culture, nation, religion, and rituals.

The key difference is that race is typically associated with biology and linked with physical characteristics, while ethnicity is linked to culture and social structures. An individual’s ethnicity is more closely associated with their cultural identity and can include individuals of different races. Ethnicity recognizes differences between people mostly on the basis of language and shared culture.

In everyday use, these terms can be complex and can intersect in ways that make them difficult to separate cleanly. People’s concepts of race and ethnicity can be deeply personal and may change over time with self-identity, societal recognition, and official classifications.