4.2: Introduction

This chapter explores how race and ethnicity shape family life in the United States. It begins by questioning biological definitions of race and emphasizing that race and ethnicity are socially constructed categories with real social consequences. These categories are closely tied to broader patterns of inequality and opportunity, including access to wealth, housing, education, healthcare, citizenship, and legal protection. In turn, these inequalities can shape family formation, parenting, caregiving, marriage, divorce, and opportunities across generations.

The discussion examines family diversity across several major racial and ethnic groups—Indigenous and Native American, Latino and Hispanic, Asian American, and African American—highlighting how historical legacies, structural inequalities, and cultural traditions shape family forms and experiences. The chapter also considers immigration as an important dimension of family life, examining migration patterns and the ways public opinion and national policy debates affect immigrant families’ opportunities and sense of belonging.

This chapter show that race and ethnicity are not separate from family life; they are part of the broader social context in which families are created, supported, constrained, and understood. While race and ethnicity have long been associated with inequality and exclusion, they are also important sources of identity, cultural continuity, resilience, and solidarity.

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