Definitions, Terms, and Comparisons

Prejudice - "a: an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics; b(1): an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge; b(2): preconceived judgment or opinion" (Merriam-Webster)

Racism - "a form of prejudice that generally includes negative emotional reactions to members of the group, acceptance of negative stereotypes, and racial discrimination against individuals; in some cases it leads to violence" (APA)​

• Modern day definitions tend to include systemic racism as an essential part of racism, wherein systemic bias, prejudice, and racism impact people of color on a daily basis due to systemic injustice. ​Prejudice differs from racism on the basis that racism is typically systemic and prejudice is individualized. This is due to a historical neglect in science/policy of systemic racism and a new(ish) deeper understanding of how systemic racism impacts people of color today. ​(Resources: FB, AHRC, Seattle.gov, many more)

• "Racism includes all the laws, policies, ideologies and barriers that prevent people from experiencing justice, dignity, and equity because of their racial identity" (AHRC)

• "[T]he oppression of a racial group to the advantage of another as perpetuated by inequity within interconnected systems (such as political, economic, and social systems)" (Meriam-Webster)

Scientific Racism - "a historical pattern of ideologies that generate pseudo-scientific racist beliefs" (NHGRI, 2025)

"[A]n organized system of misusing science to promote false scientific beliefs in which dominant racial and ethnic groups are perceived as being superior. Scientific racism unfortunately continues to exist, and we must continually monitor science to avoid scientific racism" (NHGRI, 2025)​

Immigration vs. Emigration  - "emigration is leaving and immigration is coming—an emigrant is someone who moves away, while an immigrant is someone who moves in" (Dictionary.com).

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Manifest Destiny - "the idea that white Americans were divinely ordained to settle the entire continent of North America" (Khan Academy).

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Westward Expansion - 

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Scientific Theory - "a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts." (AMNH)

• Scientific theory IS NOT a random guess or theory by the average person​, and not all scientific theories are true.

• Examples of scientific theories: gravity, evolution, etc. Scientific theory is backed by fact, evidence, and scientific study, not opinion.​

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