A stupid question but I have to ask it

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In summary: Other. So, if you are Egyptian, you would be considered Arab. If you are not Egyptian, you would be considered another ethnicity. Then the term is really a misnomer. I wonder what necessitated this euphemism for black.In summary, Arabs are considered one of the second-level options for ethnicity on the UK census. This is because Egypt is geographically considered to be in the Middle East.
  • #1
HossamCFD
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Hi all,

So I am applying for Ph.D in a few universities. In the application form I am asked for my ethnicity. I am an Arab (Egyptian) but I can't find such ethnicity in the list to choose from. What should I choose ? I think I am not black nor white and definitely not Asian or Hispanic. Should I just choose 'other' or are Arabs considered one of those ethnicity ?

Sorry if the question is stupid, but I really need an answer

Thanks
 
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  • #2
Your race would be white, or black depending on your family tree, but your ethnicity would be Arab.
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Evo said:
Your race would be white, but your ethnicity would be Arab.

Thanks !

I don't really understand the difference. The application asks only about ethnicity not race. So, is it better to choose white or other ? I am afraid they consider me as providing misleading information if there is no agreement about this.
 
  • #4
Is it compulsory to fill in? You may not even have to. If you do I would just tick other and give a description you prefer if there is a space provided.
 
  • #5
cobalt124 said:
Is it compulsory to fill in? You may not even have to. If you do I would just tick other and give a description you prefer if there is a space provided.

Well, it is compulsory (the application wouldn't proceed to the next checklist unless answer is provided). Also there is no space for description.

I think I am just going to write 'other' as you said.
 
  • #6
Would it be African-American?
 
  • #7
I believe Arabs are considered Caucasian.
 
  • #8
skeptic2 said:
Would it be African-American?

I am not American. I am of course African in the geographical sense but I am not sure if this is the same as ethnicity.
 
  • #9
HossamCFD said:
Well, it is compulsory (the application wouldn't proceed to the next checklist unless answer is provided). Also there is no space for description.

I think I am just going to write 'other' as you said.
Other may be the best option since there is no telling what the person you end up dealing with believes.
 
  • #10
lisab said:
I believe Arabs are considered Caucasian.

It seems that you are right. However, I just checked 'other' in the list to avoid confusion. Thanks
 
  • #11
lisab said:
I believe Arabs are considered Caucasian.

An African-American can't be caucasian?
 
  • #12
skeptic2 said:
An African-American can't be caucasian?
No, the term applies to black people. Of course with all of the inter-racial breeding, the lines that used to determine race is in many cases so blurred that many people can pick which race they fall in or claim to be of multiple races.

Egypt is geographically considered caucasion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_race#Racial_theories
 
  • #13
Then the term is really a misnomer. I wonder what necessitated this euphemism for black.
 
  • #15
i forget what i put on my university application this time. it's not a question we are required to answer. well, at least the answer can be "no answer". i think i might have put "other" this time, but "none of your g.d. business" may have been it, too.
 
  • #16
Proton Soup said:
i forget what i put on my university application this time. it's not a question we are required to answer. well, at least the answer can be "no answer". i think i might have put "other" this time, but "none of your g.d. business" may have been it, too.
:rofl:
 
  • #17
Proton Soup said:
i forget what i put on my university application this time. it's not a question we are required to answer. well, at least the answer can be "no answer". i think i might have put "other" this time, but "none of your g.d. business" may have been it, too.

That's exactly how I feel. When I was applying to summer internships, answering the question was optional for all except for one. On that one I just picked "other" even though one of the others better described me.

On the census, I picked "other" and wrote in "human." I don't understand everybody's obsession with race.
 
  • #18
Proton Soup said:
i forget what i put on my university application this time. it's not a question we are required to answer. well, at least the answer can be "no answer". i think i might have put "other" this time, but "none of your g.d. business" may have been it, too.

My preferred answer too.
 
  • #19
Evo said:
Egypt is geographically considered caucasion.

It may depend who is doing the considering. The recent UK census split ethnc groups into two levels. The top level groups were
White
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups
Asian/Asian British
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
Other

Each group had several second-level options, plus a "write-in" option.

"Arab" was a second-level option under "Other"
 
  • #20
I always end up being a million different things for these surveys. >.>
 

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The phrase "A stupid question but I have to ask it" is often used as a disclaimer before asking a potentially embarrassing or obvious question. It acknowledges that the question may not be the most intelligent or well thought-out, but the asker still wants an answer.

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