Whites

Whites is a racial and ethnic category used primarily in Western countries to describe people of European, certain Middle Eastern, North African, or other descent who are perceived as pale-skinned. The exact definition and grouping vary by country and era; whiteness is a social construct rather than a fixed biological category.

In many places, the concept of whiteness has changed with immigration, naturalization, and civil rights laws. In the United States, historical laws defined whiteness for purposes of naturalization and political rights, excluding many immigrant groups. Over the 20th century, the boundaries of whiteness expanded, while debates about who belongs have continued in many countries.

Whiteness has been discussed as a system of social advantage or privilege in societies where being categorized as white correlates with greater access to resources, political influence, and social standing, although experiences vary widely due to class, gender, and ethnicity.

There is no single "white culture"; populations categorized as white encompass diverse languages, religions, and traditions across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and beyond. Shared experiences around skin color exist, but cultural identities are not monolithic.

Genetic variation in humans does not map neatly onto the color line; most diversity exists within populations rather than between them. The term "white" spans multiple populations with varied ancestries, and demographic share shifts over time due to migration and birth rates.

Current discourse includes whiteness studies and anti-racist movements that critique racial categorization and privilege, aiming to understand historical power dynamics and promote equality.