ABSTRACT
The concept of 'race' has had a controversial history. It can be defined as 'the social significance attached to physical traits that have a bearing on action and attitude' (Smith, 1989). The categorization of human societies goes back to Herodotus who described fifty different 'peoples' in his histories. Since then, the extension of communications and human contact have further complicated the picture. The history of the study of 'race' abounds with imprecise concepts, such as Aryan, Caucasian and Mongoloid.
