Racial hierarchy

A racial hierarchy is a system of stratification that is based on the belief that some racial groups are superior to other racial groups. At various points of history, racial hierarchies have featured in societies, often being formally instituted in law, such as in the Nuremberg Laws in Nazi Germany. Generally, those who support racial hierarchies believe themselves to be part of the 'superior' race and base their supposed superiority on pseudo-biological, cultural or religious arguments. However, systems of racial hierarchy have also been widely rejected and challenged, and many, such as Apartheid have been abolished. The abolition of such systems has not stopped debate around racial hierarchy and racism more broadly.