Which term best describes the annihilation of a group based on race or ethnicity?

• A. Ethnocide
• B. Assimilation
• C. Segregation
• D. Genocide

Answer: (D)

The question hinges on how different terms describe harm to groups. Genocide specifically means the deliberate destruction of a group based on race or ethnicity, aiming to wipe out the group in whole or in part through acts like killing members, causing serious harm, or creating conditions designed to bring about the group’s destruction. Ethnocide refers to destroying a group’s culture or identity rather than its physical existence. Assimilation is about absorbing a minority group into a dominant culture, not eradicating the group. Segregation involves separating groups in space or institutions, preserving the group but creating distance. Because annihilating a group aligns with the intentional, targeted destruction of that group itself, genocide is the correct term.