Pulaski

Across the western world too, that is how "Caucasian" is commonly used, but anthropologically that is incorrect. Anthropologically you are all Caucasians.

scot47

When I get these stupid questions about racial origins which the Race Relations industry in the UK has made mandatory, I either refuse to answer or under "other" describe myself as "Honky"

bakedbean

Well.....that's not something you can do as an Expat. Have to fall into line in whatever country you are in. But maybe you're not an Expat.

Bipat

I don't think for most people the term 'Asian' is to do with race. It is just that people are unaware of the different countries concerned, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan all represented in the UK. But how would people know unless they had a particular interest?
Many people living in those countries would not know the difference between European countries.
However the press do know and they make mischief every time there is a scandal by referring to "Asians".

India itself is a genetic mixture, people from Assam look quite different from those in Tamil Nadu etc.
Also there have been many invasions.
Pulaski's above post regarding Pakistan--and Partition. Many, not all, who went to the new Pakistan were descendants of the Mughal Empire (some of the Emperors encouraged inter- marriage and also compulsory conversions). So many look different facially from Hindus or even Muslims from Southern States.
So in the UK, people from one Asian origin will often recognise those of different origin by looks as well as dress etc. but local people will not.
All the above is a generalisation though.

Pulaski

Isrealis are Asians too.

Pulaski

In the US the question cannot be mandatory, but I often decline to answer. Curiously where the law mandates that a business collect such data the law allows someone to make a racial determination of you! .... But you can put whatever you self-identify as, and nobody dares to challenge that.

Bipat

Yes but we are discussing the UK. For the press and some of the general public in UK----'brown' people are "Asians". Israelis are Jewish!
There is a small group of Indian Jewish people in Cochin, but they have all but disappeared a they don't 'marry out'.
The same thing is happening to Indian Zoroastrians originally from Iran (Parsees), who were very strict about marriage but lately some high profile Parsees have married Hindus.

Which brings us back to the UK, there the fastest growing ethnic group are 'mixed' race. I think there is a slot for them to fill on the census form.

In India with extensive modern travel and young people mixing at colleges, the old style match-making/arrangements are disappearing, particularly with the middle-classes, so groups are becoming mixed there also. (It had always happened but now much more so).