Demonstrating how race is socially constructed has been a core sociological objective, yet many individuals continue to hold essentialist and other concepts of what races are and how to account for group differences. These conceptualizations have crucial consequences for intergroup attitudes, support for social policies, and structures of inequality, all of which are key sociological concerns; yet much of the research in this area has emerged outside of sociology. Our review of this interdisciplinary scholarship describes the range of views people hold, the attitudes and behaviors associated with them, and what factors contribute to these views. We focus primarily on essentialism and constructivism, although we describe the greater variety of beliefs beyond this dichotomy, as well as fluidity in how people use these concepts. We conclude by presenting research on strategies for reducing essentialist belief systems and identifying key areas for future research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Sociology, Volume 49 is July 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Research on parental involvement has traditionally focused on social class differences in parenting behavior throughout early childhood and K‐12 schooling. Yet there is mounting evidence that similar class divides persist as children exit high school and progress through young adulthood. This review examines parents' roles in young adults' lives, focusing on class differences in non‐financial forms of involvement. These processes are often hidden from public view and have received less attention in prior reviews. Beginning with the transition out of high school, I discuss current research on parents' roles in relation to five traditional young adult milestones: finishing school, finding a job, leaving the family home, getting married, and becoming a parent (Furstenberg, 2010). The findings underscore that understanding the transition to adulthood requires understanding young adults' relationships with parents.

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Objective This article identifies how social class differences in undergraduates' relationships with their parents shaped their responses to educational disruptions caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background The mechanisms through which parents transmit class advantages to children are often hidden from view and therefore remain imperfectly understood. This study uses the case of the COVID‐19 pandemic to examine how young adults from different social class backgrounds expect, negotiate, and attach meaning to parental support. Methods This study draws from in‐depth interviews with 48 Black and White upper‐middle and working‐class undergraduates from a single elite university, along with 10 of their mothers. Results Facing pandemic‐related disruptions, upper‐middle‐class students typically sought substantial direction and material assistance from parents. In contrast, working‐class students typically assumed more responsibility for their own—and sometimes other family members'—well‐being. These classed patterns of “privileged dependence” and “precarious autonomy” were shaped by students' understandings of family members' authority, needs, and responsibilities. Conclusion Upper‐middle‐class students' greater dependence on parents functioned as a protective force, enabling them to benefit from parents' material and academic support during the transition to remote instruction. These short‐term protections may yield long‐term payoffs denied their working‐class peers. Beyond the immediate context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the concepts of “privileged dependence” and “precarious autonomy” offer scholars a set of theoretical tools for understanding class inequality in other young adult contexts.

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