In today's society, race can be viewed in various ways, depending on how one was raised, as well as many other contributing factors. These opinions are often very conflicting and, as a result, lead to disagreement and controversy between groups. Throughout history, many communities have seen such issues arise over time, thus having a profound impact that can change society in both positive and negative ways. This concept is a common method by which Charles W. Mills explains his theories and beliefs in his written work, The Racial Contract. In this particular text, Mills explores numerous concepts regarding race, how it is viewed by different people, and the sense of hierarchy that has formed because of it. However, when some scholars think and discuss race in society, they often take different approaches than those previously mentioned by Mills. However, regardless of the different approaches that may be taken, a common idea can often be found between them, which is further linked in The Racial Contract. For example, the text "Racial Formation in the United States" by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, as well as "The Lincoln-Douglass Debates" can be found to have a correlation regarding race within Mill's work. As can be observed through the historical events that have occurred over time, race can be viewed as a simple idea, but rather it is not and can instead be viewed as a complex topic of discussion with more complexity than it might originally have been exposed. In his text, Mills attempts to explain some of these complexities by starting from the way in which race reached its peak through the events and changes that have historically developed in society. It is obvious to see that the soc...... middle of paper ......by Charles W. Mills, the author attempts to provide an explanation of how race plays a role in our society, and to how he got to this particular point. Not only does Mills' work provide some explanation regarding this topic, but other important texts and documents also connect to his ideas, such as Michael Omi and Howard Winant's "Racial Formation in the United States" and observations made by Abraham Lincoln in "The Lincoln-Douglas Debates". Works Cited Lincoln, Abraham, Stephen A. Douglas, and Robert Walter Johannsen. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858. New York: Oxford UP, 1965.Mills, Charles W. The Racial Contract. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1997. PDF.Omi, Michael and Howard Winant. “Racial Formation in the United States.” 1994. The idea of ​​race. Ed. Robert Bernasconi and Tommy Lee Lott. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub., 2000. 181-212. Press.