Chapter 11: Race and Ethnicity

14. Amalgamation is represented by the _____________ metaphor. a. melting pot b. Statue of Liberty c. salad bowl d. separate but equal

A

17. Which federal act or program was designed to allow more Hispanic American immigration, not block it? a. The Bracero Program b. Immigration Reform and Control Act c. Operation Wetback d. SB 1070

A

10. Speedy Gonzalez is an example of: a. intersection theory b. stereotyping c. interactionist view d. culture of prejudice

B

13. What intergroup relationship is represented by the "salad bowl" metaphor? a. Assimilation b. Pluralism c. Amalgamation d. Segregation

B

16. Which subordinate group is often referred to as the "model minority?" a. African Americans b. Asian Americans c. White ethnic Americans d. Native Americans

B

5. Scapegoat theory shows that: a. subordinate groups blame dominant groups for their problems b. dominant groups blame subordinate groups for their problems c. some people are predisposed to prejudice d. all of the above

B

7. What is discrimination? a. Biased thoughts against an individual or group b. Biased actions against an individual or group c. Belief that a race different from yours is inferior d. Another word for stereotyping

B

11. Which intergroup relation displays the least tolerance? a. Segregation b. Assimilation c. Genocide d. Expulsion

C

18. Many Arab Americans face _______________, especially after 9/11. a. racism b. segregation c. Islamophobia d. prejudice

C

2. What is the one defining feature of a minority group? a. Self-definition b. Numerical minority c. Lack of power d. Strong cultural identity

C

8. Which of the following is the best explanation of racism as a social fact? a. It needs to be eradicated by laws. b. It is like a magic pill. c. It does not need the actions of individuals to continue. d. None of the above

C

9. As a Caucasian in the United States, being reasonably sure that you will be dealing with authority figures of the same race as you is a result of: a. intersection theory b. conflict theory c. white privilege d. scapegoating theory

C

1. The racial term "African American" can refer to: a. a black person living in the United States b. people whose ancestors came to the United States through the slave trade c. a white person who originated in Africa and now lives in the United States d. any of the above

D

12. What doctrine justified legal segregation in the South? a. Jim Crow b. Plessey v. Ferguson c. De jure d. Separate but equal

D

15. What makes Native Americans unique as a subordinate group in the United States? a. They are the only group that experienced expulsion. b. They are the only group that was segregated. c. They are the only group that was enslaved. d. They are the only group that did not come here as immigrants.

D

19. Why did most white ethnic Americans come to the United States? a. For a better life b. To escape oppression c. Because they were forced out of their own countries d. a and b only

D

3. Ethnicity describes shared: a. beliefs b. language c. religion d. any of the above

D

4. Which of the following is an example of a numerical majority being treated as a subordinate group? a. Jewish people in Germany b. Creoles in New Orleans c. White people in Brazil d. Blacks under apartheid in South Africa

D

6. Stereotypes can be based on: a. race b. ethnicity c. gender d. all of the above

D

11.3 Theories of Race and Ethnicity

Functionalist views of race study the role dominant and subordinate groups play to create a stable social structure. Conflict theorists examine power disparities and struggles between various racial and ethnic groups. Interactionists see race and ethnicity as important sources of individual identity and social symbolism. The concept of culture of prejudice recognizes that all people are subject to stereotypes that are ingrained in their culture.

11.4 Intergroup Relationships

Intergroup relations range from a tolerant approach of pluralism to intolerance as severe as genocide. In pluralism, groups retain their own identity. In assimilation, groups conform to the identity of the dominant group. In amalgamation, groups combine to form a new group identity.

11.1 Racial, Ethnic, and Minority Groups

Race is fundamentally a social construct. Ethnicity is a term that describes shared culture and national origin. Minority groups are defined by their lack of power.

11.2 Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Stereotypes are oversimplified ideas about groups of people. Prejudice refers to thoughts and feelings, while discrimination refers to actions. Racism refers to the belief that one race is inherently superior or inferior to other races.

11.5 Race and Ethnicity in the United States

The history of the U.S. people contains an infinite variety of experiences that sociologist understand follow patterns. From the indigenous people who first inhabited these lands to the waves of immigrants over the past 500 years, migration is an experience with many shared characteristics. Most groups have experienced various degrees of prejudice and discrimination as they have gone through the process of assimilation.

subordinate group

a group of people who have less power than the dominant group

dominant group

a group of people who have more power in a society than any of the subordinate groups

racism

a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are used to justify the belief that one racial category is somehow superior or inferior to others

scapegoat theory

a theory that suggests that the dominant group will displace its unfocused aggression onto a subordinate group

minority group

any group of people who are singled out from the others for differential and unequal treatment

prejudice

biased thought based on flawed assumptions about a group of people

stereotypes

oversimplified ideas about groups of people

discrimination

prejudiced action against a group of people

institutional racism

racism embedded in social institutions

ethnicity

shared culture, which may include heritage, language, religion, and more

expulsion

the act of a dominant group forcing a subordinate group to leave a certain area or even the country

racial steering

the act of real estate agents directing prospective homeowners toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race

colorism

the belief that one type of skin tone is superior or inferior to another within a racial group

white privilege

the benefits people receive simply by being part of the dominant group

genocide

the deliberate annihilation of a targeted (usually subordinate) group

pluralism

the ideal of the United States as a "salad bowl:" a mixture of different cultures where each culture retains its own identity and yet adds to the "flavor" of the whole

sedimentation of racial inequality

the intergenerational impact of de facto and de jure racism that limits the abilities of black people to accumulate wealth

segregation

the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, but also in workplace and social functions

redlining

the practice of routinely refusing mortgages for households and business located in predominately minority communities

amalgamation

the process by which a minority group and a majority group combine to form a new group

assimilation

the process by which a minority individual or group takes on the characteristics of the dominant culture

social construction of race

the school of thought that race is not biologically identifiable

model minority

the stereotype applied to a minority group that is seen as reaching higher educational, professional, and socioeconomic levels without protest against the majority establishment

culture of prejudice

the theory that prejudice is embedded in our culture

racial profiling

the use by law enforcement of race alone to determine whether to stop and detain someone

intersection theory

theory that suggests we cannot separate the effects of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other attributes