SOCO - Week 10: Race and Ethnicity

stereotypes

--oversimplified ideas about groups of people. Stereotypes can be based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation—almost any characteristic

How is amalgamation achieved?

Amalgamation, also known as miscegenation, is achieved through intermarriage between races.

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

C. Genocide

Describe a conflict theorist perspective on race and ethnicity.

Conflict theories are often applied to inequalities of gender, social class, education, race, and ethnicity. A conflict theory perspective of U.S. history would examine the numerous past and current struggles between the white ruling class and racial and ethnic minorities, noting specific conflicts that have arisen when the dominant group perceived a threat from the minority group.

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

D. All of the above.

Why did most white ethnic Americans come to the United States? (2 reasons)

For a better life. To escape oppression.

How do you describe your ethnicity? Do you include your family's country of origin? Do you consider yourself multiethnic? How does your ethnicity compare to that of the people you spend most of your time with?

I describe my ethnicity as European, because a DNA test revealed my recent ancestry to be comprised of people of European decent.

Many Arab Americans face _______________, especially after 9/11.

Islamophobia

What intergroup relationship is represented by the "salad bowl" metaphor?

Pluralism: the ideal of the United States' mixture of different cultures where each culture retains its own identity and yet adds to the "flavor" of the whole

What makes Native Americans unique as a subordinate group in the United States?

They are the only group that did not come here as immigrants.

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:

White Privilege

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. --racism is a stronger type of prejudice

minority group:

any group of people who are singled out from the others for differential and unequal treatment. For example, in modern U.S. history, the elderly might be considered a minority group due to a diminished status that results from popular prejudice and discrimination against them.

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. dominant groups blame subordinate groups for their problems

Ethnicity describes shared:

beliefs, language, religion

prejudice

biased thought based on flawed assumptions about a group of people. A prejudice is not based on experience; instead, it is a prejudgment, originating outside actual experience.

What's the difference between "de facto" segregation and "de jure" segregation?

de jure designates what the law says, while de facto designates what actually happens in practice. de facto = the separation of people that occurs "by fact," rather than by legally imposed requirements. For example, in medieval England, people were customarily segregated by social class or status de jure = legal separation of groups of people based on law.

discrimination

prejudiced ACTION against a group of people. prejudice refers to biased THINKING. For example, when a newspaper identifies by race individuals accused of a crime, it may enhance stereotypes of a certain minority.

institutional racism:

racism embedded in social institutions. For example, the disproportionate number of black men arrested, charged, and convicted of crimes may reflect racial profiling, a form of institutional racism.

ethnicity

shared culture, which may include heritage, language, religion, and more --the practices, values, and beliefs of a group.

Speedy Gonzalez is an example of:

stereotyping

expulsion

the act of a dominant group forcing a subordinate group to leave a certain area or even the country. Example: Holocaust - expulsion can be a factor in genocide. Expulsion has often occurred historically with an ethnic or racial basis.

racial steering:

the act of real estate agents directing prospective homeowners toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race. This is a form of discrimination.

white privilege:

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

Define exogamy

the custom of marrying outside a community, clan, or tribe.

segregation

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

Define amalgamation. What is the analogy associated with this term?

the process through which a majority group and a minority group combine to form a new group. Amalgamation creates the classic "melting pot" analogy; unlike the "salad bowl," in which each culture retains its individuality (see Pluralism), the "melting pot" ideal sees the combination of cultures that results in a new culture entirely.

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

What doctrine justified legal segregation in the South?

A doctrine known as Separate but equal. Plessy v. Ferguson, (1896), was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws for public facilities as long as the segregated facilities were equal in quality.

Give three examples of white privilege. Do you know people who have experienced this? From what perspective?

1. Lower chance of being incarcerated 2. Better chance at landing a job 3. I Have The Privilege Of Escaping Violent Stereotypes Associated With My Race

What is discrimination?

Biased actions against an individual or group

What is the one defining feature of a minority group?

Lack of power

Amalgamation is represented by the _____________ metaphor.

Melting Pot

Prejudice and discrimination can overlap and intersect in many ways. --Give four examples of how prejudice and discrimination can occur.

1. Unprejudiced nondiscriminators are open-minded, tolerant, and accepting individuals. 2.Unprejudiced discriminators might be those who unthinkingly practice sexism in their workplace by not considering females for certain positions that have traditionally been held by men. 3. Prejudiced nondiscriminators are those who hold racist beliefs but don't act on them, such as a racist store owner who serves minority customers. 4. Prejudiced discriminators include those who actively make disparaging remarks about others or who perpetuate hate crimes.

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

A. a black person living in the United States The racial term groups all black people into a single category. The phrase generally refers to descendants of enslaved black people who are from the United States.

Which subordinate group is often referred to as the "model minority?"

Asian Americans, because they were stereotyped as reaching higher educational, professional, and socioeconomic levels without protest against the majority establishment

How do redlining and racial steering contribute to institutionalized racism?

Because both actively aim to separate people based on their perceived race.

Why do you think the term "minority" has persisted when the word "subordinate" is more descriptive?

Because minority can be mistaken for "few number," whereas subordinate doesn't take into account the amount of people, only the power differential.

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. It does not need the actions of individuals to continue.

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. Blacks under apartheid in South Africa Because the white minority held more power than the black majority.

Describe a symbolic interactionist perspective on race and ethnicity.

For symbolic interactionists, race and ethnicity provide strong symbols as sources of identity. --Some interactionists propose that the symbols of race, not race itself, are what lead to racism. Famed Interactionist Herbert Blumer (1958) suggested that racial prejudice is formed through interactions between members of the dominant group: Without these interactions, individuals in the dominant group would not hold racist views

Describe a functionalist perspective on race and ethnicity. (HINT: 2 main points are highlighted in blue)

In the view of functionalism, racial and ethnic inequalities must have served an important function in order to exist as long as they have. --One argument for this statement is the way racism is functional for the dominant group, for example, suggesting that racism morally justifies a racially unequal society. Another way to apply the functionalist perspective to racism is to discuss the way racism can contribute positively to the functioning of society by strengthening bonds between in-groups members through the ostracism of out-group members.

Intergroup relationships range along a spectrum between tolerance and intolerance. What is the most tolerant form of intergroup relations? What are the least tolerant forms of intergroup relations?

Most Tolerant: Pluralism = no distinction is made between minority and majority groups, but instead there's equal standing. Least Tolerant: Amalgamation Expulsion Genocide

What is the worst example of culture of prejudice you can think of? What are your reasons for thinking it is the worst?

Nazi Germany had developed a culture of prejudice that enabled Germans to abuse and kill Jewish people in cold blood.

Which federal act or program was designed to allow more Hispanic American immigration, not block it?

The Bracero Program. Western growers needed a steady supply of labor, and the 1940s and 1950s saw the official federal Bracero Program (bracero is Spanish for strong-arm) that offered protection to Mexican guest workers.

What's the difference between race and ethnicity?

The idea of race refers to superficial physical differences that a particular society considers significant, while ethnicity describes shared culture

Which group has made the most socioeconomic gains? Why do you think that group has had more success than others?

The model minority stereotype is applied to a minority group that is seen as reaching significant educational, professional, and socioeconomic levels without challenging the existing establishment. This stereotype is typically applied to Asian groups in the United States, and it can result in unrealistic expectations, by putting a stigma on members of this group that do not meet the expectations.

scapegoat theory: Give 2 examples.

a theory that suggests that the dominant group will displace its unfocused aggression onto a subordinate group. Example: Adolf Hitler was able to blame the Jewish population for Germany's social and economic problems. This was the scapegoating of a subordinate group. Example: Many states have enacted laws to disenfranchise (to deprive the rights of) immigrants. These laws are popular because they let the dominant group scapegoat a subordinate group.

colorism

the belief that one type of skin tone is superior or inferior to another within a racial group. Example: Studies suggest that darker skinned African Americans experience more discrimination than lighter skinned African Americans. For example, if a white employer believes a black employee with a darker skin tone is less capable than a black employer with lighter skin tone, that is colorism

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

Define miscegenation

the interbreeding of people considered to be of different racial types.

sedimentation of racial inequality:

the intergenerational impact of de facto ("by fact") and de jure ("by law") racism that limits the abilities of black people to accumulate wealth

redlining

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

Assimilation

the process by which a minority individual or group takes on the characteristics of the dominant culture. Assimilation may lead to the loss of the minority group's cultural identity as they become absorbed into the dominant culture, but assimilation has minimal to no impact on the majority group's cultural identity.

social construction of race:

the school of thought that race is not biologically identifiable addresses that previous racial categories were arbitrarily assigned, based on pseudoscience, and used to justify racist practices.

culture of prejudice:

the theory that prejudice is embedded in our culture. --We grow up surrounded by images of stereotypes and casual expressions of racism and prejudice. Examples: Speedy Gonzalez Taco Bell's talking Chihuahua --Because we are all exposed to these images and thoughts, it is impossible to know to what extent they have influenced our thought processes.

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. For example, if we want to understand prejudice, we must understand that the prejudice focused on a white woman because of her gender is very different from the layered prejudice focused on a poor Asian woman, who is affected by stereotypes related to being poor, being a woman, and her ethnic status.