Sociology 11.3

A functionalist might look at "functions" and

"dysfunctions" caused by racial inequality

Patricia Hill Collins developed

intersection theory

Herbert Blumer

symbolic interactionism

Patricia Hill Collins

Conflict theory

Manning Nash

Functionalism

When asked how he could belong to a private club that disallows access to people perceived as outsiders, Lawrence argues that the strength of solidarity and sense of prestige and privilege shared among the private club is strengthened by its limited membership policies. With which theoretical perspective on race and/or ethnicity are Lawrence and the members of his private club aligned?

Functionalism is aligned

What statements describe the intersection theory of race?

It is associated with the conflict theory perspective on race and ethnicity. The experience of race is also shaped by gender, class, and sexual orientation.

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-group members through the ostracism of out-group members

We can examine issues of race and ethnicity through three major sociological perspectives:

functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism

Another way to apply the interactionist perspective is to look at

how people define their races and the race of others

Conflict theories are often applied to

inequalities of gender, social class, education, race, and ethnicity

For symbolic interactionists,

race and ethnicity provide strong symbols as sources of identity

In the view of functionalism,

racial and ethnic inequalities must have served an important function in order to exist as long as they have.

Culture of Prejudice

refers to the theory that prejudice is embedded in our culture

some interactionists propose that the

symbols of race, not race itself, are what lead to racism

Herbert Blumer 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 These interactions contribute to an abstract picture of the subordinate group that allows the dominant group to support its view of the subordinate group, and thus maintains the status quo.

Intersection Theory

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