Ch. 12: Ethnocentrism

Strategies for Advancing Social and Economic Justice

- Mass Media Appeals - Greater interaction among the races - Civil rights laws - Activism - Affirmative Action programs - Confrontation of Racist and Ethnic Remarks and Actions - Minority-Owned businesses - Asset-Based Community Development (Grassroots approaches to inspiring deteriorating neighborhoods and schools)

Sources of "racial" discrimination and oppression

1) Projection - projecting one's problems onto someone else 2) Frustration-Aggression 3) Insecurity and Inferiority 4) Authoritarianism - police, government, dominant ways of thinking, etc. 5) History 6) Competition and Exploitation 7) Socialization Patterns - Norms 8) Belief in "The One True Religion" (ex.: Christianity is predominant U.S. religion)

Ethnic group

A distinct group of people who share cultural characteristics, such as religion, language, dietary practices, national origin, and a common history, and who regard themselves as a distinct group.

White Privilege

An underexposed part of racism in America in which White people (men in particular) have privileges that other Americans do not have (ex.: no issues finding housing to rend/purchase in an area they can afford or want to live in; never asked to speak for all White people; can assume that police officers will provide protection and assistance)

Feelings of ethnic superiority within a nation are usually accompanied by the belief that...

Political and economic domination by ones own group is natural, morally right, in the best interest of the nation, and perhaps God's will.

What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?

Prejudice is a combination of stereotyped beliefs and negative attitudes, so that prejudiced individuals think about people in a predetermined, usually negative, categorical way. Discrimination involves physical actions - unequal treatment of people because they belong to a category.

Race as a Social Construct

Race is erroneously believed by many to be a biological classification of people, yet there are no clearly delineating characteristics of any "race" and no "racial" group has unique or distinctive genes. It is necessary to use racial categories in the social sciences because race has important social meanings for people.

Individualized racism

The beliefs, attitudes, and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate racism. Individual racism can occur at both an unconscious and conscious level, and can be both active and passive. Examples include telling a racist joke, using a racial epithet, or believing in the inherent superiority of Whites.

Ethnocentrism

What practically every ethnic group feels; characterized or based on the belief that ones own group is superior; leads members Igbo ethnic groups to view their culture as the best, as superior, as the one that other cultures should adopt.

internalized racism

When an individual minority adopts a white supremacist mindset that results in self-hatred and hatred of their respective racial group.

prejudice

a preconceived adverse opinion or judgment formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge; in regard to race and ethnic relations, it is making negative prejudgments.

Institutionalized racism

acts and policies against a racial group that pervade the major macrosystems of society, including the legal, political, economic and educational systems.

What do prejudiced people do?

apply racial stereotypes to all or nearly all members of a group according to preconceived notions of what they believe the group to be like and how they think the group will behave.

Race becomes a dangerous myth when it...

is assumed that physical traits are linked with mental traits and cultural achievements.

discrimination (pertaining to minority-group relations)

the unfair treatment of a person, racial group, or minority; it is an action based on prejudice. - racial or ethnic discrimination involves denying to members of minority groups equal access to opportunities, residential housing areas, membership in religious and social organizations, involvement in political activities, access to community services, etc.

A social definition of race is based on...

the way members of a society classify one another by physical characteristics.