SOC 323 Midterm, SOC 323 Quiz #1, SOC 323 Quiz #2, SOC 323 Quiz #3, SOC 323 midterm
the idea that the United States is a land of opportunity and that African Americans could do better if they only tried harder
"enlightened racism"
8. Explain "intersectionality" as a theory of racism, and describe how Kimberle Crenshaw applied it.
A simultaneous look at multiple forms of oppression, such as race, ethnicity, class, and gender oppression. Kimberle Crenshaw applied it by looking at an example of black and Latina women in a battered women's shelter. Taken together, the factors of race, class, and gender make it clear how these women ended up in a shelter.
10. What is cultural racism? Give an example.
A term used to describe and explain new racial ideologies and practices that have emerged since World War II aka more recent racism. ... Cultural racism exists when there is a widespread acceptance of stereotypes concerning different ethnic or population groups. Example: Relying on culturally based explanations such as the idea that blacks live in poor neighborhoods because they don't work hard enough to get out of the ghetto.
True
According to sociologist Oliver Cromwell Cox, racial inequality is an extension of class inequality.
False
According to sociologist Robert Blauner, the experiences of colonized minorities and immigrant minorities in the United States are similar.
How does white privilege work?
Associated with white privilege, there is a psychological wage of whiteness. There are certain segments of the labor market reserved for whites only that allow white laborers to reap material rewards from their whiteness.
7. What is "color-blind racism" and how does it perpetuate inequality?
By "colorblind" they don't actually mean that they can't see green or red; rather, they are suggesting that they can't ever be racist, because they don't register skin color at all. "Colorblindness" doesn't acknowledge the very real ways in which racism has existed and continues to exist, both in individuals and systemically. By professing not to see race, you're just ignoring racism, not solving it.
False
Contact between different racial/ethnic groups leads inevitably to racial/ethnic inequality.
Samuel George Morton
Cranial measurements Biases: for American Indians, used 155 Peruvian skulls & 3 Iroquois For Caucasians: omitted Hindus (smallest skulls)
Stereotypes
Cultural ideologies are fueled through _______, which are exaggerated and/or simplified portrayals of an entire group of people, based upon misinformation or mischaracterizations
arguing that Latino immigrants have lower IQ than native white- born -> therefore immigration should be limited
Harvard U. Dissertation (2009) by Jason Richwine
5. Explain using two examples how U.S. immigration and citizenship policies of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries were racially exclusionary. (i.e. the process or state of excluding or being excluded)
How was the Chinese Exclusionary act of 1882 overtly racist? The act specifically prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the United States while allowing Chinese merchants and teachers to enter. How was the Johnson- Reed Act of 1924 overtly racist? It was designed to increase the Nordic population in the United States and halt the growth of other groups. The act established origin quotas only applicable to the European population. The law made it clear that Africans, Asians, and Native Americans were not considered to be part of the nation.
When did race originate?
In colonialism
True
In order to understand race, racism, and race relations today, social scientists argue that it is important to take history into account in order to understand why these patterns of racial inequality first arose and the ways they influence race relations today.
Example of the legal construction of whites.
Irish and Jews were not considered white until they became when they formed unions, controlled "niche" occupations, and replaced blacks. In addition, Italians were considered "legally" white but without the privilege of being white.
Does white privilege benefit all whites equally?
It does not benefit all whites equally, but it does benefit all whites. There is privilege and oppression involved in every identity one has and so one may have white privilege but be oppressed by their gender or income status.
How does color blind racism perpetuate inequality?
It gives excuses for people to be racist by attributing non factors for racism. The 4 types of color blind racism perpetuate inequality in that they state that it is natural to be segregated, it is one's personal choice on where they fit in society, and that discrimination is no longer a crucial factor. These are buy- outs that allow people to act racist without any repercussions.
3. Explain why it is important to understand that racism is a modern invention.
It is important to understand that racism is a modern invention because it is a social construction and not a scientifically proven concept. The concept of racism is as new as colonialism is and that it is not concrete.
Explain why it is important to understand that racism is a modern invention.
It is important to understand that racism is a modern invention because it's important to remember that it is a social construction and not a scientifically proven concept. It's important to remember how modern it is because that reminds that the concept is as new as colonialism is and that it is not concrete.
How was the Johnson- Reed Act of 1924 overtly racist?
It was designed to increase the Nordic population in the United States and halt the growth of other groups. The act established origin quotas only applicable to the European population. The law made it clear that Africans, Asians, and Native Americans were not considered to be part of the nation.
how does racial formation inform our understanding of racial inequality?
Omi and Winant argue the national government is the primary site where race is constructed and contested. They argue that racial dynamics in the US have changed from domination to hegemony. In the current era of racial hegemony, racial stratification and white dominance are achieved more subtly through coercion and consent. The US is undergoing a slow, gradual, and contentious transition from a racial dictatorship to a racial democracy.
15. Explain by means of examples how racial categories in the U.S. have shifted over time.
One example is how the United States Census Categorizes Race in different ways throughout the years. Ex. In the 1900 Census there were five categories: White, Black, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese. In the 2010 Census there were 11 categories.... 6 more categorizations
Studied relation between intelligence & brain size Ran into trouble: many highly intelligent people have small brain size, for example
Paul Broca
False
People of color have a more difficult time seeing themselves as "raced," and thus have a more difficult time seeing themselves as having a racial identity than do whites.
2. One often hears casual comments that "racism" has always existed. Explain why this is incorrect.
Race only exists because there are people who use the idea and propagate it. It is a social construction to describe a group of people who share physical and cultural traits as well as a common ancestry. It is a particular way of viewing human difference that is a product of colonial encounters. Race also originated in colonialism.
One often hears casual comments that "racism" has always existed. Explain why this is incorrect.
Race only exists because there are people who use the idea and propagate it. It is a social construction to describe a group of people who share physical and cultural traits as well as a common ancestry. It is a particular way of viewing human difference that is a product of colonial encounters. Race also originated in colonialism.
True
Race varies tremendously between societies and has changed a great deal over time.
about race being a "biological reality"
Race: Power of Human Differences (2004) by Miele & Sarich
How are racial stereotypes propagated in popular culture?
Racial stereotypes are propagated in popular culture through popular memes and television shows that casually use racial stereotypes whether it be through typical roles, hurtful slang, simply using whites in the main roles.
12. How are racial stereotypes propagated in popular culture?
Racial stereotypes are propagated in popular culture through popular memes and television shows that casually use racial stereotypes whether it be through typical roles, hurtful slang, simply using whites in the main roles. e.x. T.V. show "Fresh Off The Boat"
Assimilation
Robert Ezra Parks' "race relations cycle," his theory for the incorporation of immigrants into American society, culminated with __________
Cranial measurements Biases: for American Indians, used 155 Peruvian skulls & 3 Iroquois For Caucasians: omitted Hindus (smallest skulls)
Samuel George Morton
1. What role did science play in the propagation of racism?
Samuel George Morton (1799- 1851) Paul Broca (1825-1880) Stephen Gould The Bell Curve (1994) by Herrnstein & Murray Race: Power of Human Differences (2004) by Miele & Sarich Harvard U. Dissertation (2009)
What role did science play in the propagation of racism?
Samuel George Morton (1799- 1851) Paul Broca (1825-1880) Stephen Gould The Bell Curve (1994) by Herrnstein & Murray Race: Power of Human Differences (2004) by Miele & Sarich Harvard U. Dissertation (2009)
Stephen Gould
Skull size is related to body size But: women smaller than men Morton only used women to measure African skull size
16. What is the difference between social and cultural whitening? Explain using appropriate examples.
Social whitening occurs when a person is born black but through an increase in class status is considered white or whiter in some situations. Cultural whitening occurs when a person is born Indian but acculturates to the dominant culture and becomes white or whiter in some situations. Examples: Social whitening- someone of color gaining a promotion in their job may have increasing white friends who do not treat them the same they may treat other people of color. Cultural whitening-one dropping some of their Indian traditions in order to "fit" in and some not even knowing they are Indian.
Racial Formation Perspective
Sociologists Howard Winant and Michael Omi introduced a new theoretical perspective on race called _________, which emphasizes the ways racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed over time, and the ways race plays out structurally in our everyday, lived experience, becoming "common sense" or a way of making sense of our world
4. Explain the argument made by Stephen Gould that the primary error in intelligence testing in reification (i.e. making something abstract more concrete or real).
Some people know more facts and trivia, are more quick-witted, can calculate sums in their heads faster, and are more eloquent in speech and writing than others. But as Gould contends, intelligence tests are flawed because they can not truly measure this wide range of abilities. Moreover, instead of promoting the idea that each of these skills can be learned and nurtured, intelligence testing implies that they are innate.
Explain the argument made by Stephen Gould that the primary error in intelligence testing in reification (i.e. making something abstract more concrete or real).
Some people know more facts and trivia, are more quick-witted, can calculate sums in their heads faster, and are more eloquent in speech and writing than others. But as Gould contends, intelligence tests are flawed because they can not truly measure this wide range of abilities. Moreover, instead of promoting the idea that each of these skills can be learned and nurtured, intelligence testing implies that they are innate.
Skull size is related to body size But: women smaller than men Morton only used women to measure African skull size
Stephen Gould
Paul Broca
Studied relation between intelligence & brain size Ran into trouble: many highly intelligent people have small brain size, for example
about hereditary intelligence
The Bell Curve (1994) by Herrnstein & Murray
How has enlightened racism been used in portrayals of people of color in the media?
The Cosby Show: In this show, although people loved the show, the show did not reduce stereotypes about other African Americans. White Americans began to see themselves as less racist because they liked the family and other African Americans who behaved similarly. Any negative feelings were attributed to their behavior and not to their blackness itself.
Split Labor Market
The __________ perspective on racial/ethnic inequality emphasizes that white workers fuel antagonisms between racial groups in the labor force which ultimately benefit them as white workers.
How was the Chinese Exclusionary act of 1882 overtly racist?
The act specifically prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the United States while allowing Chinese merchants and teachers to enter.
14. Explain white privilege and how it works. Does it benefit all whites equally?
The advantages inherent in being categorized as white. Not all whites experience white privilege in the same way. This is especially noticeable when it comes to different economic classes. White privilege does not work in the same way for working- class and poor whites as it does for wealthier whites. However, most poor whites live in primarily white neighborhoods, just as most poor blacks live in primarily black neighborhoods.
False
The elections of President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 are evidence that the U.S. is a post-racial society.
True
The fact that every modern era has supported a "science of race" which emphasizes race as biological is evidence of the lack of objectivity of race science.
13. What is "enlightened racism" and how has it been used in portrayals of people of color in the media?
The idea that the United States is a land of opportunity and that African Americans could do better if they only tried harder. The depiction of successful blacks in television shows, such as the Cosby Show, helped to make white Americans feel less racist because they liked the black characters.
9. What is "racial formation" and how does this concept inform our understanding of racial inequality?
The sociohistorical process by which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed. It helps us to understand how racial dynamics work. Omi and Winant argue that the state (i.e., national government) is the primary site where race is constructed and contested. According to this theory, the state can reproduce or alleviate racial inequality through its institutions and policies.
True
The world has not always been "raced;" meaning societies have not always been organized along the lines of physical features such as skin color with economic, political, social, and psychological rewards awarded or denied along such lines.
Phrenology
This term refers to a now defunct branch of science that compared the skull sizes of various racial groups and used that data to try to determine group intelligence, social and cultural characteristics, and the presumed innate group differences between the races.
11. How and why do user-generated media affect the spread of stereotypes?
User- generated media affects the spread of stereotypes in that it allows for anyone to create stereotypical media and they can get it out publically very quickly. It also allows for some anonymity which allows cowards to come forward. There is no punishment for these racist user- generated media and that allows for more and more people to spread them without fear of repercussions
How and why do user-generated media affect the spread of stereotypes?
User- generated media affects the spread of stereotypes in that it allows for anyone to create stereotypical media and they can get it out publically very quickly. It also allows for some anonymity which allows cowards to come forward. There is no punishment for these racist user- generated media and that allows for more and more people to spread them without fear of repercussions.
It only operates in conjunction with class privilege
Which of the following is NOT an aspect of white privilege?
Africans were enslaved due to anti-black racism
Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons Africans were originally enslaved in the New World.
Unions
Which of the following is a way white workers have been able to maintain a split labor market and secure a dominant position in the labor market for themselves?
All of the above groups resisted their oppression and exploitation in some way
Which of the following racial/ethnic minority groups did NOT resist their oppression and exploitation?
Functionalism
Which of the following sociological perspectives emphasizes social order and the value of consensus, harmony, and stability for a society, as well as the interdependence of social systems
Critical Race Theory
Which of the following theoretical perspectives on race embraces an activist agenda instead of objectivity and emphasizes narrative and storytelling as a method of knowledge production?
Norm
White privilege has gone unexamined primarily because it is the societal ______. For sociologists, these are significant aspects of culture that refer to the shared expectations about behavior in a society, whether implicit or explicit.
6. How has whiteness been legally constructed in the U.S.?
Whiteness, as knowledge, ideology, norms, and practices, determines who qualifies as "white" and maintains a race and class hierarchy in which the group of people who qualify as white disproportionately control power and resources, and within that group of white people, a small minority of elite control most of the group's power and resources. The knowledge, ideologies, norms, and practices of whiteness affect how we think about race, what we see when we look at certain physical features, how we build our own racial identities, how we operate in the world, and what we "know" about our place in it.
Gendered Racism
________ refers to the expectations about appropriate behavior for males and females that vary along racial lines.
One-Drop Rule
________ refers to the idea, formerly legally enforced and later a U.S. cultural norm, that if a person has any black ancestry, they are considered to be black.
Scientific Racism
________ refers to using science to prove the innate inferiority of some racial groups and the innate superiority of others.
Ethnocentrism
_________ refers to the belief that one's own culture or group's ways of doing things are superior to others and is one of the necessary conditions for racial/ethnic inequality to emerge.
Ethnic Group
__________ is a term that refers to a group of people that share a culture, nationality, ancestry, and/or language.
Internal Colonialism Theory
__________ theory emphasizes the distinction between voluntary immigrants, known as immigrant minorities, and involuntary immigrants, known as colonized minorities
People of color
___________ is a term that can be used to collectively refer to racial/ethnic minority groups that have been the object of discrimination in the United States.
Assimilation
______________ has long been the preferred model for race relations among the dominant group in American society. It refers to the push toward acceptance of the dominant culture, at the expense of one's native culture
Race
______________ specifically refers to a group of people that share some socially defined physical characteristics, for instance, skin color, hair texture, or facial features.
color blind racism
a racial ideology that explains contemporary racial inequality as the outcome of nonracial dynamics
The Bell Curve (1994) by Herrnstein & Murray
about hereditary intelligence
Race: Power of Human Differences (2004) by Miele & Sarich
about race being a "biological reality"
The 4 types of color blind racism
abstract liberalism, naturalization, cultural racism, and minimization of racism
Harvard U. Dissertation (2009) by Jason Richwine
arguing that Latino immigrants have lower IQ than native white- born -> therefore immigration should be limited
In 1900...
black was the only category for those of African descent
a way of thinking that attributes disadvantaged racial groups' lack of prosperity to their behavior and culture rather than to structural factors. It is the standpoint that a particular culture inhibits success.
cultural racism
occurs when a person is born Indian but acculturates to the dominant culture and becomes white or whiter in some situations.
cultural whitening
When did race originate?
in colonialism
looking simultaneously at various forms of oppression
intersectionality
In 2000 and 2010
not only could one put more than one race category for their race, but there was also a question of whether one was Hispanic or Latino followed by a question with 15 other racial categories.
example of cultural whitening
one dropping some of their Indian traditions in order to "fit" in and some not even knowing they are Indian.
example of cultural racism
pundits often blame blacks' educational failures on dysfunctional families or parenting styles rather than on failing schools and pervasive poverty
social construction to describe a group of people who share physical and cultural traits as well as a common ancestry
race
the socio- historical process by which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed
racial formation
Race
social construction to describe a group of people who share physical and cultural traits as well as a common ancestry
occurs when a person is born black but through an increase in class status is considered white or whiter in some situations
social whitening
example of social whitening
someone of color gaining a promotion in their job may have increasing white friends who do not treat them the same they may treat other people of color.
In 1790...
the US census categorized races by free whites and other free persons as 1 person while slaves were counted as 3/5 of a person
In 1890...
the US census had 8 racial groups including black, mulatto, quadroon and octoroon
How has whiteness been legally constructed in the U.S.?
the different ways they excluded "non- whites" and how fluid the rules for being white were.
Why are intelligence tests flawed
they can not truly measure this wide range of abilities. Moreover, instead of promoting the idea that each of these skills can be learned and nurtured, intelligence testing implies that they are innate.
the advantages inherent in being categorized as white
white privilege
How did Kimberle Crenshaw apply intersectionality to her work
with the example of a group of Black and Latina women in a battered women's shelter by looking at how their other statuses affected where they were. Not only were they abused due to their gender oppression, but their economic and race statuses also play factors.