Sociology - Chapter 10
STEREOTYPE
A FIXED AND INFLEXIBLE CATEGORY.
MINORITY GROUP
A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A MINORITY IN A GIVEN SOCIETY AND WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR DISTINCT PHYSICAL OR CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS, FIND THEMSELVES IN SITUATIONS OF INEQUALITY WITHIN THAT SOCIETY. ALSO KNOWN AS ETHNIC MINORITY.
FEMINIZATION
A GROWING NUMBER OF MIGRANTS ARE WOMEN, MAKING CONTEMPORARY MIGRATION MUCH LESS MALE DOMINATED THAN IN PREVIOUS TIMES. THE INCREASE IN FEMALE MIGRANTS IS CLOSELY RELATED TO CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL LABOR MARKET, INCLUDING THE GROWING DEMAND FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS, THE EXPANSION OF SEX TOURISM AND "TRAFFICKING" IN WOMEN, AND THE "MAIL-ORDER BRIDES" PHENOMENON.
PLURALISM
A MODEL FOR ETHNIC RELATIONS IN WHICH ALL ETHNIC GROUPS IN A SOCIETY RETAIN THEIR INDEPENDENT AND SEPARATE IDENTITIES, YET SHARE EQUALLY IN THE RIGHTS AND POWERS OF CITIZENSHIP.
SCAPEGOAT
AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP BLAMED FOR WRONGS THAT WERE NOT OF THEIR DOING.
DISCRIMINATION
BEHAVIOR THAT DENIES TO THE MEMBERS OF A PARTICULAR GROUP RESOURCES OR REWARDS THAT CAN BE OBTAINED BY OTHERS.
ETHNICITY
CULTURAL VALUES AND NORMS THAT DISTINGUISH THE MEMBERS OF A GIVEN GROUP FROM OTHERS.
RACE
DIFFERENCES IN HUMAN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS USED TO CATEGORIZE LARGE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS.
ACCELERATION
MIGRATION ACROSS BORDERS IS OCCURRING IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN EVER BEFORE.
GLOBALIZATION
MIGRATION HAS BECOME MORE GLOBAL IN NATURE, INVOLVING A GREATER NUMBER OF COUNTRIES AS BOTH SENDERS AND RECIPIENTS.
DIVERSIFICATION
MOST COUNTRIES NOW RECEIVE IMMIGRANTS OF MANY DIFFERENT TYPES, IN CONTRAST WITH EARLIER TIMES WHEN PARTICULAR FORMS OF IMMIGRATION, SUCH AS LABOR IMMIGRATION OR REFUGEES, WERE PREDOMINANT.
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM
PATTERNS OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON ETHNICITY THAT HAVE BECOME STRUCTURED INTO EXISTING SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
ASSIMILATION
THE ACCEPTANCE OF A MINORITY GROUP BY A MAJORITY POPULATION, IN WHICH THE NEW GROUP TAKES ON THE VALUES AND NORMS OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE.
RACISM
THE ATTRIBUTION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPERIORITY OR INFERIORITY TO A POPULATION SHARING CERTAIN PHYSICALLY INHERITED CHARACTERISTICS. RACISM IS A FORM OF PREJUDICE FOCUSING ON PHYSICAL VARIATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE. RACIST ATTITUDES BECAME ENTRENCHED DURING THE PERIOD OF WESTERN COLONIAL EXPANSION, BUT ALSO REST ON MECHANISMS OF PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION FOUND IN HUMAN SOCIETIES TODAY.
DIASPORA
THE DISPERSAL OF AN ETHNIC POPULATION FROM AN ORIGINAL HOMELAND INTO FOREIGN AREAS, OFTEN IN A FORCED MANNER OR UNDER TRAUMATIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
PREJUDICE
THE HOLDING OF PRECONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP, IDEAS THAT ARE RESISTANT TO CHANGE EVEN IN THE FACE OF NEW INFORMATION. PREJUDICE MAY BE EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.
MELTING POT
THE IDEA THAT ETHNIC DIFFERENCES CAN BE COMBINED TO CREATE NEW PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR DRAWING ON DIVERSE CULTURAL SOURCES.
IMMIGRATION
THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE INTO ONE COUNTRY FROM ANOTHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF SETTLEMENT.
EMIGRATION
THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE OUT OF ONE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO SETTLE IN ANOTHER.
DOMINANT GROUP
THE OPPOSITE OF A MINORITY GROUP; THE DOMINANT GROUP POSSESSES MORE WEALTH, POWER, AND PRESTIGE IN A SOCIETY.
SEGREGATION
THE PRACTICES OF KEEPING RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS PHYSICALLY SEPARATE, THEREBY MAINTAINING THE SUPERIOR POSITION OF THE DOMINANT GROUP.
RACIALIZATION
THE PROCESS BY WHICH UNDERSTANDINGS OF RACE ARE USED TO CLASSIFY INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS OF PEOPLE. RACIAL DISTINCTIONS ARE MORE THAN WAYS OF DESCRIBING HUMAN DIFFERENCES; THEY ARE ALSO IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE REPRODUCTION OF PATTERNS OF POWER AND INEQUALITY.
GENOCIDE
THE SYSTEMATIC, PLANNED DESTRUCTION OF A RACIAL, POLITICAL, OR CULTURAL GROUP.
DISPLACEMENT
THE TRANSFERRING OF IDEAS OR EMOTIONS FROM THEIR TRUE SOURCE TO ANOTHER OBJECT.
MULTICULTURALISM
THE VIEWPOINT ACCORDING TO WHICH ETHNIC GROUPS CAN EXIST SEPARATELY AND SHARE EQUALLY IN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIFE.