chapter 10. societies use a variety of characteristics to determine social standing (chapter 9) race...
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Chapter 10
Racial and Ethnic Relations
Societies use a variety of characteristics to determine social standing (chapter 9)
Race & Ethnicity: 2 most prominent ascribed statuses used to distinguish 1 group from another
RACEFor centuries people have attempted to group
ppl Based on physical feats.: skin/eye color, hair
texture, etcScholars place people into 3 main groups:
Race, Ethnicity, and the Social Structure
RACECaucasoids: fair skin and straight/wavy hairMongoloids: Yellowish/brown skin, folds on
eyelidsNegroids: dark skin, tightly curled hair Does not describe complexities:
Australian Aborigines: dark skin but blond curly hair
South Indians: caucasoid faces, dark skin & straight hair
NO biologically “pure” races We often possess multiple race traits
Race, Ethnicity, and the Social Structure
RACESociological terms race: category of ppl
who share inherited physical char. whom others see as being a distinct group
Interested with how ppl react to these physical characteristics and how these reactions affect ind. in society
Race, Ethnicity, and the Social Structure
ETHNICITY Ethnicity: set of cultural char. that
distinguishes one group from another Ethnic Group: ppl who share a common
cultural background and a common sense of identity
Usually based on: nationality, religion, lang. customs
To survive, traditions must be passed downSome do a better job of preservation than
others:Asian American, Hispanics, and Jews
Race, Ethnicity, and the Social Structure
Ethnicity is based on cultural considerationsRace is based on physical considerations
Some ethnic groups are also racially distinct African Americans: share common heritage Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Americans can
be both ethnically and racially identified
Race and Ethnicity
Minority has nothing to do with group sizeSouth AfricaDeals with groups unequal standing in society
Minority Groups
Ethnic: based on cultural practicesGender: majority, women are the minority
(socially) Religion: faiths that aren’t of the dominant
cultureRacial: groups classified on physical features;
skin color
Types of Minorities?
No particular skin color, physical feature, or ethnic background is superior or inferior by nature
HOWEVER those in power w/in society may value specific char.
Dominant groups est. norms and values Create social structure to benefit themPosition of power allows certain privileges Usually at the expense of:
Minority Group: group of ppl who are unequally treated/singled out, based on physical char. or cultural practices
Minority Groups
Our goal as a class is to come up with ONE “theme”
Your group will create 1 piece to the 5 piece mural
Create a colorful mural that illustrates a celebration of minority groups using your characteristic
Minority Mural
Break up into 5 groups of 7-8 students (YOU may choose this time)
Each group will receive a slip of paper with info on it
You will have 4 min. to discuss the info & think of a way to visually represent it… “theme”
1 member from each group will travel to the 4 other groups (learn their info and the groups “theme”)
“Traveler” will come back and divulge info to original group
Minority Mural
The group possesses identifiable physical or cultural charac. that differ from those of the dominant group
Group members are the victims of unequal treatment at the hands of the dominant group
Membership in the group is an ascribed status
Group members share a strong bond and a sense of group loyalty
Members tend to practice endogamy-marriage within the group
5 Characteristics distinguishing Minority Groups From Other Groups In Society
Discrimination and Prejudice Two SEPARATE but related thingsDiscrimination: denial of equal treatment
to individuals based on their group membership
Prejudice: unsupported generalization about a category of people You can be prejudice for or against
someone/thingDiscrimination=behavior, Prejudice=attitude
Discrimination Individual or societal level
Range from: name calling to violence (death)Societal level happens in two forms:
legal discrimination: upheld by lawInstitutionalized: outgrowth of social
structure Apartheid system in South Africa=legal
Women's right to vote in US or enter legal contracts
Plessy v. Ferguson, Jim Crow laws
Institutionalized Discrimination Unequal access to resources pushes minorities
into less-powerful positions Dominant group, not necessary to consciously
discrim. Becomes part of social structure
Self-perpetuating, even if steps to end discrim. are takenDenied access to jobs and housing Members live in low-income communities Poorly funded schools in those neighborhoods Unqualified for jobs when restrictions are lifted
Discrimination
^ often involves a stereotype: oversimplified, exaggerated or unfavorable generalizationFormed about an ind. and apply to all members
of groupW.I. Thomas, “If people define situations as
real, they are real in their consequences.” We see reality based on what we believe to be
true, not necessarily what isSelf-fulfilling prophecy: prediction that
results in behavior that makes the prediction come trueIf we think a group can’t learn, we don’t teach
Prejudice
Prejudicial beliefs that serve as justification for discrimination often take form as:
Racism: belief that ones own race/ethnicity is superior to others
Prejudice
• Unsupported generalizations about a category of people
• Involves attitudes
• Can be in favor of a group
PREJUDICE DISCRIMINATION
• Denial of equal treatment based on group membership
• Involves behaviors
• Can be individual or societal
• Sociological or psychological
Sources for Discrimination & Prejudice Sociological explanations: through
socialization Prejudices embedded in society
Psychological explanations: authoritarian personalityScapegoating: placing blame for troubles
on innocent groupsEconomic explanations: competition over
resourcesChinese during the late 1800s
Cultural Pluralism: allows each group w/in society to keep its unique cultural ID (Switzerland)
Assimilation: blending of culturally distinct groups into a single group w/ common culture“melting pot”
Legal Protection: Civil Rights Act ‘64, Voting Rights Act ‘65, Affirmative Action
Segregation: physically separating minority group from dominant groupGhettos, Apartheid, Jim Crow Laws
Minority Group Treatment
Subjugation: maintaining control over a group through force (Slavery, apartheid)
Population Transfer: Indirect/Direct transfer
Extermination: genocide: intentional destruction of an entire population Ethnic cleansing: removing a group from a
particular area through terror, expulsion and murder
Minority Group Treatment
1) What are some of the minority groups found in the US?
2) What kinds of problems have minority groups faced?
3) For what kinds of rights have members of minority groups struggled?
4) What strides have members of minority groups made over the years?
5) What problems remain?
Answer These
“an American Dilemma” Equality, freedom, and inalienable rightsNot always living up to these things
Subjugation, segregation, reservations, internments
WASP: White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant Imagery of what a typical American is/should be
Those who adapted to the WASP image were accepted Other groups, AA, Hispanics, Asian Americans
and ethnic whites, have had more difficulty
Minority Groups in the U.S.
Minority Group
Conditions/Concerns
African Americans
Making gains toward equality, but statistics still show members are lagging in education, employment, and income; becoming more politically active
Hispanics Rapidly growing population; trailing in income and education; diverse population
Asian Americans
Contrast between first-generation immigrants, who are often poor, and second-geneartion, many of whom succeed educationally and financially; viewed as a “model minority,” although this term is resented
Native Americans
Often live on reservations, high poverty and poor education; encouraged to assimilate; taking steps to establish sources of income and better schools
White Ethnics Includes some who assimilate quickly and others who remain victims of prejudice and discrimination; making gains in religious tolerance; good education level
2nd largest minority groupSuffered a long history of prejudice and
discrim. Since the civil rights movement, progress
made…HS grad rates are only a few points lower than
whites24% employed have managerial/35% of whites
Other stats not as good:4 year college completion % is half of white% living in poverty is 3x as high as whitesUnemployment rate is 2x higher than whites
African Americans
Largest minority group Increasing political gain/control large voting
blocks Like AA, unemployment is 2x higher than
whites
Hispanics
3rd largest minority group…roughly 4% American pop.
First wave: Chinese 1850s RRChinese Exclusion Act 1882
Second wave: Japanese 1890 to HawaiiImmigration Act of 1924
Third wave: McCarran-Walter Act 1952Allows Asians to migrate based on national
quotas Comparable to % of bachelor degrees to
whites$13K higher median income than all
Americans
Asian American
Pop. in the millions before Europeans cameOf all minority groups, NA face the greatest
challenges:50% of NA workforce on/near Res. is unemployed 31% live below poverty level Alcohol related deaths is 7x higher than general pop.Suicide rate is 1.5x greater than other Americans Only 66% of 25^ grad. HS and >10% college
Gov’t policies were causes of ^^^Indian Removal Act, assimilation,
Reparations: Grave Protection/Repatriation Act
Native Americans
White ethnic: immigrants from Catholic countries, or non WASP
Faced major discrimination based on being Catholic
Assimilated into “American” society quicklyOthers did the opposite: ethnic
neighborhoods
White Ethnics