Introduction to SociologyChapter 11 - Race and Ethnicity

Roderick Graham

The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity

Race - A socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that members of a society consider important

We think of race in biological terms but it is a socially constructed concept

The meaning and importance of race not only differ from place to place but also change over time

Scientists invented the concept of race to organize the world’s physical diversity Caucasoid Negroid Mongoloid

Sociologists consider such terms misleading and harmful

There is more genetic variation within each category than between categories

From a biological point of view, knowing people’s racial category allows us to predict nothing about them

The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity

Racial Categories??

Caucasoid Congoid CapoidMongoloid Australoid

Ethnicity - A shared cultural heritage Common ancestors Language Religion

Like race, ethnicity is socially constructed

Race is constructed from biological traits and ethnicity is constructed from cultural traits

The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity

Hispanic – Race or Ethnicity?

Hispanic – Race or Ethnicity

Minorities - Any category of people distinguished by physical or cultural difference that a society sets apart and subordinates Based on race, ethnicity, or both

Two important characteristics: Share a distinct identity Experience subordination

Not all members of a minority category are disadvantaged

Usually make up a small proportion of a society’s population

The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity

Prejudice - A rigid and unfair generalization about an entire category of people

Prejudice may target people of a particular social class, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, race, ethnicity

A powerful form of prejudice is racism – the belief that one race is superior to the other

Prejudice often takes the form of stereotypes An exaggerated description applied to every

person in some category Especially harmful to minorities in the workplace

Prejudice and Stereotypes

Measuring Prejudice: The Social Distance Scale

Recent study found three major findings Student opinion shows a trend toward greater social

acceptance People see less difference between various

minorities The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, may

have reduced social acceptance of Arabs and Muslims

Theories of Prejudice

SCAPEGOAT THEORY Prejudice springs from frustration among people who

are themselves disadvantaged SCAPEGOAT

A person or category of people, typically with little power, whom other people unfairly blame for their own troubles

Minorities often are used as scapegoats They have little power Usually are “safe targets”

AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY THEORY Extreme prejudice is a personality trait of certain

individuals Conclusion supported by research

Indicated that people who show strong prejudice toward one minority are intolerant of all minorities

Authoritarian Personalities Rigidly conform to conventional cultural values See moral issues as clear-cut matters of right and wrong

Theories of Prejudice

CULTURE THEORY Claims that although extreme prejudice is found in

certain people, some prejudice is found in everyone “culture of prejudice”

Taught to view certain categories of people as “better” or “worse” than others

CONFLICT THEORY Proposes that prejudice is used as a tool by

powerful people to oppress others Another conflict based argument

Minorities encourage “race consciousness” to win greater power and privileges

Theories of Prejudice

Discrimination - Unequal treatment of various categories of people

Prejudice refers to attitudes Discrimination is a matter of action

Positive or negative Subtle to blatant

Discrimination

Institutional Prejudice and Discrimination

Bias built into the operation of society’s institutions Schools, hospitals, police, workplace, banks

People are slow to condemn or recognize institutional prejudice

Prejudice and discrimination reinforce each other

Situations that are defined as real become real in their consequences

Discrimination

Powerful Members of Minority Groups…Is there a Pattern?

Four models Pluralism Assimilation Segregation Genocide

Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction

Pluralism - A state in which people of all races and ethnicities are distinct but have equal social standing

US is pluralistic to the extent that all people have equal standing under the law

US not pluralistic for three reasons1. Although most of us value our cultural heritage, few

want to live with only people exactly like ourselves (we are forced to)

2. Our tolerance for social diversity goes only so far3. People of various colors and cultures do not have

equal social standing

Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction

Assimilation - The process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture

Assimilation is… Avenue to upward social mobility Way to escape prejudice and discrimination directed

against more visible foreigners Amount of assimilation varies by category Assimilation involves changes in ethnicity but

not in race

Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction

Segregation - the physical and social separation of categories of people

Segregation enforces separation that harms a minority

de jure segregation (by law) de facto segregation (in fact) Continues in the US (de facto) Hypersegregation

Having little contact of any kind with people beyond the local community

Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction

Genocide

Genocide - The systematic killing of one category of people by another

Deadly form of racism and ethnocentrism

Common throughout history Even the US committed genocide against Native

Americans