Ch. 9: Race and Ethnicity

1. Ch. 9: Race and Ethnicity • Race- a group w/ inherited physical characteristics that distinguish it from another group • Race as a myth… • One race superior to others • A pure race exists • Race is a social classification

2. Ethnic groups • Ethnicity refers to cultural charac., people identify w/ one another on basis of common ancestry and cultural heritage • Minority groups- • people who are singled out for unequal treatment and who regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination • Dominant group- • those who do the discriminating; the group w/ the most power, privilege and social status

3. Emergence of minority groups • Expansion of political boundaries • Migration- voluntary or involuntary • Shared characteristics of minority groups • Membership in group is ascribed • Physical/cultural traits that distinguish them looked down on by dominant group • Unequally treated by dominant group • Tend to marry w/in own group • Tend to feel strong group solidarity

4. Ethnic identity • Factors related to stronger sense of ethnic identity • Smaller in #, lesser power, different from nat’l identity, discrimination • Ethnic work- how people construct their ethnicity • Melting pot

5. Prejudice and discrimination • Common around the world • Discrimination- an action- unfair treatment directed against an individual or group • Individual discrimination- negative treatment of one person by another • Institutional discrimination- negative treatment of a minority group that is built into society’s institutions • Home mortgages/ car loans/ health care

6. Racism- discrimination based on race • Prejudice- an attitude or prejudging, usually in a negative way • Each group thinks others are inferior in some way • Older/less educated more prejudiced than younger/more educated

7. Theories of prejudice • Psychology- factors inside the individual • Frustration and scapegoats • The authoritarian personality • Sociology- factors outside the individual • Functionalism • The Nazis • Sherif study (1953)

8. Conflict theory • Groups pitted against one another • Capitalists keep workers insecure • Capitalists exploit racial/ethnic strife • Split labor market- workers divided among racial-ethnic and gender lines

9. Symbolic interactionism • Labels create prejudice • Labels cause selective perception • Stereotypes and discrimination create a self-fulfilling prophecy • We learn prejudice thru our interaction w/ others

10. Global patterns of intergroup relations • Genocide- dominant group tries to destroy the minority • Population transfer • Indirect- make life unbearable for members of a group so they leave “voluntarily” • Direct- dominant group expels a minority

11. Internal colonialism- how a country’s dominant group exploits minority groups for its economic advantage • Segregation- separation of racial/ethnic groups • Assimilation- the process by which a minority is absorbed into the mainstream culture • Forced vs. permissible assimilation • Multiculturalism (pluralism)

12. Race/ethnic relations in the U.S. • White Europeans- 68% of pop. • Viewed as inferior when from countries other than England (white ethnics) • How did white ethnic groups overcome discrimination? • Immigrants dropped customs/language

13. Latinos- 13% of pop. • Largest minority group in U.S. • 66% concentrated in 4 states • U.S. one of largest Spanish speaking nations in the world • Country of origin significant • Separated by social class, underrepresented in politics

14. African Americans- 12% of pop. • Struggle for civil rights • Jim Crow laws segregated blacks/whites • Rosa Parks, MLK Jr. • 1964- Civil Rights Act • Currently- lag behind in education, politics, and economics

15. Asian Americans- 4% of pop. • No unifying race or culture • 1882- Chinese Exclusion Act • Japanese relocation camps • Currently- highest average income • Poverty not evenly distributed • Kids most likely grow up w/ two parents (compared to all other groups) • High rate of college graduation

16. Native Americans- less than 1% of pop. • Variety of cultures • Treaties, genocide, population transfer • Separatism- separate gov’t, didn’t join U.S. • High rates of unemployment and poverty • Highest suicide rate (of all groups)