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Study Objectives, Chapter 11, Race & Ethnicity 1. Define the terms race, ethnicity. Why do people construct racial categories? What difficulties arise when thinking in terms of race? What are the 5 main characteristics of ethnic groups? 2. Define the terms minority & majority. Identify 2 major characteristics of minorities. 3. Define prejudice & discrimination (dejure & defacto; individual & institutional). What is the vicious circle? Define stereotypes & explain how they are related to prejudice. 4. Outline Merton’s typology of prejudice & discrimination. Identify examples of each type. 5. Define racism. Distinguish between overt, polite, & institutionalized racism. 6. Summarize the different theories of prejudice including: scapegoat theory, authoritarian personality, culture, & conflict theory. 7. Summarize the conflict, symbolic interactionist & structural-functional perspectives of prejudice. 8. Identify & describe patterns of interaction between racial/ethnic groups. Cite examples of each. Is Canada a pluralist society? Discuss 3 reasons (cited in text) that support your answer. 9. Cite examples of prejudice/discrimination/racism in Canada’s history (e.g., head tax, etc.) Define visible minority. 10. What ideas for countering racism & prejudice have been suggested? Are they effective? Describe Jane Elliot’s work with school children (as described in the video presentation in class) and Sherif’s study. Race & Ethnicity 1. Race: socially constructed category of people who have been singled out as inferior or superior, on the basis of biologically determined characteristics a) Related to biology b) Often based on physical characteristics (e.g., skin colour, hair texture, eye shape) c) Difficulties when thinking in terms of race? i) No society contains biologically “pure” people ii) Race has less & less meaning with increased intermingling of individuals iii) Thus, is a social creation, not a biological reality
2. Ethnic group: collection of people who, as a result of their shared cultural traits & high level of interaction, regard themselves and are regarded as a cultural unit a) Refers to cultural features (religion, ancestors, language, etc.) b) Any ethnic group shares 5 main characteristics: i) Unique cultural traits, sense of community, feeling of ethnocentrism, ascribed membership from birth, territoriality
3. Social significance of race & ethnicity: provides privilege, power; a basis of hierarchical ranking in society a) Majority/dominant group: advantaged, superior resources & rights in society b) Minority/subordinate group: disadvantaged, subjected to unequal treatment by the dominant group; regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination; 2 major characteristics: i) Have a distinct identity; are in a position of subordination
4. Components of Racial & Ethnic Conflict a) Prejudice: an attitude (usually negative0 based on preconceived notions about members of selected groups; rigid, irrational (no evidence) generalizations about an entire category of people (age, sex, race, ethnicity, etc.) i) Racial prejudices: involve beliefs that certain racial groups are innately inferior to others or have disproportionate number of negative traits ii) Prejudice is reinforced by stereotypes: overgeneralizations about the appearance, behaviour, or other characteristics of all members of a group (1) Stereotypes are hurtful to all, but particularly harmful to minorities because it reinforces their peripheral position in an unequal society iii) Related to ethnocentrism: belief in superiority of one’s own culture compared to that of others
b) Discrimination: act of unfair treatment directed against an individual or group i) Individual discrimination: negative treatment of one person by another on the basis of that person’s perceived characteristics ii) Institutional discrimination: negative treatment of a minority group that is built into a society’s institutions; involves actions/practices of dominant group members (or their representatives) that have a harmful impact on members of subordinate group iii) Vary in severity; can take 2 basic forms: dejure (legal; is encoded in laws) versus defacto (informal; entrenched in social customs); defacto is more subtle, less visible
iv) Merton’s typology of prejudice & discrimination: (1) Unprejudiced nondiscriminators: not personally prejudiced, do not discriminate against others (all-weather liberal) (2) Unprejudiced discriminators: no personal prejudices but still engage in discriminatory behaviour (fair weather liberal) (3) Prejudiced nondiscriminators: hold personal prejudices but do not discriminate (timid bigot) (4) Prejudiced discriminators: hold personal prejudices & actively discriminate against others (active bigot)
5. Theories of Prejudice: Sociological Perspectives a) Functionalists: social environment can be deliberately arranged to generate either positive or negative feelings about people; prejudice is functional in that it creates in-group solidarity & out-group antagonism
b) Conflict theory: the ruling class systematically pits group against group; by splitting workers along racial/ethnic lines, they benefit; creates a split market: i) Primary sector: upper tier, higher-paid, secure jobs, dominant group members; use prejudice to justify oppression of those in the… ii) Secondary sector: lower tier, lower-paid, little security, hazardous, subordinate members
c) Symbolic interactionist: the labels people learn colour their perception, leading people to see certain things & be blind to others; people learn prejudices in interactions with others
6. Solutions: a) Multiculturalism/pluralism: political policy that encourages ethnic variation b) Interethnic/contact hypothesis: requires equal status, favourable climate for intimate contact, mutual goal that requires interdependency i) Sherif’s camp study ii) Jane Elliot’s work with children & adults |