Race and Ethnicity - Introduction to Sociology - Lecture Notes, Study notes of Introduction to Sociology

Download Race and Ethnicity - Introduction to Sociology - Lecture Notes and more Study notes Introduction to Sociology in PDF only on Docsity! Race and Ethnicity Terminology • racial group: inherited biological traits – myths: racial superiority, racial purity • ethnic group: shared cultural traits • minority group: shared distinctive identity, treated unequally by dominant group (subordination) • prejudice (attitude): rigid ,often irrational, generalization about entire category of people: can be positive or negative – supports stereotypes: prejudicial views or descriptions of some category of people – basis of racism: belief that one racial category is superior or inferior to another • ideology which supports unequal treatment • also discrimination against racial group • discrimination (behavior): treating various categories of people unequally – individual: negative treatment of one person by another (actions of specific individual) – institutional: inherent in operation of society’s institutions, results in much greater social harm Prejudice • extent of prejudice – ethnocentrism common among all racial and ethnic groups – more likely among older, less educated • fraternity members • theories of prejudice – scapegoat: unable to strike out at real source of frustration – authoritarian personality: insecure, conformist, respect for authority, submissive to superiors, disturbed by ambiguity • social characteristics: older, less intelligent, lower class • sociological theories – functional: prejudice is shaped by the social environment • has positive consequences (at least for some) – in-group solidarity, out-group antagonisms • also dysfunctional – conflict: powerful use prejudice to justify treatment of minorities • also to divide workers along racial and ethnic lines (split labor market) – symbolic interaction: labeling leads to selective perception, self-fulfilling prophecy • cycle of prejudice related to Thomas theorem Docsity.com Patterns of Inter-group Relations • genocide: systematic annihilation – facilitated by labeling target groups as less than fully human • population transfer: movement of entire groups of people – direct, indirect • internal colonialism: dominant group exploits minorities for labor, but deny rights through social institutions • segregation: physical and social separation – accompanies internal colonialism • assimilation: minorities adopt patterns of mainstream culture – forced, permissible – not truly “melting pot” • pluralism (multiculturalism): encourages and accepts distinct racial and ethnic variation – different, but equal – tolerance for social diversity is limited in U.S. Race and Ethnicity in the U.S. • Native Americans: includes diverse tribal groups – less than 1% of U.S. population • centuries of genocide and subjugation – most disadvantaged minority group in social and economic terms • Hispanic Americans (Latinos) – widely diverse group including people of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Latin American descent – currently about 13% of U.S. population – largest minority group in U.S. – social standing within group: Cubans highest, Puerto Ricans lowest • WASP (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant): includes Scots and Welsh – about 1/5 of U.S. population – cultural and political dominance • African Americans – about 12% of U.S. population – significant social and economic gains over last 30 years, but still earn only 59% of white families – polarization of African American experience • White Ethnic Americans – about 1/2 of U.S. population – originally non-English immigrants from Europe (German, Irish, Italian, Jews) – now primarily southern, eastern European background Docsity.com