Inequalities Of Race And Ethnicity - SOCIOLOGY - Home

Inequalities of Race and EthnicitySummary of Topics Minority, Race, and Ethnicity Racial and Ethnic Relations Theories of Prejudice and Discrimination Minority Groups in the United States2Click on a hyperlink to view a topic orclick on the right arrow to proceed through the chapter

Minority, Race, and Ethnicity Sociologists have specific definitions for minority,race, and ethnicity.3Click on a triangle to learn more about each.

MinoritiesA minority is a group of people with physical or cultural traitsdifferent from those of the dominant group in the society. A minority has several key features.– A minority has distinctive physical or cultural characteristics thatcan be used to separate it from the majority.– The minority is dominated by the majority.– Minority traits are often believed by the dominantmajority to be inferior.– Members of the minority have a common senseof identity, with strong group loyalty.– The majority determines who belongs to the minority throughascribed status. Sociologists define a minority population by somethingmore than size or number. Women in the United Statesoutnumber males, and yet they are still referred to as aminority.4

Defining RaceMembers of a race share certain biologically inheritedphysical characteristics that are considered equallyimportant within a society.– Biologists use characteristics such as skin color, hair color, hair texture,facial features, head form, eye color, and height to determine race.– The most common system classifies races into three major divisions–Negroid, Mongoloid, and Caucasian.– Although certain physical features have been associated with particularraces, scientists have known for a long time that there is no such thingas a “pure” race.– Most scientists consider racial classifications arbitraryand misleading.– For students of sociology, social attitudes andcharacteristics that relate to race are more importantthan physical differences.5

EthnicityAn ethnic minority is a group identified by cultural,religious, or national characteristics. An ethnic minority operates in a subculture definedby its own language, religion, values, beliefs,norms, and customs. Negative attitudes toward ethnic minorities exist inpart because of ethnocentrism–a feeling of “us”and “them.”6

Which of the following is NOT always acharacteristic of a minority?a. distinctive physical or cultural characteristicsb. smaller in number than the majorityc. dominated by the majorityd. denied equal treatmente. a sense of collective identity7Click the mouse button or press the space bar to display the answer.

Racial and Ethnic RelationsPatterns of racial and ethnic relations take two forms:assimilation and conflict. Assimilation refers to the blending or fusing of theminority groups into the dominant society. Conflict occurs when minorities oppose each otheror the majority.8

Patterns of AssimilationPatterns of assimilation include the following: When a racial or ethnic minority is integrated into asociety, its members are given full participation inall aspects of the society. Anglo-conformity: traditional American institutionsare maintained. Melting pot: all ethnic and racial minoritiesvoluntarily blend together. Cultural pluralism: traditions and cultures existside by side.9 Accommodation: a minority maintains its ownculturally unique way of life but deals with thedominant culture when necessary.

Patterns of Conflict Three basic patterns describe approaches thatdominant cultures take in their rejection of minoritygroups: genocide, population transfer, andsubjugation. Genocide is the systematic effort to destroy anentire population. Population transfer moves a minority to a remotelocation or forces them to leave the territorycontrolled by the majority. Subjugation denies a minority equal access tothe culture and lifestyle of the larger majority.10

Examples of Conflict Genocide: Hitler’s attempt to eliminate EuropeanJews in the 1930s and 1940s, the Japanesemassacre of Chinese in 1937, Serbian campaignsagainst Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo in the lastpart of the twentieth century, the Tutsi slaughter ofHutus in Rwanda in 1994 Population transfer: the relocation of NativeAmericans to reservations11

Examples of Conflict Subjugation: denial of equal access orsegregation– dejure segregation: denial of equal access based onthe law– de facto segregation: denial of equal access based oneveryday practice12

Identify and define four patterns of assimilation.1. Anglo-conformity: An Anglo is an American of Englishdescent. Traditional American institutions are maintained,and immigrants are accepted as long as they conform tosociety’s “accepted standards.”2. Melting pot: All ethnic and racial minorities voluntarily blendtogether.3. Cultural pluralism (“tossed salad”): Traditions and culturesexist side by side.4. Accommodation: A minority maintains its own culturallyunique way of life but deals with the dominant culture whennecessary.13Click the mouse button or press the space bar to display the answer.

Theories of Prejudice andDiscrimination Sociologists define prejudice as widely heldpreconceptions of a group (minority or majority)and its individual members. Prejudice involves generalized attitudes based onbias or insufficient information. Prejudiced attitudes are based on strongemotions, so they are often difficult to change.14

RacismRacism is an extreme form of prejudice thatassumes superiority of one group over others.Racists believe that discrimination or exclusion ismorally justified because of their own naturalsuperiority.15

Discrimination Discrimination involves treating people differentlybased on ethnicity, race, religion, or culture. Discrimination takes many forms, including thefollowing:– avoiding social contact with members of minoritygroups– denying them positions that carry authority– blocking their access to the more exclusiveneighborhoods– extremes such as attacking or killing minority members16

Hate CrimesA hate crime is a criminal act that is motivated byextreme prejudice. Hate crimes involve bias related to race, religion,sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry. Hate crimes occur because of the following:– Members of a group need to bolster their senseof unity against a common enemy;– a belief that the victim is somehow threateningthe person’s livelihood or self-interest;– labeling people who commit hate crimes; usedemeaning stereotypes to justify violencedirected against their victims.17

StereotypesA stereotype is a set of ideas–based on distortion,exaggeration, and oversimplification–that is appliedto all members of a group. Stereotypes are used to justify unethical behavioragainst minority groups. Some examples of stereotypes in the UnitedStates include:– Athletes are not intelligent.– Politicians are corrupt.18

Perspectives on Prejudice The functionalist perspective focus on thedysfunctions caused by these practices. The conflict perspective assumes that a majorityuses prejudice and discrimination as powerfultools to control a minority. The symbolic interactionist perspective assertsthat members of a society learn prejudice fromothers’ behaviors. It provides the basis for the selffulfilling prophecy.19

Minority Groups in the United StatesMinorities in this country still suffer frominstitutionalized discrimination–unfair practicesthat are part of society’s structure or grownout of traditional, accepted behaviors.The largest minority groups in the UnitedStates are African American, Latino, NativeAmerican, Asian American, and WhiteEthnics.20

African AmericansAfrican Americans make up the largest ethnicminority group in the United States, numberingalmost 35 million, or about 13 percent of the totalpopulation. Their physical features and assigned status havebeen viewed as barriers to assimilation. African American income is unequal to theaverage income of whites. While education offers the promise of economicgain, results of higher education have been mixedfor African Americans.21

LatinosLatinos are ethnic minorities from Latin America, aregion that includes Mexico, Central America, SouthAmerica, and the islands of the Caribbean. Latinos are the fastest growing minority andthey’ve become a force in American politics. Latinos fall behind white Americans in formaleducation. The average income for Latinos is higher than thatof African Americans but lower than that of nonLatino whites.22

Native AmericansNative Americans is the term used to describe theinhabitants of North America before the Europeanmigrations. There are about 500 separate tribes and bands,totaling just under two million people. About one-fourth of Native Americans live onreservations. Native Americans have suffered hundreds of yearsof discrimination, and poverty remains a fact oflife.23

Asian AmericansAsian Americans have come to the United Statesfrom China, the Philippines, Japan, India, Korea, andVietnam. Nearly 11 million Asian Americans live in theUnited States comprising four percent of the totalpopulation. The Chinese and Japanese are the mostsuccessful Asian Americans, despite periods ofhardship and adversity. Asian Americans have been successful becausethey used education to gain upward mobility.24

White EthnicsWhite Ethnics are the descendents of immigrantsfrom Eastern and Southern European nations–Italy,Poland, Greece, Ireland, and Slavic nations. The majority of white ethnics are blue-collarworkers residing near large cities in the easternUnited States. White ethnics have not been traditional victims ofdiscrimination.25

Discuss whether the followingstatement is true or false:The evidence clearly shows that race isdeclining in importance in America.Most people will interpret the contents of this chapterto prove the statement false. The importance of aperson’s race is shown by the enormous social andeconomic costs of discrimination. Minorities lag farbehind the white population in income, education,and job status.26Click the mouse button or press the space bar to display the answer.

Chapter Summary Sociologists have specific definitions for minority,race, and ethnicity. Patterns of racial and ethnic relations take twoforms: assimilation and conflict. Patterns of assimilation include Anglo-conformity,melting pot, and cultural pluralism. Conflict patterns include genocide, populationtransfer, and subjugation. Prejudice refers to attitudes, while discrimination isabout behavior.27Continued on the next slide.

Chapter Summary Discrimination has caused some ethnic and racialgroups to lag behind the white majority in jobs,income, and education. Progress is being made, but the gains of allminorities remain fragile.28

Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity Summary of Topics Minority, Race, and Ethnicity Racial and Ethnic Relations Theories of Prejudice and Discrimination Minority Groups in the United States Click on a hyperlink to view a topic or click on the ri