Ethnic Studies Unit 1: Identity Formation

Unit 1: Identity Formation

• Ethnic Studies: The study of race, ethnicity, and identity to understand inequality and promote social justice.
• 1965 Immigration Act: Changed immigration rules, increasing immigration from non-European countries.
• 1790 Naturalization Act: Limited citizenship to "free white persons."
• Anti-Miscegenation Laws: Banned interracial marriages.
• BIPOC: An acronym for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
• Citizenship: Legal status in a country, determining rights and responsibilities.
• Class: A person's social or economic group.
• Culture: Traditions, beliefs, and behaviors shared within a group.
• Dialogue Principles: Rules for respectful conversations.
• Ethnicity: Shared culture, language, or ancestry.
• Eugenics: A pseudoscience used to promote racial discrimination.
• Externally vs. Internally Constructed Identity: How society defines someone versus how they see themselves.
• Hispanic vs. Latino: Terms with different meanings and usage depending on region and heritage.
• Identity: The qualities that make a person who they are.
• Intersectionality: The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender.
• Loving v. Virginia: Supreme Court case that struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage.
• Minority: A smaller group with less power or influence in society.
• Mixed Race: People with more than one racial background.
• Nationality: Affiliation with a particular country.
• Origins of Race: That race is a social construct, not a biological one.
• People of Color: General term for non-white racial groups.
• Positionality: Understanding how one's identity might influence their perspective.
• Preferred Nomenclature: Using respectful and appropriate terms when discussing groups.
• Privilege: Unearned advantages based on identity.
• Race: A social construct based on perceived physical traits, like skin color.
• Race vs. Ethnicity: Race is based on physical traits; ethnicity is based on shared culture and heritage.
• Social Construct: An idea created by society rather than dictated by biology.
• Social Identity Groups: Groups based on shared characteristics such as race, gender, or religion.
• Third World Liberation Front: 1960s student group advocating for ethnic studies programs.
• Unearned Privilege: Advantages received due to one’s identity without effort.
• White Privilege: Advantages experienced by white people due to systemic racism.
• Race: The Power of an Illusion: A documentary arguing that race is a social construct.

Unit 1 Key Concepts

• Key Concepts: Race is a social construct, not biologically based. Identity is influenced by external and internal factors, Intersectionality explains the complexities of identity.

Explore key concepts in identity formation through the lens of ethnic studies. This quiz covers critical topics such as immigration laws, citizenship, and the impact of culture and ethnicity on individual identity. Test your understanding of the dynamics of race and social justice.