Final Exam Study Guide - ANTHR 150 2024

A gradual change in a trait across a geographic area; example: skin pigmentation.

The concept that different physical traits evolve independently of one another, meaning that traits aren't clustered together consistently across populations.

Genetic differences within a single population are often greater than the differences between populations.

Even though race is not biologically real, it has real social and health consequences.

The process by which social and environmental factors become embedded in our biology, impacting our health.

Previous studies often used 'race' as a proxy for other factors, oversimplifying complex health inequalities.

The social and cultural systems we create impact our biology and health.

Biological variations within and across populations, often used to justify historical inequalities.

A concept that acknowledges and analyzes the interconnectedness of different social identities, particularly race, class, and gender, in shaping individual experiences and social inequalities.

A term coined by Edward Said to describe the Western discourse on the Middle East and Asia, characterized by a romanticized and often distorted view of the 'Orient.'

The idea that colonial powers, through their actions and ideologies, established a framework of dominance and exploitation that reinforced racial hierarchies and justified the subjugation of colonized peoples.

The concept of 'savagery,' often used to categorize and dehumanize non-Western cultures, serves as a tool for justifying colonization and Western dominance.

A theory that posits a linear progression of human societies from primitive 'savagery' to advanced 'civilization,' often used to justify colonialism and Western superiority.

A framework proposed by Immanuel Wallerstein to understand global economic and political relations, where countries are categorized into 'core', 'semi-periphery', and 'periphery' based on their position within the capitalist world system.

The British government's 1917 declaration supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, a pivotal event in the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

A critique of colonialism's impact on the modern world, arguing that it has left a lasting legacy of racism, violence, and economic inequality.

A theory that analyzes how race and power intersect in society, highlighting that racism is deeply embedded in laws, institutions, and everyday practices.

The idea that racism is not just individual prejudice but is ingrained in the very structure of society, affecting policies, laws, and institutions.

The concept that race is socially constructed, meaning it's not a biological reality but a social category created and reinforced through social processes.

The understanding that laws and policies may appear neutral but often have unequal outcomes for different racial groups, due to historical power imbalances.

The idea that racism is often subtle and unacknowledged, embedded in everyday interactions and societal norms.

The concept that changes in racial equality often occur when it benefits the dominant group, not necessarily out of genuine concern for marginalized groups.

The argument that simply ignoring race or striving for color-blindness is not effective in addressing racism because it doesn't recognize the historical context and ongoing power imbalances.

Bruce Hall argues that Western colonialism often relies on and amplifies racial difference to justify its expansion and dominance.

Intersectionality, as defined by scholars like Kimberlé Crenshaw and Leith Mullings, recognizes that social identities (race, gender, class, sexuality, etc.) are interconnected and cannot be understood in isolation.

Intersectionality considers a wide range of social differences, including but not limited to race, gender, class, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, and nationality.

Intersectionality goes beyond simple 'diversity' and 'multiculturalism' by emphasizing the interconnected nature of these differences and the way they create complex systems of power and privilege.

Edward Said argues that colonial relationships often use sexual and gendered imagery to depict colonized people as inferior and needing to be 'saved' by Western powers.

According to Ann Stoler, colonial rules regarding sexual relationships in Indonesia were designed to maintain white supremacy by restricting interactions between European colonizers and Indigenous populations.

Ratele and Shefer argue that apartheid laws against interracial sexual relations in South Africa upheld white supremacist patriarchy by controlling Black women's bodies and limiting their agency.

The apartheid miscegenation laws assumed that miscegenation (interracial relationships) posed a threat to white people, both biologically and culturally, particularly through the fear of Black men's supposed threat to white women's purity.

The way Western views of the Middle East and Asia have changed since Edward Said's "Orientalism." The "alluring Orient" of the past is now seen as a more complex and often problematic construction.

Explains why understanding the dehumanization of Palestinians and Muslims as racism is crucial, instead of simply cultural differences. Calls for a recognition of power dynamics and structural inequality.

South African apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination. It involved laws and policies that separated the races and denied rights to non-white people.

The idea that the global system, fueled by militarism, functions like apartheid. This means powerful nations control resources and marginalize others through economic and political systems.

The Canadian census, like many government systems, assumes predetermined race categories. This can limit the options available to individuals and contribute to racial prejudice.

A group of Indigenous people in Canada who emerged from a mixture of First Nations people and European settlers, and whose ancestors were often involved in trade and intermarriage.

The Indian Act of 1876 aimed to assimilate Indigenous people into Canadian society. This involved control over land, education, and cultural practices.

The residential school system, created to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children into Canadian culture, was implemented from the late 19th to the late 20th century, leading to cultural loss, trauma, and abuse.