Racism and Elitism in Society

Hyper-Optimism vs. Hyper-Pessimism

• Hyper-optimism: Believes racism, elitism, and sexism are historical remnants, only relevant in government policies (e.g., affirmative action). Advocates for colorblindness.
• Hyper-pessimism: Argues racism, elitism, sexism persist. Different groups (e.g., Latino, Women, Black) focus on their specific issues, which hinders collective strength. Dominant culture benefits from this division.

Democracy, Equality, and Justice

• Focus: Racism, elitism, and sexism are societal problems needing addressing. That's the overall course aim.

Defensiveness

• Perspective: Racism, elitism, sexism are problems, but not personal failings. Examples include "I didn't own slaves" or "I have black friends."
• Approach: Supports individualism, meritocracy. Individuals try to avoid these biases, but take little action to reform society. Thus it views issues as individual rather than societal. This can lead to victim blaming.
• Example: Being friends with someone making racist comments without challenge.

Troubles vs. Issues

• Concept: C. Wright Mills introduced the difference between personal problems (troubles) and societal problems (issues).
• Troubles: Personal problems or difficulties.
• Issues: Wider social problems.
• Awareness: Problems are often seen as personal, but often stem from societal issues. Gaining awareness is crucial.
• Impact: Issues affect even those not directly involved; the ripple effect is great.
• Example: Blaming a child's poor performance on their own actions, but then recognizing a systemic issue affecting all students.

Multiculturalism

• Definition: Diversity within a single society (country). Examples include Asian Americans and Latinx Americans in the U.S.

Cross-Cultural/Global

• Definition: Diversity among different societies. Comparing cultures and countries. Ex: American food vs. Mexican food

Approaches to Multicultural Education (Sleeter & Grant)

• Lower/Basic Stages:

• Culturally Different: Acknowledging cultural differences among students. Examples: Teaching kindergarten students about cultural diversity.

• Human Relations: Promoting tolerance and challenging stereotypes (e.g., holding hands in a diverse classroom). But lacking societal context.

• Ethnic Additive: Limited inclusion of minority groups, women, and people of color (POC) in existing curricula IF time permits.

• Higher/Advanced Stages:

• Multicultural Education: Values understanding, integration, and appreciation of all cultures.

• Multicultural Social Reconstruction: Full inclusion of all life experiences (race, gender, class). Empowers everyone to be an agent of change.

Race and Health

Meso-sociology

• Scope: The study of communities, encompassing both micro and macro sociological perspectives.

Nature vs. Nurture (Race and Health)

• Nature: Genetic/biological factors influencing health disparities. Supposedly higher vulnerability based on race.
• Nurture: Environmental/social factors like healthcare access, housing availability, nutritious food, and educational opportunities—all socially constructed.

Life Chances

• Opportunities: Access to resources (health, education, etc) affecting life trajectories.
• Stigma: Social perceptions based on race, gender, and class create barriers
• Status: Ascribed (born into) and achieved (earned) statuses impact life chances.
• Lifestyle: How individuals live, influenced by their socialization in terms of race, gender, and class.

Norms and Deviant Behavior

• Norms: Expected behaviors within a society typically determined/influenced by the dominant culture.
• Conformity: Adherence to norms.
• Deviant Behavior: Violations of norms. Less well-understood by dominant culture. Not necessarily criminal.

This quiz explores the contrasting views of hyper-optimism and hyper-pessimism regarding racism, elitism, and sexism in societal contexts. It examines the collective strength of different groups and the notion of individualism in addressing these persistent issues. Engage with concepts of democracy, equality, and justice as critical societal problems.