Sociology 1 Flashcards

Minority Groups and Inequality

• Minority groups face patterns of disadvantage and inequality, clearly marked by visible traits.
• Membership in these groups is often determined at birth and includes a tendency for intra-group marriage.
• Inequality is the defining characteristic of minority status.

Stratification and Its Effects

• Stratification refers to the unequal distribution of valuable goods and services among groups.
• Membership in a minority group significantly impacts access to property, prestige, and power.

Understanding Race and Ethnicity

• Race categorizes individuals based on physical characteristics.
• Ethnicity distinguishes groups based on historical cultural practices and outlooks.

Characteristics of Ethnic Groups

• Unique cultural traits, community sense, ethnocentrism, ascribed membership from birth, and territoriality define ethnic groups.

Racial Formation and Theoretical Perspectives

• Racial formation is a social process of creating and transforming racial categories.
• Karl Marx emphasized economic production as the root cause of inequality, while Max Weber advocated a multidimensional view involving wealth, prestige, and power.
• Patricia Hill Collins highlighted the inadequacy of examining dimensions of inequality in isolation.

Intersectionality and Discrimination

• Intersectionality refers to the combined effects of race, class, and gender in creating multiple layers of inequality, creating a "matrix of domination."
• Prejudice represents negative attitudes towards entire groups, while stereotypes embody rigid beliefs about groups.
• Discrimination is the active exclusion from rights and opportunities based on group membership.

Racism and Its Forms

• Ideological racism justifies the inferior status of certain groups through cultural beliefs.
• Discrimination can occur at the individual or institutional level, with institutional discrimination embedded in societal operations.
• Modern racism is a subtle form of racism that avoids direct references to race while perpetuating inequality.

Social Change and Group Dynamics

• Assimilation involves merging distinct groups into a common culture.
• Pluralism allows groups to maintain their identities and cultural differences within society.
• Park's Race Relations Cycle illustrates phases of intergroup relations, starting with conflict and moving towards assimilation.

Key Social Concepts

• Primary groups are characterized by deep emotional ties and strong commitments, while secondary groups are larger and more impersonal.
• Human Capital Theory emphasizes individual characteristics like education in achieving success.
• Status Attainment Theory connects affluence and prestige primarily to education rather than family background.

Immigration Patterns and Cultural Dynamics

• Old Immigration refers to the first wave from Northern and Western Europe, while New Immigration refers to the later influx from Southern and Eastern Europe.
• Ethnic enclaves maintain cultural distinctions despite surrounding influences.
• The Principle of Third-Generation Interest suggests that the third generation of immigrants seeks to reconnect with traditions overlooked by the previous generation.

Structural Considerations and Historical Context

• The National Origins Act of 1924 established a quota system favoring Northern and Western Europe, reflecting systemic racism.
• The concept of symbolic ethnicity highlights the occasional salience of ethnic identity in everyday life.

Societal Structures and Ideologies

• Patriarchy denotes male dominance within families and public institutions.
• Cultural pluralism exists when groups retain identities without acculturation, while structural pluralism involves acculturation without full integration into society.
• Revolutions indicate efforts by minority groups to seek power parity with dominant groups, aiming to create new social order.