Sociology Chapter 13 - Tribal Stigma

Tribal Stigma

• Erving Goffman coined the term "tribal stigma," referring to stigmata based on race, nation, and religion.
• Tribal stigma creates social challenges; individuals with racial differences face expectations of equality that, when violated, lead to awkward interactions.

Race and Classification

• Race is a social construct, not based on distinct genetic categories.
• Racial stigmatization turns ethnic minorities into perceived deviants.

Historical Context of Race

• The origins of race involve prior notions of kinship rather than physical traits; it was misused to justify slavery through pseudo-scientific distinctions.
• Racial classification systems have real-world impacts, albeit lacking genetic foundations.
• Changes over time in the definitions of race, such as those seen in US census data, underscore the fluidity of racial constructs.

Institutional Racism

• Two main types of institutional racism are identified: Direct and Indirect. Direct examples include Jim Crow laws and mass incarceration policies. Indirect examples involve modern discriminatory voting trends.
• Racism is defined as systemic processes that create inequitable opportunities based on race, establishing a superior/inferior classification and justifying unequal treatment.

Economic Inequities

• Historical racial and social inequities explain significant disparities in income and wealth between Black individuals and White individuals.
• Data suggests that the ideology of "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" does not accurately reflect the realities faced by Black Americans regarding social mobility.

Health Disparities

• Natives/Pacific Islanders and Black individuals have the lowest life expectancies.
• Black individuals and Natives/Pacific Islanders also experience the highest infant mortality rates.

Criminal Justice Disparities

• The likelihood of imprisonment for Black men is significantly higher than for White men (1 in 3 vs. 1 in 17).

Modern Discrimination Examples

• Name discrimination persists, affecting hiring practices; studies show names like Lakisha and Jamal face bias compared to names like Emily and Greg.
• Racial discrimination in auto lending shows lower rates of favorable treatment for POC borrowers.

Home Ownership

• Black Americans have the lowest home ownership rates due to a history of racial discrimination in housing markets.
• Home ownership is crucial for building wealth, as it serves as a major financial asset.

Redlining and Segregation

• Redlining historically limited Black Americans' access to mortgages, perpetuating economic disadvantage and segregation.
• Post-GI Bill housing policies favored White Americans, further entrenching geographic and economic disparities.

Effects of Legislation

• The Fair Housing Act of 1968 aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in housing, leading to phenomena like "white flight," where White residents left neighborhoods as Black residents moved in.
• Blockbusting practices exploited white flight, profiting from rapid market instability created by racial integration fears.

Education and Racism

• Education impacts perceptions of race; teaching critical views on racism fosters empathy among students.
• The teaching of the historical context of racism in schools is contentious, with many educators lacking training on cultural competency.

Current Debates

• The political discourse around teaching racism in schools highlights disagreements over its benefits and harms, often resulting in historical misrepresentations in textbooks.
• Teachers, predominantly white, may not adequately discuss the complexities of slavery, the effects of institutional racism, and current disparities stemming from historical injustices.

Explore Chapter 13 on Tribal Stigma as defined by Erving Goffman. This quiz focuses on the concepts of race, nation, and religion, and how these attributes contribute to social stigma. Test your understanding of Goffman's theories and their implications in society.