Understanding Social Theories on Inequality

Hyper-Optimism

• Assumes racism, elitism, and sexism are relics of the past
• Supports colorblindness, where differences are ignored
• Focuses on government policies (e.g., affirmative action) to address past issues, not current ones

Hyper-Pessimism

• Believes racism, elitism, and sexism are still present
• Different groups (e.g., Latinos, women, Black people) focus on their own specific issues
• Suggests that unified action by these groups would be more effective than individual efforts
• Sees dominant culture as benefitting from the lack of coalition between racial groups

Democracy, Equality, Justice

• Considers racism, elitism, and sexism as societal problems requiring action
• This is the overarching principle of the topic

Defensiveness

• Acknowledges racism, elitism, and sexism as problems but denies personal responsibility
• Examples include disavowing participation in past injustices or claiming to have friends of different races
• Focuses on individualism and meritocracy, rather than societal reform
• Often involves blaming victims and refusing to confront the issue at hand

Troubles vs. Issues

• Introduced by C. Wright Mills
• Troubles are personal problems; issues are societal problems
• Personal experiences should be connected to broader social factors

Multicultural

• Refers to diversity within a society (e.g., different cultural groups in a country )

Cross-Cultural/Global

• Focuses on diversity and comparison between societies (e.g., comparing cultures and food)

Approaches to Multicultural Education (Lower/Basic Stages)

• Culturally Different: Recognizing differences between cultures; e.g., teaching kindergarten students about cultural differences
• Human Relations: Promoting tolerance and challenging stereotypes; Example, holding hands regardless of race, but maintaining segregation in private life
• Ethnic Additive: Partially including minorities (women, people of color, working class) if time permits; Example, studying historical male figures all year and including a female figure at the end of the year

Approaches to Multicultural Education (Higher/Advanced Stages)

• Multicultural Education: Fully appreciating and understanding differences; aiming for inclusivity, integration, and addressing disparities across multiple subject areas. Integration and acceptance in the classroom but not in neighbourhoods and real life.
• Multicultural Social Reconstruction: Promoting full integration, acknowledging diverse lived experiences, using interdisciplinary approaches, and empowering all groups. This allows everyone to feel as if change is possible.

Race and Health

• Meso-sociology: A study within communities that bridges micro and macro-level sociological analysis

Nature vs. Nurture

• Nature: Hereditary and biological factors influence health disparities
• Nurture: Social factors (healthcare access, housing, food, and education levels) shape health outcomes. Social factors are socially constructed

Life Chances

• Reflects opportunities in life (e.g., access to better health services)
• Influenced by social stigma, ascribed status (e.g., race), achieved status, lifestyles (attitudes, behaviors, and values), and socialization factors.

Norms

• Expected behaviors based on societal norms
• Most norms are based on the dominant culture
• Help govern behavior and are often taken for granted.

Deviant Behavior

• Violation of norms, not necessarily criminal
• Often unspoken and less understood by those in power.