Unit 15 Summary.docx
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Unit 15 Summary Definitions The text discusses John Porter’s 1965 work, “Vertical Mosaic: An Analysis of Social Class in Canada,” which combines the analysis of social class with ethnicity. This work is significant in the context of Canada’s fascination with ethnicity and multiculturalism, a policy...
Unit 15 Summary Definitions The text discusses John Porter’s 1965 work, “Vertical Mosaic: An Analysis of Social Class in Canada,” which combines the analysis of social class with ethnicity. This work is significant in the context of Canada’s fascination with ethnicity and multiculturalism, a policy since 1971. The metaphor of Canada as a mosaic is used, indicating a mixture of many separate identities, each retaining their distinctness. This is contrasted with the American concept of a “melting pot,” where distinct identities are blended into one. However, the text notes that the U.S. has recently begun celebrating multiculturalism more, moving towards a “salad bowl” model where individual components retain their distinctness. In Manitoba, the annual Folklorama event is highlighted as a celebration of ethnic differences. However, the text also mentions criticism, particularly in relation to the treatment of Indigenous peoples. A 2015 special issue of MacLean’s magazine is cited, which labeled Winnipeg as having Canada’s ugliest race problem. Canada’s main groups are identified as Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Metis), Charter groups (French and English, the first Europeans to come to North America), and immigrant groups that have arrived in the last 150 years. The text notes that Canada is slowly becoming more honest about its history with Indigenous peoples. The text then delves into the concept of race, which it defines as similarity of physical appearance, including characteristics like skin color, texture, head shape, eye color, nose contour, and body shape. These traits are biologically transmitted through generations. However, the text emphasizes that race is a socially constructed concept with no objective criteria for differentiation. Despite the lack of a biological basis for race, the social implications of racial categorization are real and impactful, leading to significant historical consequences such as genocides and slavery. The text suggests using the term “racialized groups” instead of “race.” Race is based on the similarity of physical traits like skin color, and it's biologically transmitted through generations. Anthropologists categorized races (e.g., Caucasoid for white, Negroid for black). There can be up to 30 global race groups, sometimes with multiple ethnicities within a single race. The distinction between race and ethnicity lies in ethnicity being more tied to cultural factors and nationality. Determining what constitutes an ethnic or racial group varies across societies, leading to debates like whether Jews are a race or an ethnic/religious group. Racialization is the political process of ascribing racial identity to a group that doesn’t identify itself as such. It’s a process that people internalize, leading them to think in race-based terms. Race is not a static thing, but a verb, an ongoing process. White people are often racialized in an invisible and normative way, serving as a reference point of privilege. Ethnicity, derived from the term ‘ethnos’ meaning people group, is often seen as the positive side of ethnocentrism. Ethnic groups are generally biologically self-perpetuating, with membership defined at birth. They share a culture, language, and usually a religion, and members communicate, interact, and identify with each other, making ethnicity a form of social identity. Ethnic groups have boundaries, defined by standards and norms of membership, which can be cultural rather than physical. These boundaries are not objective facts but are based on social constructs. Ethnic groups can be identified by their origins (where their ancestors emigrated from), identity (to whom they feel they belong), and mother tongue (the first language learned). For example, more people on the Canadian census are identifying themselves as Canadian, suggesting that Canadian might become an emergent ethnicity, not just a nationality. Ethnic groups have cultural boundaries, while racialized groups have hereditary physical similarities. Minorities are not defined by numbers, but as a political category. A minority group is any group with inferior status compared to other groups and is dominated and subordinated by them. This applies not only to ethnicity, but also to gender and ability, with women, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities historically being minority groups. Thus, a minority is a disadvantaged group subjected to unequal treatment by a dominant group who regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination. Interestingly, a minority can outnumber the majority, as it’s a political category, not numerical. For example, during Apartheid in South Africa, black people outnumbered white people, yet owned less land and had less national income. Visible minorities are those whose appearance makes them more noticeable to others. Patterns of Inter-Group Relations When groups interact, four main outcomes can occur: Annihilation/Expulsion: This involves the elimination of relations through one group being annihilated (genocide) or expelled. Genocide is the most severe action against another group, with examples including the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Expulsion involves one group trying to remove another from its territory, such as the Rohingya in Myanmar being expelled to Bangladesh in 2017 or the expulsion of Muslim Uyghurs in Northwest China. Stratification: This is the formation of a hierarchy of dominance, often combining social class and ethnicity. It can take several forms, including colonialism, where one group dominates another. This was justified based on racist theories of humanity, with Europeans claiming biological and cultural superiority over North Americans, Africans, and Southeast Asians. By the middle of the 20th century, a global process of decolonization began, with countries regaining their independence. However, internal colonization, which occurs within a territory, still exists. Segregation: This is the physical and social separation of categories of people, enforced either by law (de jure) or custom (de facto). Examples include Canadian reserves, Apartheid policies in South Africa from 1960-1990, and the Jim Crow laws in America from the 1900s-1960s. Pluralism or multiculturalism refers to the concept where groups live together on an equal basis while maintaining and valuing their differences. Each group retains and celebrates their ethnicity and boundaries, remaining distinct but equal. Canada aims to embody this concept through its multiculturalism. Switzerland best exemplifies pluralism with its multilingual society, where French, German, Italian, and Romansh are spoken in different regions. In Canada, around a quarter of the population are now visible minorities. There has been a significant shift in the origins of immigrants over the years. In 1970, 50% of foreign-born Canadians were born in Europe, but by 2016, 48% came from Asia. This trend is expected to continue. This diversity leads to what sociologists call ‘institutional completion’, where communities have a complete set of institutions serving their own people in their own language. This can be seen in the existence of Chinatowns, Little Italy’s, and other ethnic enclaves in many cities. While this maintains cultural identity, it can potentially limit social mobility. A key question in pluralism is whether it’s possible for multiple groups to retain their identity and equality simultaneously, as the tendency can often slide towards stratification or assimilation. Assimilation: the process where a minority group integrates into the dominant culture, leading to a common culture and a reduction of cultural boundaries. It involves sharing the same norms, institutions, food, dress, etc. Assimilation can be understood in several ways: Cultural Assimilation (Acculturation): This involves the merging of values and standards of the ethnic group with the dominant culture. Structural Assimilation: This refers to equal distribution of occupations, education levels, political participation, etc. It raises the question of whether structural assimilation can occur without first culturally assimilating. Psychological Assimilation: This involves a sense of oneness or ‘we feeling’. It’s a subjective measure of assimilation and can involve actions like anglicizing names. Biological Assimilation: This involves the blending of genetic patterns through long inter-breeding, leading to a mix where racial categories can no longer be identified. Factors influencing assimilation include residence, ethnic identification, endogamy (marrying within one’s own group), ethnic religious affiliation, in-group interaction, and ethnic language retention. Lastly, sociologists have noted the phenomenon of selective assimilation, a gender-based double standard where men are expected to acculturate, and women are encouraged to maintain ethnic identity. This is also known as public acculturation and private ethnicity. Group Mobilization The text discusses six main factors that influence the success of racial/ethnic groups in resisting assimilation and maintaining their identity: Geographical Concentration: Living in proximity with members of the same ethnic group can strengthen shared identity and increase group power. For instance, the French in Quebec and Asians on the West Coast of Canada. In some cases, such as in Kimberly, Manitoba, a high concentration of a specific ethnic group (Icelandic people) can lead to the teaching of heritage languages in public schools. Modernity & Postmodernity: Ethnic mobilization can be a reaction to modernity, which breaks down traditional networks and promotes uniformity. Some people resist this uniformity and seek to retain or restore familiar traditions. Postmodernity, on the other hand, celebrates diversity, providing another avenue for resisting assimilation. Nationalism: Increased ethnic consciousness can create a demand for political independence. This is evident in the formation of the nation-state of Israel by Jews after WWII, and in discussions about Quebec and Scotland becoming sovereign nations. The possibility of achieving national status can greatly enhance the energy behind ethnic solidarity. Split Labor Markets: This refers to the economic predicament where immigrants, often willing to work for less money, are seen as undercutting the working class. This creates a split labor market where visible minorities become a separate, identifiable class, weakening the solidarity of the working class. Segregated Labor Markets: Sometimes an ethnic group can dominate an entire market, such as Italians in the construction industry in Toronto or Chinese immigrants in Western Canada. This segregation contributes to greater ethnic cohesion and consciousness but raises questions about long-term social mobility. Race/Ethnicity/Nationality as a Resource: Ethnic identity and community networks can be used to personal advantage, sometimes leading to what is referred to as “ethnic sponsorship”. Showing one’s identity, like Canadians displaying their nationality while backpacking in Europe, can also be advantageous due to international perceptions. Ideologies and Institutions 1 The text discusses the concept of prejudice, which is a preconceived judgment or opinion, usually in the form of an irrational generalization about an entire group of people. Prejudice can manifest in several forms: Stereotypes: These are exaggerated traits that are seen as typical of a group, also known as collective caricatures. Stereotypes apply to groups, not individuals. Social Distance: This is a measure of prejudice, often assessed using the Bogardus social distance scale. This scale asks a series of questions about one’s willingness to interact with members of a particular group in various contexts. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Prejudice can turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy, where beliefs and treatment of people reinforce over time. For example, if a group is believed to be inferior and treated as such, they may eventually conform to these expectations. The text then discusses discrimination, which is the unequal treatment of various categories of people. Discrimination can manifest in several forms: a) Differential Treatment: This is the simplest form of discrimination, where people are treated differently based on personal qualities rather than group characteristics. b) Prejudicial Treatment: This is a more serious form of discrimination, where individuals are treated based on the category they belong to, rather than who they are as individuals. c) Denial of Desires: This involves placing restrictions on the aspirations of members of a social group, denying them basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. d) Disadvantageous Treatment: This is the most severe form of discrimination, involving both withholding positives and enacting negatives. It ranges from: i) Verbal Derogation: This is the mildest form, involving negative talk about a group, including offensive labels and terms. ii) Physical Attack: This is the most severe form, involving physical harm or rejection from a community, with massacres and genocides being extreme examples. The text emphasizes that discrimination is what we do, as opposed to prejudice, which is what we think. It suggests that both can occur independently due to factors such as legal restrictions and societal norms. Ideologies and Institutions 2 The text discusses racism, which is an extreme form of ethnocentrism. It is a set of beliefs that assumes behavioral tendencies are genetically based, and that some races are superior and should enjoy extra privilege and power. The text emphasizes that differences between races are cultural, not physical. Racism has been accentuated throughout history with the rise of nationalism and colonialism. The African slave trade in North and South America is cited as an example of racism used to justify domination. Racism reached its zenith in World War Two with Nazi Germany’s treatment of Jews, and in South African apartheid between 1960 and 1990. Despite the lack of scientific evidence for racism, it is often explained and justified by ideology, which can even blame the victims of racism. The text also discusses the triangular trade of the African American slave trade, which was profitable at all stages, and recent events such as the death of George Floyd in 2021, which reactivated the Black Lives Matter movement. In Canada, the issue of residential schools and the ‘60s Scoop’ are also mentioned as examples of racism. The text discusses racial profiling and various factors that contribute to racism: a) Scapegoating: This is the act of blaming others for one’s failures. It’s a form of venting frustration or aggression on defenseless people. b) Authoritarianism: This concept, studied extensively after World War Two, refers to individuals who defer to those above them in the hierarchy and are overly domineering to people below them. It is associated with personal insecurity, conformity, and dichotomous thinking. c) White Fragility: A term coined by Robin D’Angelo in 2018, it refers to the defensive reactions (anger, fear, guilt, argumentation) of white people when confronted with their own white supremacy and racism. d) Socioeconomic Factors: These factors can foster racism. For example, during World War Two, Japanese Canadians were evacuated from coastal British Columbia due to perceived danger. This was attributed not just to the war, but also to long-standing resentment towards the economic success of Japanese people on the West Coast. e) Sociolinguistic Factors: Racism can be embedded in language, with words like “black” and “white” carrying negative and positive connotations, respectively. The term “blacklist” is cited as an example of this. The text also outlines different levels of racism: i) Internalized Racism: This refers to prejudice and beliefs within a person. ii) Interpersonal Racism: This is when prejudice is verbalized or acted out between individuals. iii) Institutional Racism: This involves discriminatory policies and practices within social institutions, such as housing, criminal justice, public health, education, and banking. Examples include Chinese immigrants not being allowed to vote in Canada until 1947 and Status Indians not being allowed to vote until 1960. iv) Systemic Racism: This refers to ongoing racial inequalities maintained by societal practices, even when not explicitly supported by racist ideas. An example given is the practice of bringing Latin American migrant workers to Canada.
