Race and Ethnicity PDF

Race and Ethnicity Race  A socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that a society defines as important.  A race is a human population that is believed to be distinct in some way from other humans based on real or imagined physical differences....

Race and Ethnicity Race  A socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that a society defines as important.  A race is a human population that is believed to be distinct in some way from other humans based on real or imagined physical differences. Ethnicity A shared cultural heritage, which typically involves common ancestors, language and religion.  nationality  tribe  religious faith  shared language  shared culture  shared traditions Ethnicity refers not to physical characteristics but social traits that are shared by a human population. Minority Groups A minority group is made up of members of a social group that is systematically denied the same access to power and resources available to the dominant groups of a society, but are not necessarily fewer in number than the dominant group. Types of Minority Groups: Dominant Group: They hold the most power in a given society. It is often substituted for the group that’s in the majority. Subordinate Group: They lack power compared to the dominant group. It can be used interchangeably. Racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioural traits corresponding to physical appearance, and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. Types of Racism  INDIVIDUAL RACISM  INTERPERSONAL RACISM  INSTITUTIONAL RACISM  CULTURAL RACISM  STRUCTURAL RACISM Individual Racism also called personal racism, is prejudice, bias, or discrimination displayed in an interaction between two or more people. Interpersonal Racism Interpersonal racism is racism between individuals. In other words, it is when a white person actively or passively employs their personal racism against a person of colour. Institutional Racism Institutional racism refers to an institution making choices that intentionally single out or harm people of colour. Cultural Racism Cultural racial discrimination, a variation of structural racism, occurs when the assumption of inferiority of one or more races is built into the culture of a society. Structural Racism Structural racism refers to inequalities built into an organization or system. Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Racial and Ethnic Inequality STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONAL APPROACH  Explains ethnic and racial inequality in terms of cultural values.  The “Culture of poverty” theory developed by Oscar Lewis claims that minorities develop a fatalistic cultural outlook that leads to a sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem. SYMBOLIC INTERACTION APPROACH  Highlights how race often operates as a master status in everyday interaction.  W.E.B. Dubois claimed that US society makes whites standards by which others should be measure, and in so doing, devalues any person of colour. SOCIAL CONFLICT APPROACH  Highlights how racial and ethnic inequality is built into the structure of society.  Marxist theory argues that elites encourage racial and ethnic divisions as a strategy to weaken the working class.