CHAPTER 9: RACE/ETHNICITY
 

RACE/ETHNIC RACE AND ETHNICITY  IS ONE WAY OF STRATIFYING  PEOPLE AND ALSO
REFLECTS CULTURAL COMPOSITION.

A MINORITY  GROUP IS ANY SUBORDINANT GROUP WHOSE MEMBER HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY 
SLESS CONTROL OR POWER  OVER THEIR OWN LIVES THAN THE MEMBER OF A 
DOMINANT OR MAJORITY GROUP HAVE OVER THEIRS. 
A "MAJORITY" GROUP CAN  STILL BE A "MINORITY"  (WOMEN)
  WHY?  BECAUSE IT'S NOT  SIMPLY NUMBERS OF MEMBERS, BUT A RESOURCE 
  AND POWER RATIO.
 
(SEE Box 9.1 / the T-F Qs for possible exam questions)

CHARACTERISTICS:

   1.  MINORITY  MEMBERS SHARE PHYSICAL OR  CULTURL CHARACTERISTICS 
       THAT DISTINGUISH THEM  FROM THE DOMINANT GROUP
   2.  EXPERIENCE UNEQUAL  TREATMENT AND HAVE LESS POWER OVER
       THEIR LIVES
   3.  MEMBERSHIP NOT "VOLUNTARY" (GAYS, WOMEN, ETC)
   4.  STRONG SENSE OF GROUP SOLIDARITY
   5.  MEMBERS GENERALLY MARRY OTHERS FROM SAME GROUP
   6.  USUALLY STIGMATIZED 

EXAMPLES:

RACE:   BIOLOGICAL DEF:   CATEGORY OF PEOPLE WHO THROUGH MANY
        GENERATIONS  OF INBREEDING HAVE DEVEOPED COMMON PHYSICAL
        CHARACTERISTICS FROM OTHER OTHER HUMANS. (BLACKS,
        GYPSIES, ITINERANTS IN IRELAND)
       
        SOCIAL DEFINITION:  A category of people singled out as
        inferior or superior, often based on some set of biological
        characteristics.

QUESTION: Given that people share 99.99 percent of DNA composition,
is race a valid concept? 

SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONCEPT:  OFFERS IDENTIFIABLE MEANS TO DISCRIMINATE
(EG, GAYS DON'T HAVE THIS; WHO ELSE?)

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY: (LABELLING)---BEGINS TO TAKE ON
CHARACTERISTCS ATTRIBUTED TO THEM (EG, UNFRIENDLINESS) ETC

ETHNICITY:  NOT A RACIAL CATEGORY---CAN BE NATIONALITY (eg, IRISH)

WHY DO WE STUDY IT AND HOW?

1. POWER/INEQUALITY
2. SOCIAL PROBLEMS CREATED AND CAN BE RESOLVED
3. THEORIES:
   A) CONFLICT: EXPLOITATION THEORY
   B) INTERACTIONIST--"CONTACT HYOTHESIS"--STIGMA REDUCED THROUGH CONTACT--

Some Definitions:

STIGMA: REDUCED STATUS ON THE BASIS OF SOME OBSERVABLE 
CHARACTERISTIC; LEADES TO PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

PREJUDICE: NEGATIVE  ATTITUDE TOWARD AN ENTIRE CATEGORY
REGARDLESS OF INDIVIDUAL  ATTTRIBUTES (ANTI-"COLORED" DRS)

BIAS: A predisposition to judgment (Q: Can be be biased without 
      being prejudiced and vice-versa?

ETHNOCENTRISM: OUR CULTURE IS SUPERIOUR

SCAPEGOATING (BLAMING A RACE (OR OTHERS)

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: Positive efforts to recruit minority group members or
              women for jobs, promotions, and educational opportunities

ETHNIC GROUP: A group set apart from others because of its national origin
              or distinctive cultural patterns
 
AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY (F-SCALE)---

  A) ORDER
  B) RACISM, ETC

DISCRIMINATION: DENYING OPPORTUNITIES TO CERTAIN CATEGORIES

  TYPES:

   A) PERSONAL
   B) INSTITUTIONAL/STRUCTURAL--IE,  SOCIETY  SET-UP OR ORGANIZED IN A
       WAY THAT EXCLUDES SOME FROM POWER

ASSIMILATION/ACCOMODATION/PLURALISM

   EXPLAIN EACH--

THEORIES: (EXPLAIN PURPOSE OF THEORY AGAIN):
  A) CONFLICT: EXPLOITATION/"COLONIAL GROUPS" ETC

  B) INTERACTIONIST:  CONTACT (KNOWING PEOPLE
     DECREASES PREJUDICE; LABELLING, ETC

WHY ARE PEOPLE PREJUDICED? (SOCIAL PSYCH)--

  A) AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY / ADORNO & F-SCALE
     SCAPEGOATING (BLAMING OTHERS) JEWS, ETC

  B) STRUCTURE: BUILT-IN DISCRIMINATION, ETC

  C) *AMALGAMATION* MAJORITY GROUP & MINORITY  GROUP COMBINE 
     TO FORM (NEW GROUP.

     EXAMPLES: A) US--MELTING POT?
               B) STUDENTS
               C) HMS BOUNTY/POLYNESIAN

PLURALISM:  SUBORDINATE GROUP  DOESN'T REJECT LIFE-STYLE---IS
BASED ON"SEPARATE BUT EQUAL" NOTION.

RACE IN THE US:
   A) BLACKS
   B) INDIANS
   C) ORIENTALS
   D) LATINOS/HISPANICS
   E) JEWS
   F) MIDDLE EASTERNERS

POLICY ISSUES:
1. IS IT A PROBLEM? WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?
   A) BUSING
   B) CIVIL RIGHT LAW
   C) AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
   D) "SELF-HELP"
   E) "HELP POLICIES" (IE, GOV'T BASED)

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