11.1 Basic Concepts

Question 1

Minority Group

Answer 1

À group of people in a given society who, because of their distinct physical or cultural characteristics often find themselves in situations of inequality compared with the dominant group within that society.

Members of minority groups in the US often see themselves as distinct from the majority

Question 2

Race

Answer 2

À socially constructed category rooted in the belief that there are fundamental differences among humans, associated with phenotype and ancestry.

Racial distinctions are important factors in the reproduction of patterns of power and inequality

Question 3

Ethnicity

Answer 3

Cultural values and norms (cultural identification) that distinguish the members of a given group from others

In virtually all societies, ethnic differences are associated with variations in power and material wealth

Question 4

Ethnic Group

Answer 4

À group whose members share a distinct awareness of a common cultural identity, differentiating them from other groups