Ch 9: Race Flashcards
race
a group of people who share a set of characteristics (usually physical ones) and are said to share a common bloodline
- has no genetic basis
- more social/political than biological (**social construction)
myths of race
- all people can be divided into biologically distinct groups
- each race has distinct mental ability, temperament, and behavior
- traits are inherited and innate, so fixed and permanent
- races are inferior or superior
racism
the belief that members of separate races possess different and unequal human trait
social darwinism
argued that some races had evolved more than others and thus were better fit to survive and even to rule others
eugenics
the science of genetic lines and the inheritable traits they pass on from generation to generation
ethnicity
denotes groups that share a common identity based on ancestry, language, or culture
- often based on religion, beliefs, and customs
race vs ethnicity
race: imposed based on physical differences, hierarchical, exclusive, and unequal
ethnicity: voluntary, self-defined, nonhierarchical, fluid, cultural
prejudice
negative thoughts and feelings about an ethnic or racial group
discrimination
harmful or negative acts against people deemed inferior on the basis of their racial category
Merton’s Chart of Prejudice and Discrimination
- active bigot (prejudiced & discriminates)
- timid bigot (prejudiced)
- fair-weather liberal (discriminates)
- all-weather liberal (neither)
colorblind racism
the belief that racism is no longer a problem and that we all have equal opportunities
- replaces biology with culture -> mexicans, chinese
- ignores realities of peoples’ experiences
assimilation
“melting pot”
- absorbed into dominant culture
- through interracial marriage, language, etc.
pluralism
“salad bowl”
- coexistence of numerous distinct groups in one society, no group is majority
- embrace diversity
segregation
legal or social practice of separating people based on race or ethnicity
racial conflict
genocide is most toxic example
