Ethnic Inequalities

Question 1

Brewer? Black feminism

Answer 1

Triple systems theory
Class race and gender combine to create multiple source of inequality
Each of these inequalities reinforces the other

Question 2

Mirza? Black feminist

Answer 2

Challenges stereotypical depictions of ethnic minority women eg sexual available or dutiful women.
Challenges dominant images of black women as passive victims of racism, patriarchy and social class.

Question 3

Connell? Black feminist

Answer 3

Post colonial feminist stance and argues that gender inequality is caused by colonialisation
Important to challenge the dominance of Weetern feminism as, globally, women face a range of different forms of oppression.

Question 4

Patterson? Functionalist

Answer 4

‘Host-Immigrant model’
Society’s stability was undermined by the arrival of immigrants as they had a ‘culture clash’ with the British ‘hosts’. Argues that the British weren’t directly racist but were frightened and anxious due to differing cultural values.
Identified three causes of racial discrimination:
- the hosts fear of social change and difference
- resentment about having to compete for jobs
- the failure of ethnic minorities to assimilate

3 part process as immigrants assimilate:

• accommodation
• integration
• assimilation

Policies that reflect a move towards assimilation:
- citizen ship tests

Question 5

Evaluation of functionalism?

Answer 5

• Cashmoore and Troyna: ‘turn inwards’ to resist racism instead of assimilating.
• Hebdige - resistance through rituals eg Rastafarianism

Question 6

Oliver Cox? Marxist

Answer 6

Direct relationship between capitalism and racism and that racism would not have developed if capitalism did not exist.
Europeans exploited the workforce by justifying this claim that white Europeans were superior to other races. This means that white people created capitalism and racism simultaneously.
However, racism exists in communist societies too.

Question 7

Castles and Kosack? Marxism

Answer 7

Studied immigrant groups and acknowledges that they are concentrated into low paid and low status work. Discrimination makes it hard for immigrants to get good jobs. Ethnic minority and migrant worker groups form a reserve army of labour which is vital for capitalism.
3 ideological reasons for racial inequality:
- to legitimise
- to scapegoat
- to divide and rule

Question 8

What three ideological reasons do Castles and Kosack give to explain why racism is encouraged in order to divide the proletariat, weaken its power and challenge the ruling class?

Answer 8

• to legitimise: helps to justify low pay and poor working conditions because black workers are seen as second class citizens. Employers benefit from this.
• to scapegoat: ethnic minorities are often made scapegoats for societal problems eg increased crime rates, unemployment and line parenthood.
• to divide and rule: if black and white workers are in conflict, there is less chance of a revolution.

Question 9

Solomos? Neo-Marxist

Answer 9

Ethnic inequalities are linked to capitalism but also economic factors, government policies and the culture of ethnic minorities and the white working class. They explored racist attitudes in the 70s and 80s and claimed that a ‘New Racism’ had emerged.

Question 10

Lawrence? Neo Marxist

Answer 10

Developed Solomos’ ideas that New Racism had emerged for the following reasons:

• the ruling class created and reinforced ideologies around the concept of British nation, British people and British culture.
• high unemployment and economic instability and immigrants can be seen as the source of the problem.
• the cultures of the immigrant groups were viewed in a negative way and as a threat to British society which was suffering high crime rates and a breakdown of family values.

Question 11

Weber?

Answer 11

Differences between the working class, such as ethnicity are significant. Stratification in modern society could occur on the basis of status and party
|Ethnic minority manual workers may have lower status than white manual workers

Question 12

Parkin? (weberian)

Answer 12

‘negatively privilidged status groups’. The ethnic majority use social closure to keep ethnic minority groups out of positions of authority and status. They face a concrete ceiling rather than a glass one.

Question 13

Barron and Norris?

Answer 13

Dual labour market
Primary and secondary
Applied to ethnic minorities in the secondary labour market

Question 14

How many BAME UK politicians are there in positions of power?

Answer 14

45 (7%)

Question 15

Modood? (Post-modern)

Answer 15

Hybrid identities are emerging. Racial differences become a matter of choice and racial disadvantage is impossible to discuss as ethnic identity is not fixed.

Question 16

Modood? (Cultural)

Answer 16

Some ethnic groups may have language problems which reduce their employment chances e.g. half of Pakistani women don’t speak English

Question 17

Dale et al? (Cultural)

Answer 17

Changes across generations. Younger women are more likely to participate in the labour market and speak fluent English.

Question 18

Roberts? (Cultural)

Answer 18

Asian groups are more likely to be self-employed or small business owners. Claims this is because Asian immigrants bought with them strong entrepeneurial attitudes whereas slavery had caused anti-enterprise attitudes amongst African Caribbean groups.

Question 19

Sewell? (Cultural)

Answer 19

Hypermasculinity - follow hypermasculine role models in the media eg black rap stars. Creates ‘gangsta’ identity.

Question 20

Parsons? (Functionalist)

Answer 20

Inequality is caused by a lack of consensus. Temporary ethnic inequalities as a result of cultural differences.

Question 21

Vertorec? (Postmodernism)

Answer 21

Super diversity used to describe vast range of cultural values and norms displayed by new immigrants and ethnic minority groups. Experience disadvantage for different reasons. Number of people from mixed heritage backgrounds is rising and they’re the fastest growing ethnic group. Explanations of racial and ethnic inequality neglect this group and their experiences. People whose ethnicities are ‘ambiguous’.

Question 22

Hall? (Neo Marxist)

Answer 22

Ethnic minority groups are scapegoated.

Question 23

Vertorec? (Postmodern)

Answer 23

Super diversity, vast range of cultural values and norms displayed by new immigrants and ethnic minority groups.