Ethnicity: Functionalism

Question 1

What is the overall view of functionalism regarding ethnicity inequalities ?

Answer 1

• Think a meritocratic society would lead to fewer ethnic inequalities
• They think that a meritocratic society would mean that those who immigrate adopt the norms and values of mainstream society

Question 2

What was the immigration model ?

Answer 2

Patterson
- functionalist approach
- present Britain as stable and orderly
- in the 50’s the equilibrium was disrupted because of immigrant arrival
- Immigration resulted in a culture clash
- Said hosts weren’t racist but unsure how 2 act

Question 3

What were the 3 causes of ethnic inequality ?

Answer 3

1. Most cultures fear cultural difference and the social change that immigrants bring
2. Host countries resent having to compete with immigrants for housing and jobs
3. The failure of immigrants to assimilate into British society

Question 4

What is the host-immigrant model ?

Answer 4

Patterson
- Model proposes that immigrants go through 3 stages before assimilating into society
1. Accommodation = involves minimal adaptation and acceptance of mainstream culture such as getting a job
2. Integration = occurs when hosts and immigrants socialise with eachother outside of work
3. Assimilation = The complete integration of immigrants into mainstream society and complete acceptance

Question 5

What could assimilation of immigrants lead to ?

Answer 5

Physical assimilation - interbreeding across races
Leading to disappearance of distinctive features of the immigrant model

Question 6

What are evaluation of Pattersons models ?

Answer 6

• naive to assume that all ethnic minorities integrate into British culture
• Post-modernists - Britain is a multi cultural society which should be celebrated
• Marxists say that Patterson ignores the role of capitalism, dividing race helps maintain capitalism. This means assimilation is an impossible goal to achieve