Midterm Flashcards
Ethnicity
shared patterns of behaviour and culture that binds a group of individuals
includes: shared history, language, cultural practices, and belief in common descent
Race
a group of human bings socially defined on the bases of physical characteristics
originally based in genetics, but more aptly based in society
Albert Memmi, 2000
racial categories are not the problem
prejudice and stereotypes based on the race are the problem
Differences between Race and Ethnicity
Race is more often used for discrimination
Race is assigned while ethnicity is asserted
Race contains more power relations and hierarchy
Similarities between Race and Ethnicity
often used interchangeably
both a product of human interaction and influence human interaction
seen as natural categories
often overlap
Resurgence of Race and Ethnicity
post WWII hope of a post-racial world
race linked to nation states increased after WWII as new nations emerged
attention to human rights fuelled freedoms of ideology and expression
Models of Race/Ethnic Relations
Genocide Assimilation Segregation Integration Pluralism/multiculturalism
Genocide
actions aimed at the annihilation of a certain ethnic/racial group in a given area
enacted through physical and psychological actions
must be systematic
Assimilation
the loss of culture for a subdominant group and the adoption of the dominant group’s culture as their own
over time, subcultures disappear
Segmented Assimilation Theory
there are multiple pathways to integration
an individual’s ability to assimilate in a society is determined by various structural and personal factors
Segmented Assimilation Theory- Structural Factors
factors of one’s own culture or the country to which they move are incompatible
-race, location, resources
Segmented Assimilation Theory- Personal Factors
the skills or assets an individual brings which allow for better or worse assimilation into the new culture
Segregation
societies physically and forceful segmented based on racial/ethnic groups
groups function semi-autonomously
often forced physical segregation by the dominant group
Separation
societies where groups live apart, semi-autonomously by choice
Integration
supported interaction of racial/ethnic groups which results in changes to one, homogenous group which is different from each individual group
Pluralism/Multiculturalism
constructing a racially/ethnically diverse society where all aspects of all cultures are equally accepted
Why does race/ethnicity matter?
the consequences of r/e are real
people act as if r/e are real
the are embedded in our society
reification
treating a social construct as if it is real and natural and unchangeable (with negative consequences)
negative consequences include becoming a tool for injustice, an excuse, and a framework for explaining difference
Thomas Theorem
the things we view as real become real in their consequences
this is how we reify race
Race and the Enlightenment
the enlightenment saw a combination of colonization and scientific thought
this allowed for organized categorization of previously held ideas about race
Race and Colonialism
Racism went hand in hand with colonialism and ideas of superiority alongside the white mans burden
some argue that racism only emerged due to capitalism and colonialism
the most advanced societies were seen as most intelligent, and they had responsibility to help other countries
Social Darwinism
an ideology that some races are more fit for survival because they are more genetically advanced
the more genetically advanced were found in more advanced, white societies, who would survive (survival of the fittest)
Eugenics
the movement to create and ideal/perfect race through selective breeding and genocide
based on ideas of George Mendel, that you could cross breed for desirable traits
Scientific Racism
a movement to prove racial superiority scientifically, by testing for traits such as IQ
Stanford-Binet Test
an IQ test used to suggest that individuals who were involved in social problems were less advanced
Problems with IQ tests
they measure cultural/social/economic capital
measured test taking ability
measure the result of social problems rather than the cause of social problems
Cesare Lombroso
developed a theory of criminality based on the physical characteristics of prisoners
led to criminal profiling and the incarceration of children
Biological Determinism
the idea that all of our behaviours and characteristics are biologically disposed
based on Lombroso’s ideas
Racism
a system of dominance nd subordination which supports an ideology assuming the superiority of certain groups and that results in the benefit of one group over another
manifests itself consciously and unconsciously and in the actions of institutionalized power
Racism as Biology
any belief that links thought and behaviour to biology
any treatment, negative or positive, directed at others due to skin colour
Racism as Ideology
Racism is a set of ideas and ideals which form into prejudicial thoughts which in turn cause discriminatory actions
Racism as Culture
the belief that There are certain cultural practices that are inherently superior to others; other practices are dangerous to society’s structure or stability
Racism as Structure
racism is a key structural component of society that infiltrates the institutions and values of society and citizens,
racism is the source of ideology rather than the result of it
Racism as Power/Advantage
racism is the advantage of the in group to have their needs and desires met at the cost of others
Prejudice
the prejudgement of an individual based on a mental schema which classifies that person
Characteristics of Prejudice
general inflexible explained away through qualifying, rationalizing, or making the exception negative based on stereotypes
Stereotypes
generalizations about a group of individuals based on a few members of the group and the assumption of uniform behaviour
Discrimination
ways of acting or enacting which disadvantage a certain group and deny them access to the goods in society
Microdiscrimination
constant and continuing practices of discrimination which are not always obvious
Microagression
everyday exchanges that deny an individual access to some goods in society
not determined by intent but by impact
Microracism
small expressions of prejudice 3 Types hate racism polite racism subliminal racism
Hate Racism
the most obvious micro racism that identifies and personalizes an individual’s membership in a racial group
Polite Racism
removing attempts to understand another racial group by applying broad stereotypes; separates an individual from the group
often, it is a result of ignorance
Subliminal Racism
unconscious acts of racism that separate individuals of certain group membership
it is not intended but it is felt
Macroracism
acts or practices that happen on a large societal or institutional scale
Systemic racism
a type of institutional racism where discriminatory practices have been written into policies
the individuals may not be prejudiced, and the racism in the policies may not be obvious
Systematic Racism
a type of institutional racism carried out in the everyday common practices of the institution
Ideological Racism
discriminatory practices founded in the ideology of a society; plays out in normative practices
Everyday Racism
micro-racist practices that infiltrate the routines of everyday life by becoming a normal part of what is accepted by society
Normative Racism
The perpetuation of racism by way of prevailing norms, values, standards, and beliefs
Structural Racism
discriminatory practices which are built into the structure of society which consistently privilege some but not others
Marks of an Ethnically Stratified Society
- Differential treatment of some individuals
- Social definitions of who belongs
- Differential power determined by ethnicity
- Categorical treatment based on one’s identity
- Majority/Minority distinctions exist by power, not number
Strategies for Maintaining Power
One party government
military force
giving power to regional authorities
denying education to certain groups or making it difficult to access
Models of Ethnic Interaction
Conquest
Annexation
Voluntary Immigration
Involuntary Immigration
Primordial Ethnicity
by instinct, individuals are drawn to other who are like them; it is an innate biological process
ethnicity is fuelled by a need for belonging and genetic commonalities
Eric Isaac- 8 Ways to identify a person’s ethnicity
- Physical Appearance
- Name and origins
- Religious Practices
- History
- Shared Common Language
- Geographical Location
- Culture
- Nationality
Circumstantialism/Instrumentalism
individuals of common ethnicity band together as a group to secure scarce resources denied them by the majority
the more threatened an ethnicity is, the stronger the ties are which are created (explains why group ties ebb and flow)
ethnicity is fluid but still meaningful
Constructivism
ethnicity is socially constructed and identity exist in the societal context
Racial Categories Origin
race as classification first appeared in the 17th C
Francois Bernier- four categories- Europeans, Africans, Orientals, and Laplanders (FN)
The West needs to help the East progress
Racial Stratification
an unequal and racialized distribution of scare resources and division of labour based on group identity and perceived worth
Functionalist Perspective on Inequality
- it is inevitable
- it is a dysfunction of society
- inequality should only be based on merit to maintain the division of labour
Ethnicity Paradigm
division of labour is based on “best fit”
some ethnicities will never be “best fit” due to cultural capital and structural barriers
the racial groups in power will define best fit, which will always benefit their group over others
Conflict Perspective on Inequality
- inequality is not inevitable or normal
- racial inequality is a reflection of power distribution between radicalized classes
- class positions become associated with race
Equity Paradigm
overcoming racial inequality must come from destroying structural barriers to allow equitable opportunity- level the playing field
Racialization in Canada
2006- 22% of radicalized peoples live in poverty compared to 9% of non racialized people
2016- 26% of racialized vs 10% nonracialized
Aboriginal people are worse off than Black people in the USA
Racialized Justice in Canada
Aboriginal and Black Canadians are over-represented in the CJS
Racialized Healthcare
Infant mortality among Aboriginal people is 14 deaths per 1000 births
higher rates of suicide, HIV, and diabetes
Racial Inequality and Employment Equity
evidence suggest that racialized groups and Aboriginal people experience inequality in income, employment, and poverty
Reitz, Zhang, Hawkins, 2011
Employment Equity
to ensure proportional representation of all groups at all occupational and income levels
remove practices that systematically disadvantage groups
recognize that equality requires special measures
reverse the effects of systemic discrimination
response: Employment Equity
Circumstantialism: External Pressures
- perceived or real persecution
- perceived or real oppression
- recognition of shared historical events maintains bonds
- a potential gain or loss in SES
Social Constructionism
suggests that all of social life is a process in which we are all engaging, creating, and recreating reality
what we know as true is constantly changing
ethnic and racial groups are created through interactions that come to identify a group
The Social Construction of Ethnicity
2 Ways
1. Objectively, based on commonality between group members
2. Subjectively, based on self-identification of group members
Ethnicity is both assigned and asserted and acted out, being engaged in daily
The Process of Construction
- Recognition of a trait in a few members of a group
- Extrapolation of the trait as defining the group
- Members of the group internalize the trait and act it out
- Our beliefs are confirmed and we again extrapolate to the whole group
- The trait is essentialized (seen as an essential trait of all members of a group)
The Purpose of Construction
defines groups so we can assign roles
serves the social, political, and economic purposes of creating groups and hierarchy
Thick Identites
identities which are crucial to self-definition and impact everyday decision making
Thin Identities
identities which are non-crucial; they serve a small purpose and do not influence daily decisions
Assigned and Thick Identities
the identity into which one is born is highly important and impacts the daily actions of the individual
Assigned and Thin Identities
The identity into which one is born is not influential on their daily life
Asserted and Thick
An individual chooses to act in and express their ethnicity and it becomes very important to their daily decisions
Asserted and Thin
an individual chooses to identify with an ethnicity but it isn’t important in their daily life
Establishment and Maintenances of Ethnic/Racial Identities
Established and maintained by
1. creation of boundaries between the in and gout group
2. the attachment of meaning and value to certain groups
the dominant group in society has the power to define what identifies a group and who belongs in that group
Maintained by
1. shared interests
2. shared institutions
3. shared culture
Postcolonial Theory
aims to decolonize consciousness by taking into account the impact of colonialism on society and thought and by reconstructing reality
WEB Dubois- Psychological Impacts of Colonialsm
The veil- a racial lens colours all our opinions; we see labels before we see the individual
double consciousness- the tension an individual feels between the pre- and post-colonized selves
Franz Fanon- Psychological Impacts of COlonialism
the gaze- an awareness that race is the first thing others see, causing self-policing to act according to your race and not to fail in roles atypical of your race
Edward Said- Psychological Impacts of Colonialism
Laws o Division-binary though creates boundaries: results from different ways of seeing the world between East and West (orientalism)
