Race and Ethnicity

Question 1

What is Giddens and Sutton’s, 2013 definition of racism?

Answer 1

prejudice built on socially significant physical distinctiveness

Question 2

What is the conflict theory’s perspective of racism? (3)

Answer 2

1. A result of power conflicts among different groups
2. The group with more power oppresses the weaker groups
3. Racial and ethnic conflict is tied to class conflict

Question 3

What is symbolic interactionism’s perspective on racism? (4)

Answer 3

1. Robert Park, one of the most influential symbolic interactionist theorists on race and ethnic relations
2. The role of social interaction in reducing racial and ethnic hostility
3. Changing what is acceptable in society, changes reality
4. Racial slurs acceptable 100 years ago are highly discouraged today

Question 4

What is the functionalist theory’s perspective on racism? (5)

Answer 4

1. Focus on ways that race creates social ties and strengthens group bonds
2. Acknowledges such ties can lead to violence and social conflict between groups
3. Assimilation – the process in which a minority becomes absorbed into the dominant society
4. Racism has both intended and unintended consequences
5. Example - slavery

Question 5

How were black people discriminated against in post war Britain? (3)

Answer 5

1. Employment – skilled workers doing unskilled work
2. Housing – ‘No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs’
3. Immigration Bill

Question 6

Who were the folk devils of the 1970s?

Answer 6

Black mugger

Question 7

Who were the folk devils of the 1980s?

Answer 7

Black rioter

Question 8

What was the moral panic in the 1990s?

Answer 8

‘gangsta’ and gun crime

Question 9

Who were the folk devils of the 2000’s

Answer 9

Muslims (Islamophobia)

Question 10

What is the moral panic of the 2010s?

Answer 10

exploitation of young English girls by Muslim men (All Muslim men are child abusers/rapists)

Question 11

What are ethnic minorities over represented as?

Answer 11

offenders and victims

Question 12

Stop and search statistics (Home Office 2013)

Answer 12

Black people six times more likely to be stopped

Asian people twice as likely to be stopped

Question 13

Arrest rates (Home Office 2014)

Answer 13

Black people nearly three times more likely to be arrested

Mixed ethnic group twice as likely

Question 14

What is Multiculturalism?

Answer 14

the coexistence of different cultures