Race and Ethnicity

Question 1

What are the two ways of defining race?

Answer 1

Biological (physical features) and Social (associating culture behaviour with physical appearance).

Question 2

What is race?

Answer 2

In terms of human evolution, “race” doesn’t exist. Instead, “race” is socially constructed. It rests on the assumptions about human behaviour based on some members of a group.

Question 3

What are the two levels of racism?

Answer 3

1. Formal

2. Informal

Question 4

What is formal racism?

Answer 4

Systematic discrimination, which is exclusion of people based on their physical appearance. E.g., employers not hiring visible minorities.

Question 5

What is informal racism?

Answer 5

Condemnation of an entire group of people based on the deviant behaviour of a few (e.g., hate crimes, race jokes).

Question 6

What are the three ways minorities are mistreated?

Answer 6

1. Ethnic stereotypes
2. Ethnic prejudice
3. Discrimination

Question 7

What is ethnic stereotyping?

Answer 7

Assuming “they’re all alike”

Question 8

What is ethnic prejudice?

Answer 8

Assumption that one group is more worthy of reward or praise than another.

Question 9

What is discrimination?

Answer 9

Differential rewards or punishments. E.g., white man getting tenure over a minority professor.

Question 10

What are the five effects of racism on whites?

Answer 10

1. Psychological - false sense of superiority over others
2. Economic - imbalances in the labour market
3. Social - divisions between dominant and subordinate groups
4. Education - members of dominant groups are misinformed by being taught that their cultures are superior to others
5. International relations - arrogant assumption that “white” forces of modernization

Question 11

What are the two ways to define ethnicity?

Answer 11

1. Broad definition

2. Narrow definition

Question 12

What is the broad definition of defining ethnicity?

Answer 12

Including members of one religion, people who speak one language, come from one religion, or have similar physical features.

Question 13

What is the narrow definition of defining ethnicity?

Answer 13

An ethnic group that comes from a particular territory, speaks its own language, or has unique cultural characteristics.

Question 14

What are ways in which you can define ethnicity?

Answer 14

Religion, common origin, ancestral homeland, tribal origin, kinship, costume, tradition, language.

Question 15

What are early theories of ethnicity?

Answer 15

Social darwinism, biological differences, anglo-conformity.

Question 16

What are the theories of ethnic change?

Answer 16

1. Assimilation
2. Amalgamation
3. Modified assimilation
4. Modified pluralism
5. Multicultural pluralism
6. Conflict - when cultures collide

Question 17

What is assimilation?

Answer 17

When a minority group sheds its differences and assumes the traits of the dominant group

Question 18

What is amalgamation?

Answer 18

Conforming to the dominant culture

Question 19

What is modified pluralism?

Answer 19

Retention of separate identities

Question 20

What is multicultural pluralism?

Answer 20

All people are equal regardless of culture

Question 21

What is Robert Parks theory of assimilation?

Answer 21

Assimilation is a process of adaptation. Ethnicity gradually fades away. The process of assimilation spreads as other countries industrialize.

Question 22

Why is ethnicity withering away?

Answer 22

Due to influences of urbanization, industrialization, liberal values, mass education, mass communication and technological change.

Question 23

What are Gemeinschaft societies?

Answer 23

Rural or small town setting, neighbours know each other intimately. People want to help each other. People are more likely to stay in one place.

Question 24

What are Gesselschaft societies?

Answer 24

Urban setting, neighbours are less likely to know each other, people are more mobile, relationships are more impersonal, children are more likely to move away from families.