Race, Racialization, Indigeneity

Question 1

Racial science

Answer 1

racial differences are viewed as real biological or natural outcomes

• the implication is that this idea says racial inequalities are natural or justifiable
• sometimes called “essentialism” or the “essentialist” viewpoint

The scientists also conducted their research about the “ideal person” using ethnocentric ideas

Question 2

Racial conceptualization

Answer 2

The web of beliefs that an individual may hold about what race is

• distinguishment between races
• how many races, what are they
• how to recognize a race

Question 3

essentialist conceptions of race

Answer 3

• universal classification of groups as exclusive and differing biological characteristics
• there is a hierarchy within these races
• outer physical characteristics are reflective of people’s inner selves

Question 4

Non-essentialist conceptualizations of race

Answer 4

• Human biology variation cannot be divided into categories
• racial boundaries are drawn differently depending on the classifier

Question 5

Critiques of racial science

Answer 5

• it is impossible to neatly distinguish people based on their genetic differences
• we decide what racial differences are important

Question 6

Race

Answer 6

Race: a social construct used to distinguish people in terms of of one or more physical markers, usually with profound effects on their lives

• it matters because it allows social inequality to be created and perpetuated. Race is always viewed in relation to power

Question 7

What does it mean for race to be called a social construction

Answer 7

It means the symbols, ideas, and nations that we have attached to race are human constructions.
* does not mean there are not physical racial differences present

Question 8

Essentialism vs. Constructivism

Answer 8

Essentialists suggest that the members of a racial group share one or more defining qualities that are inherent, innate, or fixed (usually says they are biological distinctions), while constructivists maintain that what we know about race is not necessarily a reflection of what is out there, but instead a product of social life.

• if essentialism posits that social categories simply reflect natural, stable differences between human groups, then constructivism counters that such categories are man made through “social construction”.

Question 9

Racialization

Answer 9

The processes of building a racial identity and imposed through the implementation of categories on certain people.

• societies construct races as real, different, and unequal in ways that matter to economic, political, and social life

Through what means?

• through scientific concepts
• through laws

Question 10

Indigeneity

Answer 10

not a racial category, it is a category of relation to land/territory/space.

• indigenous peoples may have shared racial features but that is not what makes them a collectivity
• indigenous is a political category not a racial category
• racialization is an attempt to assimilate/eliminate

Question 11

Indigenous nationhood

Answer 11

The reason people misunderstand many indigenous claims and many aspects of indigenous life is because:

• they refuse to recognize settler colonialism as an ongoing process
• they refuse to recognize that indigenous nations are nations

Question 12

Prejudice

Answer 12

An attitude or thought that judges a person according to their group’s real or imagined characteristics.

Question 13

Discrimination

Answer 13

Unfair treatment of people because of their group membership

• an action upon one’s prejudicial attitude or thought

Question 14

Racism

Answer 14

Forms of discrimination where groups are racialized, so treated as if their specific characteristics were natural and innate to each member of the group.

Question 15

Institutional racism

Answer 15

Occurs where policies and practices, and forms of knowing systematically discriminate against people of colour.

• it is extremely hard to get rid of, this is why sociologists focus mostly on this form of racism rather than individual prejudice

For example: you can see police officers as people, versus as members of an organization that has bias against people of colour

Question 16

Colourblind racism

Answer 16

An ideology that legitimizes specific practices that maintain racial inequalities.

For example, police brutality, housing discrimination, voter disenfranchisement

Question 17

Critical race theory

Answer 17

A theory that recognizes how race and racism have structured legal and political institutions, and that race and racism continue to impact these institutions, to the detriment of people in colour.

Question 18

Morning, The Nature of Race
(Uses functionalist theory view)

Answer 18

It is considered the typical American experience to constantly provide your race for routine experiences. This categorization of race is very common and also comes up in our interpersonal relations.

Since we have no clear definition of race, we are left ourselves to make sense of what we are being asked. Is it about our culture, appearance, biological makeup, ancestry, or social class?

In a society where racial classification fills bureaucratic life, our everyday experiences in settings such as such as schools, companies, and medical offices also leave their mark on our notions of race. Always being asked what our race is shows that it is important, so that we can all be classified into a particular group.

This book’s objective is to explore how scientist’s concepts of race are transmitted to the public through social institutions.

Formal education is the institution that is explicitly devoted to disseminating scientists views to the public, which is why it is the focus of the book.

The book argues that biological interpretations of race remain powerful in scientific thinking and communications to the public, while the idea of race as a social construct is not conveyed nearly as widely.

Americans believe that race is fading as a dividing line in society, but it is hardening as a biological boundary in the public’s mind.

It explains both the essentialist and constructivist point of view on race, and the author says she believes in the constructivist point of view on race.

Although she provides a definition of race that both views could find acceptable:

That race is a system for classifying human beings that is grounded in the belief that they embody inherited and fixed biological characteristics that identify them as members of racial groups.

Question 19

Andersen, Indigenous Nationhood

Answer 19

Although it is tempting to think of “nationness” only in centripetal moments (such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup), we should remind ourselves that the nation is the result an ongoing struggle between unequally, “symbolically armed” protagonists.

This suggests that within a nation, there is an ongoing conflict or power struggle between different groups or individuals who possess unequal symbolic power or influence.

Indigenous nations have the capability to acknowledge the sovereignty of other nations without feeling obligated to consume, displace, or assimilate them. In other words, they can respect the autonomy and authority of other nations without seeking to control or dominate them.

What separates Indigenous nationalism from settler nationalism is that Indigenous nationalism emphasizes preserving their own political identity distinct from settlers, based on the awareness of being nations before settlers arrived.

Anderson explains that in Canada, Indigenous identities and cultures are often seen as just another variation within the broader Canadian society, rather than as unique and sovereign nations with their own rights and autonomy.

Question 20

what are the main differences that distinguish Indigenous nationhood from settler nationhood?

Answer 20

The main differences lie in concepts of sovereignty, relationship to land, governance structures, and cultural practices. Indigenous nationhood often emphasizes connections to specific territories, traditional governance systems, cultural practices, and a distinct relationship with the land, whereas settler nationhood typically revolves around centralized government structures, legal frameworks, and cultural norms established by the dominant settler population.

Question 21

discuss the differences between (and political implications of) nationhood and race/ethnicity

Answer 21

Nationhood typically refers to a group of people who share common characteristics such as language, culture, history, and often territory, and may have political sovereignty over that territory. It’s about a sense of belonging and self-governance.

Race and ethnicity, on the other hand, are more about shared characteristics based on physical appearance, ancestry, or cultural heritage.

The political implications arise from how these concepts are used in society. Nationhood often entails political rights and self-determination for a group within a defined territory. Race and ethnicity, meanwhile, have been historically used to justify discrimination, inequality, and even violence. In many cases, nationhood can be a unifying force for a group seeking autonomy or recognition, while race and ethnicity can be used to oppress or marginalize certain groups within a nation.

Question 22

Settler colonialism

Answer 22

A form of colonialism that operates through the replacement of Indigenous populations with an an invasive settler society.

Question 23

explain why a historical inquiry in discussions of Indigenous peoplehood is necessary in the Canadian context

Answer 23

A historical inquiry is crucial in discussions of Indigenous peoplehood in the Canadian context because it provides essential context for understanding the complexities of Indigenous-settler relations, the impacts of colonization, and the ongoing struggles for Indigenous rights and sovereignty.

Understanding the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada reveals the profound injustices they have faced, including forced displacement from their lands, loss of cultural practices and languages, and systemic discrimination and marginalization..

Question 24

Nationalism

Answer 24

The belief that a particular group of people who share a common cultural, linguistic, or ethnic trait, form a distinct nation and should therefore have their own sovereign state.

Question 25

Peoplehood vs. Nationhood

Answer 25

Peoplehood: refers to the shared identity and sense of belonging among a group of people

• the ties that connect people culturally and socially, regardless of political situation

Nationhood: a group’s status within a nation-state. It’s about political identity and having control over a specific territory

Question 26

Orientalism

Answer 26

It refers to how the “West” perceives and depicts the “East” as different and inferior relative to their norms and values.

Question 27

Microaggression

Answer 27

Subtle, often unintentional actions or comments that indirectly express a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group.

Ex. someone repeatedly mispronouncing your name after being corrected.