U3 AOS2 Ethnicity Flashcards
What is a social construct?
A social construct is something that exists not in objective reality, but as a result of human interaction. It exists because humans agree that it exists.
Define ethnicity
Ethnicity refers more to a person’s cultural heritage or history- how (and sometimes where) they originally obtained some of their cultural connections, affiliations and practises.
Define race
Putting a group of people into a category based on physical characteristics, such as skin colour, eye shape, hair type and bone structure.
What is ethnocentrism
The practice of judging another culture by the standard’s of your own culture.
What is cultural relativism?
This is the practice of judging a society by its own standards.
Describe the idea of ‘The Other’
The ‘other’ refers to our tendency to categorise people as ‘like us’ or ‘not like us’. ‘Othering’ divides people into groups of ‘us’ and ‘them’. We often make these divisions based on appearances, stereotypes and other misinformation
What does the idea of ‘The Other’ often lead to?
‘Othering’ divides people into groups of ‘us’ and ‘them’. We often make these divisions based on appearances, stereotypes and other misinformation
Describe the idea of dominant culture
The dominant culture decides who is ‘us’ (‘normal’ and acceptable) and who is ‘them’ (abnormal, unacceptable, strange by comparison). Anyone perceived to be outside of the dominant culture, for whatever reason, can be othered.
State some key points of ‘othering’
Othering is an attempt to strengthen the dominant culture, who does and doesn’t belong
Othering relies on stereotypes and a lack of respect for other ways of life.
Othering can result in racism, discrimination and exclusion.
Exactly who is being othered can vary over time, place, and the current dominant culture.
Describe Stuart Halls theory of ethnic hybridity
Hall stressed that ethnic hybridity is about a person’s sense of belonging to part of the ethnic group.
Individuals choosing to belong to any particular ethnic group have also chosen not to belong to other ethnic groups.
Individuals who have chosen to adopt a set of social categories to define their membership of the ethnic group or groups the individual identifies with, automatically separate their identity into us and them, or the ‘other’
What is ethnic diversity?
Australia’s ethnic diversity refers simply to the current range of ethnicities within Australia
Define multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the presence of, or support for the presence of, several distinct cultural or ethnic groups within a society.
Multiculturalism can be understood as
- as a way to describe a culturally diverse society
- as a set of norms that uphold the right of the individual to retain and enjoy their culture
- as a set of government policies that seek to recognise, manage and make use of the benefits of Australia’s culturally diverse society
The multicultural policy has 4 principles. What is Principle 1?
The Australian Government celebrates and values the benefits of cultural diversity for all Australians, within the broader aims of national unity, community harmony and maintenance o
The multicultural policy has 4 principles. What is Principle 2?
The Australian Government is committed to a just, inclusive and socially cohesive society where everyone can participate in the opportunities that Australia offers and where government services are responsive to the needs of Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
