sociology race and ethnicity

amalgamation

the process by which a minority group and a majority group combine to form a new group

antiracist

a person who opposes racism and acts for racial justice

assimilation

the process by which a minority individual or group takes on the characteristics of the dominant culture

colorism

the belief that one type of skin tone is superior or inferior to another within a racial group

culture of prejudice

the theory that prejudice is embedded in our culture

discrimination

prejudiced action against a group of people

dominant group

a group of people who have more power in a society than any of the subordinate groups

ethnicity

shared culture, which may include heritage, language, religion, and more

expulsion

the act of a dominant group forcing a subordinate group to leave a certain area or even the country

genocide

the deliberate annihilation of a targeted (usually subordinate) group

intersection theory

theory that suggests we cannot separate the effects of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other attributes

minority group

any group of people who are singled out from the others for differential and unequal treatment

model minority

the stereotype applied to a minority group that is seen as reaching higher educational, professional, and socioeconomic levels without protest against the majority establishment

pluralism

the ideal of the United States as a “salad bowl:” a mixture of different cultures where each culture retains its own identity and yet adds to the “flavor” of the whole

prejudice

biased thought based on flawed assumptions about a group of people

racial profiling

the use by law enforcement of race alone to determine whether to stop and detain someone

racial steering

the act of real estate agents directing prospective homeowners toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race

racism

a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are used to justify the belief that one racial category is somehow superior or inferior to others

redlining

the practice of routinely refusing mortgages for households and business located in predominately minority communities

scapegoat theory

a theory that suggests that the dominant group will displace its unfocused aggression onto a subordinate group

sedimentation of racial inequality

the intergenerational impact of de facto and de jure racism that limits the abilities of Black people to accumulate wealth

segregation

the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, but also in workplace and social functions

social construction of race

the school of thought that race is not biologically identifiable

stereotypes

oversimplified ideas about groups of people

subordinate group

a group of people who have less power than the dominant group

systemic racism

racism embedded in social institutions; also referred to as institutional racism and structural racism

White privilege

the societal privilege that benefits White people, or those perceived to be White, over non-White people in some societies, including the United States