Ethnic inequalities

Wood et al (2009)

there is discrimination in favour of white names over equivalent applications from ethnic minority groups

Heath and Yu (2005)

1st gen black, indian and pakistani migrant males faced significant ethnic penalties in terms of access to professional jobs

Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2007)

some ethnic minority graduates, specifically women, are finding it harder to gain higher level positions in their occupation

Battu and Sloane (2004)

ethnic minority groups in employment are more likely to be overeducated than their white counterparts

Davidson (1997)

the concrete ceiling

Viktor Dodd (2012)

many women remove their hijabs or make their names more English sounding in order to avoid discrimination in the workplace

how much of the population belonged to an ethnic minority group in 2014?

14%

Which percentage of unemployed males are black?

48%

which percentage of unemployed females are black?

34%

men from which ethnic group were most likely to be in low skilled jobs?

Pakistani men

women from which ethnic group are most likely to be in low skilled jobs?

Gypsy or Irish Traveller

which two ethnic groups are most likely to be working part time?

Bangladeshi and Gypsy or Irish Traveller

The National Equality Panel (2010)

found that the average total wealth of a white British household was £221,000 whereas Bangladeshi household had an average total wealth of £15000

Rowlingson and Mckay (2012)

white British people in managerial positions often had greater levels of wealth than those from ethnic minority backgrounds in the same position

ONS (2014)

around 2/5 of people from ethnic minorities live in low income households, twice the rate of white British people.

the Census (2011)

1 in 3 Bangladeshi and Pakistani individuals in England and Wales were living in deprived neighbourhoods

Evandrou (2000)

Pakistani and Bangladeshi people were most likely to be in pension poverty (60%)

Runnymede Report (2010)

ethnic minority groups are up to 3x more likely than white people to experience poverty in retirement

Flaherty et al (2004)

looked at reasons for poverty in ethnic minority groups:

• Educational Disadvantage

• Poor quality housing

• Difficulty with the benefits system

Platt (2005)

Indian people were better able to maintain occupational achievements than Caribbean people

Ami Sedghi (2014)

Chinese, Indian, Irish, Bangladeshi and Black African students are outperforming their white British peers in obtaining 5 or more GCSE’s at a pass grade

Mirza (1997)

Afro Caribbean girls were most likely to be pro education

Public Health England

people of Bangladeshi ethnicity had twice the risk of death from Covid-19 than white people

NIHR

babies born to black women had poorer outcomes such as stillbirth

Sheila Patterson (1965) Host immigration model - functionalism

Identified three main reasons for ethnic inequality:

• Hosts fear of cultural differences and social change it may bring

• Hosts resentment at having to compete for work and housing

• Failure of immigrants to assimilate and become fully British

Murray (1984) - new right

Blames black single mothers for causing crime

Tony Sewell (1997) - new right

57% of African Caribbean families were lone parent compared to 25% of white families

David and Moore (1945) effective role allocation - functionalism

People are assigned to different jobs due to varying skill levels

Althusser (1970) - marxism

Ideological state apparatus and repressive state apparatus maintain a capitalist society

Divide and Rule - Marxism

The bourgeois divide society up based on ethnic identity, scapegoating differente groups for different problems and turning the proletariat against each other.

Castles and Kosack (1973) - Marxism

Immigrants are the reserve army of labour

Cox (1970) - Marxism

Racism emerged from colonialism in order to benefit capitalism eg slavery

Miles (1989) - marxism

Nationalism has replaced colonialism and led to “racialised fractions” which reinforce divide and rule

The Morecombe Bay Tragedy (2004) - marxism

23 Chinese cockle pickers found drowned after working illegally to feed their families back in China

Barron and Norris (1979) dual labour market - Weberian theory

Ethnic minorities more likely to be in the secondary labour market (low paid, insecure jobs) whereas white people are more likely to be in the primary labour market (high paid and stable)

Rex and Thomlinson (1979)- Weberian theory

There is an “ethnic minority underclass” who are disadvantaged by being cut off from the white community

Social Closure - Weberian theory

Social closure can be operated by high class groups to exclude others, specifically ethnic minorities e.g. the bullingdon club

Davidson (1997) concrete ceiling - black feminism

there are societal barriers that prevent ethnic minority women from ever accessing top jobs

Abott et al (2005) - black feminism

Society perpetuates a “victim ideology” around ethnic minority women which ignores the ways in which they’ve fought against oppression.

Ethnic minority women should practise “theoretical racism” by writing about their experiences separately from the rest of feminism.

Rose Brewer (1993) - black feminism

Race, class and gender are all simultaneous forces that work together to further inequality

Heidi Mirza (1997) - black feminism

Afro Caribbean girls tend to be pro education

Black feminists can challenge the distorted image and stereotypes of ethnic minority women using their own experiences

Raewyn Connel (2009) - black feminism

Examined post colonial feminism and found that indigenous women had different experiences before and after colonial rule, often being trafficked and raped.

It’s important to develop a feminist perspective that challenges the dominance of western, mainstream feminism