Essentials of Sociology: Race, Ethnicity, and Racism

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to race, ethnicity, and racism as discussed in the lecture notes for Essentials of Sociology, with definitions and important theories.

Race

A social and political construction used to categorize individuals based on physical characteristics.

Ethnicity

Cultural values and norms that distinguish members of a given group from others.

Prejudice

The holding of preconceived ideas about a group.

Racism

The attribution of characteristics of superiority or inferiority to a population sharing certain physically inherited characteristics.

Minority Group

A group of people who find themselves in situations of inequality due to distinct characteristics.

Dominant Group

The group that possesses more wealth, power, and prestige in a society.

Institutional Racism

Patterns of discrimination based on ethnicity that are embedded in social institutions.

Color-blind Racism

Racism without racists, where racial differences are ignored.

Microaggressions

Small slights or acts of disrespect that are often hurtful to people of color.

Assimilation

The process by which a minority group is accepted and takes on the values and norms of the dominant culture.

Melting Pot

The concept that ethnic differences can combine to create new cultural patterns.

Pluralism

A model for ethnic relations where all groups retain their identities but share equally in citizenship rights.

Multiculturalism

The viewpoint that ethnic groups can exist separately while participating equally in society.

Genocide

The systematic and planned destruction of a racial, ethnic, or cultural group.

Segregation

The practice of keeping racial and ethnic groups physically separate.