Sociology Chapter 8 Race and Ethnicity as Lived Experience

race

a socially defined category based on real or perceived biological differences between groups of people

ethnicity

a socially defined category based on common language religion nationality history or another cultural factor

symbolic ethnicity

an ethnic identity that is only relevant on specific occasions and does not significantly impact everyday life

situational ethnicity

an ethnic identity that can be either displayed or concealed depending on its usefulness in a given situation

racism

a set of beliefs about the superiority of one racial or ethnic group used to justify inequality and often rooted in the assumption that differences between groups are genetic

prejudice

an idea about the characteristics of a group that is applied to all members of that group and is unlikely to change regardless of the evidence against it

discrimination

unequal treatment of individuals based on their membership in a social group; usually motivated by prejudice

individual discrimination

discrimination carried out by one person against another

institutional discrimination

discrimination carried out systematically by institutions (political economic educational and others) that affect all members of a group who come into contact with it

passing

presenting yourself as a member of a different racial or ethnic group than the one you were born into

double consciousness

WEB Du Bois term for the divided identity experienced by blacks in America

embodied identity

those elements of identity that are generated through others' perceptions of our physical traits

miscegenation

romantic sexual or marital relationships between people of different races

genocide

the deliberate and systematic extermination of a racial ethnic national or cultural group

population transfer

the forcible removal of a group of people from the territory they have occupied

internal colonialism

the economic and political subjugation of the minority group by the dominant group within a nation

segregation

the physical and legal separation of groups by race or ethnicity

assimilation

a pattern of relations between ethnic or racial groups in which the minority group is absorbed into the mainstream or dominant group making society more homogenous

racial assimilation

the process by which racial minority groups are absorbed into the dominant group through intermarriage

cultural assimilation

the process by which racial or ethnic groups are absorbed into the dominant group by adopting the dominant group's culture

pluralism

a cultural pattern of intergroup relations that encourages racial and ethnic variation and acceptance within a society

race

is socially defined category based on real or perceived biological differences between groups of people

ethnicity

is a socially defined category based on common language religion nationality history or another culture factor

jewish

ethnic group not a group

defining race and ethnicity

sociologists see race and ethnicity as social constructions because

-race isn't based on biology (for instance we don't rest DNA to determine race)

racial categories change over time

racial categories never have firm boundaries

distinction between race and ethnicity

the distinction between ace and ethnicity is important because ethnicity can be displayed or hidden, depending on individual reference while racial edentates are always on display

symbolic ethnicity

is an ethnic identity that is only relevant on specific occasions and does not significantly impact everyday life

situational ethnicity

is an ethnic identity that can be either displayed or concealed depending on its usefulness in a given situation

what is a minority group?

a minority group is a social group that us systematically denied access to power and resources available to the dominant groups of a society

it is not necessarily fewer in number than the dominant group

racism

a set of beliefs about the superiority of one racial or ethnic

-used to justify inequality

-often rooted in the assumption that differences between groups are genetic

prejudice 2

a through process:

-an idea about the characteristics of a group

-applied to all members of that group

-unlikely to change regardless of the evidence against it

discrimination

(an action)

-unequal treatment of individuals because of their social group

-usually motivated by prejudice

individual discrimination

is discrimination carried out by one person against another

institutional discrimination

is systematic discrimination carried out by social institutions (political economic, educational, and others) that affects all members of a group who come into contact with it

functionalist theorists

focus on the ways that race creates social ties and strengthens group bonds

-acknowledge that such ties can lead to violence and social conflict between groups

even racial inequality even have functions in maintaing social order

conflict theory

focusses on the struggle for power and control over scarce resources

symbolic interactionists

focus on the ways that race class and gender intersect to produce an individual's identity

-see race as an aspect of identity established through interaction

racial passing

ir living as if one is a member of a different racial category has a long history in the united states

influences of race and ethnicity

they influence all aspects of our lives including health education work family and interactions with the criminal justice system and health care

US education

the highest high school dropout rates are associated with those from economically disadvantaged and non english speaking backgrounds

occupational inequality

inequality can also be seen in the workplace and in income distribution

-people of color who are less likely to achieve high levels of education are more likely to have lower paying jobs

genocide

is the deliberate and systematic extermination of a racial ethnic national or cultural group

population transfer

is the forcible removal of a group of people from the territory they have occupied

internal colonialism

is the economic and political domination and subjugation of the minority group by the controlling group within a nation

segregation

is the formal and legal separation of groups by race or ethnicity

assimilation

the minority group is absorbed into the mainstream or dominant group making society more homogeneous

-racial assimilation: racial minority groups are absorbed into the dominant group through intermarriage

-cultural assimilation: racial or ethnic groups are absorbed into the dominant group by adopting the dominant group's culture

pluralism

or multiculturalism is a pattern of intergroup relations that encourage racial and ethnic variation within a society

feminism

is the belief in the social political and economic equality of the sexes and the social movements organized around that belief

in the united states the history of the women's movement can be divided into three historical waves

feminism is not just a theory

it also involves action

the women's movement

the first wave was the earliest period pf feminist activism and included the period from the mid nineteenth century until american women won the right to vote in 1920. The campaign organized around gaining voting rights for women was called the suffrage movement

the second wave of the feminist movement

the second wave was the period of feminist activity during the 1960s and 1970s often associated with the issues of women's equal access to employment and education

ideology of the separate spheres

liberating individuals from these separate spheres: relieve both sexes from the constraints of gender inequalities

in the third wave of feminism

the third wave is the most recent period of feminist activity and focuses on issues of diversity and the variety of identities that women possess

social categories

feminist theory intersectionality women of color lesbian different abled poverty

men's movement

the men's movement called male libertinism was a movement that originated in the 1970s to discuss the challenges of masculinity

sexual orientation

sexual orientation is the inclination to be heterosexual (attracted to the opposite sex) homosexual (attracted to the same sex) or bisexual (attracted to either sex)

homophobia

is a fear of or discrimination toward homosexuals or toward individuals who display purportedly gender inappropriate behavior

is sexual orientation a continuum rather than a few simple categories?

kinsey scale of sexuality

those who are asexual may simply reject any sexual identity at all

brandon teena

born female and lived his life as a male

murdered brutally