SOC 1000 - Racialization and ethnicity (test 2)

“Race” - why quotations ?

Similarity of physical appearance

• quotations because some are based on

  • Colour

  • Language roots

  • Continents

  These are non-comparable categories

Racialization

The way that others categorize people by visible characteristics and features such as hair colour, hair type, skin colour, facial features

Ethnicity

• generally biologically self-perpetuating

• Shares a culture

• Members communicate, interact, and identify with one another

• Distinguished similar groupings

Main characteristic of ethnicity

Boundaries: ethnic groups have cultural boundaries, if you can choose to be it, its not “race”

Measurement of ethnicity

• origins : from where their ancestors emigrated

• Identity: to whom do they feel they belong

• Mother tongue: the first language they learned

Minorities

A disadvantaged group subjected to unequal treatment by a dominant group, and who regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination

Annihilation/expulsion

Elimination of relations through one group being

• annihilated (genocide)

• Expelled

Stratification

Formation of a hierarchy of dominance

• colonialism: one group dominates the other

• Segregation: physical and social separation of categories of people

Pluralism

Multiculturalism - “the mosaic”: groups live together on an equal basis while keeping and valuing their differences

Institutional completeness: a complete set of special institutions that serve their own members in their own language

Assimilation

The minority group is absorbed into the dominant culture Ex/loss of ethnicity

Dimensions of assimilation

• cultural: merging values and standards “acculturation”

• Structural: equal occupation distribution, education levels, political participation

• Psychological : attitude of “oneness”/ “we feeling”

• Biological : blending of genetic patterns through long interbreeding

Factors of assimilation

• ethnic neighourbood residence

• Ethnic identification

• Endogamy/exogamy

• Ethnic religious affiliation

• In-group interaction

• Ethnic language retention

Prejudice

A rigid and irrational generalization about an entire category of people

Stereotypes

Exaggeration o a trait typical of the group

Self-fulfilling prophecy

People behave the way they’re expected to behave

Differential treatment

Form of discrimination

Treating people differently

Prejudicial treatment

Form of discrimination, treating someone based on the category to which they belong before getting to them individually

Denial of what they desire

Placing restrictions on the aspirations of members of a social group, Form of discrimination

Disadvantageous treatment

Form of discrimination

• Mildest form: verbal derogation

• Most severe form: physical attack

Prejudice is an _, discrimination is an _

Prejudice is what we _, discrimination is what we _

Prejudice is an attitude, discrimination is an action

Prejudice is what we think, discrimination is what we do

Affirmative action

Active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups

Racism

Set of beliefs that assume:

• behavioural tendencies are genetically based

• Race differs in their possession of these traits

• Some races are superior and should enjoy extra privilege and power

What factors foster racism ?

• socio-economic factors

• Sociolinguistic factors ex/ the word “black” in the English language has a negative connotation

Institutional racism

Discriminatory racial practices built into such prominent structures as the political, economic, and educational systems