Key Concepts in Racial Identity, Gender, and Power Structures

Racial Identity Development

The process by which individuals come to understand the social meaning of race and their place in a racialized society

Racism (Tatum)

Prejudice + power

Pre-encounter Stage

Race is not yet central to a person's identity

Encounter Stage

An experience forces awareness of racism

Immersion/Emersion Stage

Strong identification with one's racial group

Internalization Stage

Secure racial identity and openness to others

Sex

Biological differences between males and females

Gender

Socially constructed roles, behaviors, and expectations

Gender Roles

Societal expectations for how individuals should behave based on gender

Gender Socialization

The process of learning gender roles from society

Doing Gender

Performing behaviors that align with societal expectations of gender

Hegemonic Masculinity

Dominant cultural ideal of manhood (toughness, power, control)

Race

A socially constructed category based on perceived physical differences

Ethnicity

Shared cultural traits such as language, religion, and traditions

Prejudice

Preconceived attitudes or beliefs about a group

Discrimination

Actions or behaviors that treat groups unequally

Institutional Racism

Systemic inequalities embedded in social institutions

Colorblind Racism

Ignoring race to avoid addressing racial inequality

Structural Inequality

Unequal outcomes built into social systems

White Privilege

Unearned advantages that white people experience in everyday life

Invisible Knapsack

Metaphor for the unnoticed benefits of white privilege

White Supremacy Pyramid

A framework showing how everyday racism supports extreme acts of violence

Cultural Normalization

Stereotypes, jokes, and biases that seem 'normal'

Social Exclusion

Segregation and discrimination

Violence

Hate crimes and harassment

Genocide

Systematic destruction of a group

Patriarchy

A system where men hold primary power in society

Patriarchal System

Social structures that maintain male dominance

Path of Least Resistance

Following societal norms because it's easier than challenging them

Masculinity (Messner)

Socially constructed expectations of how men should behave

Sports and Masculinity

Sports reinforce aggression, competition, and emotional control

Globalization and Gender

The way global economic systems shape gender roles and inequalities

Transnational Labor

Work that crosses national borders

Global Care Chains

Women providing care work abroad while leaving their own families behind

Family Structure

The composition and organization of a family

Division of Labor (Family)

How tasks and responsibilities are shared in a household

Power Dynamics (Family)

How authority and decision-making are distributed

Difference between prejudice and discrimination

Prejudice = beliefs; discrimination = actions

What does Tatum define as racism?

Prejudice + power

What is hegemonic masculinity?

The dominant ideal of manhood emphasizes power and toughness

What is white privilege?

Unearned advantages experienced by white people

What is patriarchy?

A system where men hold primary power

What does the white supremacy pyramid show?

How everyday racism supports extreme violence