/Openstax Sociology Chapter 11

Assimilation

the process by which a minority individual or group takes on the characteristics of the dominant culture

amalgamation

the process by which a minority group and a majority group combine to form a

new group

Colorism

the belief that one type of skin tone is superior or inferior to another within a racial group

Culture of prejudice

the theory that prejudice is embedded in our culture

Discrimination

prejudiced action against a group of people

Dominant group

a group of people who have more power in a society than any of the subordinate groups

Ethnicity

shared culture, which may include heritage, language, religion, and more

Expulsion

the act of a dominant group forcing a subordinate group to leave a certain area or even the country

genocide

the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

Institutional racism

racism embedded in social institutions

intersection theory

theory that suggests we cannot separate the effects of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other attributes

Minority group

any group of people who are singled out from the others for differential and unequal treatment

Model minority

the stereotype applied to a minority group that is seen as reaching higher educational, professional,

and socioeconomic levels without protest against the majority establishment

Pluralism

the ideal of the United States as a "salad bowl:" a mixture of different cultures where each culture retains

its own identity and yet adds to the "flavor" of the whole

Prejudice

biased thought based on flawed assumptions about a group of people

Racial profiling

the act of real estate agents directing prospective homeowners toward or away from certain

neighborhoods based on their race

racial steering

the practice in which real estate brokers guide prospective home buyers towards or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race

Racism

a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are used to justify the belief that one racial category is somehow

superior or inferior to others

redlining

A process by which banks draw lines on a map and refuse to lend money to purchase or improve property within the boundaries.

Scapegoat theory

a theory that suggests that the dominant group will displace its unfocused aggression onto a

subordinate group

sedimentation of racial inequality

the intergenerational impact of both practical and legalized racism that limits the abilities of black people to accumulate wealth

Segregation

the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, but also in workplace and social

functions

Social construction of race

the school of thought that race is not biologically identifiable

Stereotypes

oversimplified ideas about groups of people

Subordinate group

a group of people who have less power than the dominant group

White privilege

the benefits people receive simply by being part of the dominant group