Racial Inequality, Racism, and White Privilege

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on racial inequality, racism, and white privilege, including definitions, important processes, and sociocultural implications.

Minority group

A subordinate group whose members have significantly less control or power over their own lives than members of the dominant or majority group.

Racial group

A group set apart from others because of physical differences that have taken on social significance.

Race as a biological construct

Race as a biological construct does not exist; all humans share the same basic genetic material.

Racial formation

A socio-historical process in which racial categories are created, inhibited, transformed, and destroyed.

Social construction of race

The process by which people come to define a group as a race based on physical characteristics and historical, cultural, and economic factors.

Prejudice

A negative attitude toward an entire category of people, often a racial or ethnic minority.

Racism

The belief that one race is supreme and all others are innately inferior.

Colour-blind racism

The use of race-neutral principles to perpetuate a racially unequal status quo.

Central Frames of Colour Blind Racism

1) Abstract liberalism, 2) Naturalization, 3) Cultural racism, 4) Minimization of racism.

White Fragility

The defensiveness towards any amount of racial stress, perceived as an unfair and moral offense, typically stemming from superiority or entitlement.

Institutional discrimination

A pattern of treatment that systematically denies access to resources and opportunities to individuals and groups as part of the normal operations of a society.

White privilege

An invisible knapsack of special provisions and assurances that allow white individuals to take their status for granted.

Impact of immigration on society

Mass migrations have tremendous social impacts, shaping demographics and cultural landscapes.

Transnationals in the context of immigration

People or families who move across borders multiple times in search of better jobs and education.

Biases in immigration policies

Clear racial and ethnic biases have been built into immigration policies, evident in examples like post 9/11 policies for Muslim immigrants and historical Chinese immigration policies