Document 20

Lecture 9: February 11, 2025 - Race and Racialization

Minority Groups

• Minority groups are socially disadvantaged.

  • Lack social power compared to the dominant group.

  • Experience unequal treatment.

  • Share distinct physical or cultural characteristics.

  • Form a strong sense of group solidarity.

  • Tend to marry within their communities.

Social Construction of Difference

• Myth of Race: A misconception that races are biologically distinct groups.

• Social Construction of Race: Influenced by historical colonialism and ethnocentrism.

• Race is real in a social context.

Key Definitions

• Racialization: The attribution of complex characteristics to racial categories.

• Internalized Racism: Minority groups adopting ascribed negative attributes as part of their identity.

• Ethnicity: A multi-dimensional concept encompassing status, ancestry, language, ascribed status, and often religious affiliation.

• Ethnic Groups: Communities with shared culture, language, music, traditions, and beliefs; often formed through migration.

Page 2 - Prejudice, Racism, and Discrimination

Definitions

• Prejudice: Negative pre-judgments about individuals or groups.

  • Ecological Fallacy: Misapplying group-level data to individuals.

  • Exception Fallacy: Generalizing from individual cases to an entire group.

  • Stereotypes: Overgeneralizations made about a group of people.

• Racism: Ideological belief in racial superiority/enforcement of group inferiority.

  • Democratic Racism: Maintains equality while perpetuating minority oppression.

Types of Discrimination

1. Individual: Advantages or disadvantages based on group membership.

2. Direct Institutional: Policies/practices discriminating against individuals as a group.

3. Indirect Institutional: Policies resulting in unequal outcomes without discriminatory intent.

Page 3 - Theorizing Prejudice and Discrimination

Psychological Theories

• Scapegoat Theory: Prejudice stemming from people's need to blame others for their frustrations.

• Authoritarian Personality Theory: Links prejudicial attitudes to rigid adherence to social norms.

Sociocultural Theories

• Culture Theory: Prejudice as a natural part of cultural interactions.

• Functionalist Theory: Social functions of prejudice can unite groups but also limit diversity.

• Conflict Theory: Prejudice as a result of social competition.

• Marxist Theory: Class divides are exploited by elites to maintain power.

Other Theories

• Critical Race Theory: Examines intersections of race, class, and gender to redress inequality.

• Symbolic Interactionism: Prejudice as a learned cultural component, intergroup contact can reduce prejudice.

Page 4 - Minority Relations Categories

1. Genocide: Intentional extermination of a minority group.

2. Expulsion: Forcing a minority to leave or limiting their location.

3. Segregation: Physical/social separation of groups.

4. Assimilation: Minority adopts traits of the dominant culture.

5. Cultural Pluralism: Retaining distinct cultural identities within the society.

Immigration and Diversity

• Historical spike in immigration from 1880-1990 led to increased diversity in Canada.

• 63% of recent immigrants settle in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver.

• Policies increasingly favor skilled immigrants.

Current Demographics

• 23% of Canadians identified as immigrants (Statistics Canada, 2021).

• Major sources of permanent residents in 2021 included India, China, and the Philippines.

Page 5 - Immigrant Experiences

Wage Gap and Challenges

• Second-generation Canadians typically earn less despite education.

• Various socioeconomic factors and networks influence job opportunities.

Page 6 - Race: The Social Construction of Difference

• Traditional definitions of race based on physical traits are outdated; variations do not define behavior or ability.

• Du Bois' Contributions: Argued race is a social construct, not a biological one.

• Sociology's focus on race remains important due to its social implications.

Page 7 - The Family: Definitions and Dynamics

Types of Families

• Nuclear Family: Comprises parents and their children.

• Extended Family: Includes multiple generations in one household.

• Family of Orientation vs. Family of Procreation: Understanding one’s birth family versus one created through raising children.

Social Implications of Family Definitions

• Recognition of diverse family structures challenges traditional biases.

• Social and legal definitions of family impact access to resources and rights.

Page 8 - Family Changes and Social Theories

Statistically Changing Definitions

• Census Families: Reflects various modern family forms, including cohabitating couples.

• Economic Families: Includes various combinations of relationships based on sharing dwellings.

Theoretical Perspectives

• Post-Structuralist Theory: Analyzes and challenges dominant family narratives.

• Queer Theory: Questions heteronormativity in family discussions.

Page 9 - Marriage and Divorce Trends

Trends in Marriage

• Shift towards cohabitation and declining formal marriages.

• Same-sex marriage legalized through Civil Marriage Act.

Divorce Legislation

• Changes in laws in the late 20th century led to increased divorce rates.

• Amendments in divorce laws facilitated more accessible processes.

Page 10 - Impacts of Marriage

Benefits of Marriage

• Reflects positively on economic and personal well-being, associations with better health and lower substance usage.

Public Opinions

• Significant number of Canadians view marriage as unnecessary, reflecting changing societal norms.

Page 11 & 12 - Sociological Approaches to Family

Functionalism and Roles

• Families are vital social institutions supporting children's development.

• Various sociological theories explore family dynamics and conflicts around labor and social roles.

Domestic and Family Violence

• Increase in awareness of family violence; significant victimization statistics among women.

Page 13 - Intimate Partner Violence

• Highlight concerning trends in intimate partner abuse, especially towards women, necessitating continued focus on prevention and support.