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
Individual: Advantages or disadvantages based on group membership.
Direct Institutional: Policies/practices discriminating against individuals as a group.
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
Genocide: Intentional extermination of a minority group.
Expulsion: Forcing a minority to leave or limiting their location.
Segregation: Physical/social separation of groups.
Assimilation: Minority adopts traits of the dominant culture.
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.