Race

Course Evaluations: Important for class evaluation.
- Class sections: POLSC 11000 Sec: 01 or POLSC 11000 Sec: X-01.
- Respect the evaluations for your Teaching Assistant (TA).
Exam Grade Bump Up: Due by 12/13, extra points will be added.
Final Exam: Scheduled for 12/19 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, location HW-615.
- Study guide available on Blackboard.

Defining Race:
- Write a personal definition of race (2-3 sentences).
- Working Definition: Race is a social and cultural construct categorizing people based on presumed biological differences.
- Historical and geographical variability in racial categories, emphasizing that race is not a biological reality.

Census data is crucial for understanding demographics.
- Counts the population yearly, influences voting representation and federal/state fund allocation.
- Racial classifications have evolved, with significant changes between 2000 and 2010, affecting nearly 10 million residents.
- Research by Saperstein and Penner (2012) indicates 1 in 5 individuals experienced racial classification changes due to shifts in social status.

Race is an artificial division reflecting physical appearance, ancestry, culture, and societal needs.
Historical relevance of race remains significant in the U.S., tied to oppression and marginalization.

Colonial Period: Formation of racial caste systems through colonization, slavery, and the genocide of Native Americans. Bacon's Rebellion (1676) was a pivotal event.
Constitutional Era (1780s-1860s): White-only citizenship laws restricted the rights of various groups including Black Americans and Native peoples.
Reconstruction Era (1863-1877): Brief hopeful multiracial democracy characterized by Black voter engagement and office holding.
Jim Crow Era (1877-1960s): Herrenvolk democracy where only one racial group enjoyed democracy.
Civil Rights Era (1960s-1980s): Expansion of civil rights, manifested through major legislation.
Contemporary Era (1980s-onward): Rise of colorblindness and backlash against racial progress.

Racial animus remains politically relevant, affecting group identification and political behaviors.

Group Membership vs. Group Identification:
- Objective membership concerns actual membership in a group.
- Subjective identification refers to personal feelings of connection to the group.
Group Consciousness: Recognition of group status and political relevance, often arising from experiences of marginalization.

Developed by Tajfel and Turner:
- Self-Categorization: Requires recognition of belonging to a specific group.
- Affective Attachment: Emotional connection to the group.
- Supported by various experimental studies.

Crenshaw's principle illustrates that overlapping identities lead to unique experiences of discrimination, especially for marginalized women.

Gender pay gaps vary significantly across races and ethnicities in the U.S. (2018 data):
- White non-Hispanic women: 85 cents to the dollar of white men.
- Overall women: 80 cents, varying by ethnicity (Hispanic women: 77 cents, Black women: 61 cents, etc.).

Group cohesion correlates positively with political engagement, linked to perceived discrimination and identity.
Linked Fate: Concept indicating shared group interests influence political consciousness.

Black adults are more likely to feel that their racial group’s circumstances affect their lives than other racial groups.
White Democrats show a stronger sense of linked fate with their own and other groups compared to Republicans.

Historical shifts in perceptions among Blacks about shared fate since 1984, with varying responses observed.
Latino responses reveal varied dependency on welfare together, signaling shared experiences.
Asian groups show considerable diversity in perceptions of common fate.

Definition: Merger of immigration law with criminal law, changing how immigration is policed.
Deportation trends have shifted toward viewing immigration violations as criminal offenses.

The U.S. has a disproportionately high incarceration rate relative to its population.
Specific demographics (Blacks, Hispanics) are overly represented in prison populations.
Mass Incarceration Definition: Involves broader systems of laws and policies that maintain control over marginalized populations.

Increased incarceration linked to factors such as drug wars, mandatory sentencing, and proactive policing.

Race is a social construction deeply rooted in U.S. history and its political landscape, impacting various aspects of American society. Further study recommended for those interested in exploring the intersection of race and politics.