Ethnocentrism, Race, Ethnicity, and Discrimination

Ethnocentrism

• An orientation or set of beliefs that holds one's own culture, ethnicity, racial group, or standard as superior.
• It can cause problems in how people and groups live together, especially with competing values.

Race

• A socially constructed category based on biological traits a society defines as important.
• The concept of race is not based on biology or science.
• There is only one race of human beings.
• Race is a social construct, defined by what people consider important.
• Humans differ by physical traits, but race is created when society assigns importance to certain traits like skin color, eye color, hair texture, and eye shape.
• The meaning of race varies across cultures and changes over time.

Ethnicity

• An ethnic group shares a common cultural heritage, ancestry, language, and religion.
• Ethnicity is a socially constructed category based on traits a society defines as important.

Racism

• A destructive type of prejudice that asserts one group is innately superior to another.

Building Community

• Requires common language and social order.
• Land is essential for a community to thrive.
• Historical context is important. Race and related ideologies emerged as certain things were developed.
• These concepts have different connotations today compared to the nation's early history.

Prejudice

• Prejudice keeps people alive and helps them make decisions about what is good or bad for them.
• It is not just a survival mechanism, but also involves making decisions about one's environment and other people.
• Prejudice is a rigid opinion about an entire category of people without proof or systemic evidence.
• It involves associating one person's behavior with an entire population.
• Prejudices are assumptions.

Culture

• People are part of multiple cultures: family, community, society, and work.

Discrimination

• Discrimination is an action based on prejudice.
• Power is required to discriminate.

Reverse Racism

• The term is problematic.
• Racism requires power, authority, and opportunity.
• Reverse racism suggests that the disadvantaged group now has power over the previously dominant group.

Example: Engineering Field

• Engineering has historically been a male-dominated field.
• Discrimination can occur if someone is denied a job solely based on their gender, even if they are more qualified.
• One person alone may not have the power to keep a man out of engineering because the field was set up by men.

Nursing Example

• If a female nurse hiring a male nurse discriminates against him based on gender, it is still discrimination, not reverse discrimination, because men still hold most of the power positions.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• Important because people were historically excluded from employment, education, and other areas based on race, sex, and ability.
• Discrimination led to protests and demands for access to basic needs.
• Laws were created to prevent exclusion and provide access, but access does not equal equality or equity.
• Even with access, individuals may still face prejudice and have to prove they belong.

Historical Backgrounds

• Every group has a different historical background, both in the US and in their home countries.
• There are conquerors and the conquered, and their relationships vary.

Current Issues

• The idea that "we've done all we can do" is not an actual answer top the problem, as some debts have not been paid.
• Each group has a different perspective and experience.

Perspective of White People

• Some White people have reported they never experience racism and therefore don't believe it exists because they have not experienced it.
• Caucasian is a biological term, but ethnicity varies (e.g., Irish, German).

Personal History

• Understanding one's own history and DNA can provide a connection to one's identity.
• Many African Americans who are 20% European with no known European family lines are descendants of slaves.

Cultural Competence

• Recognizing and respecting the diversity within groups is important.
• Avoid making assumptions about people based on their race or appearance.
• Asking people about their culture can help better understand and appreciate them.
• It is a precarious situation how people with all of the different histories are trying to live together.

Institutions and Ideologies

• Institutions can discriminate due to the ideologies of the people within them.
• Culture is important to assessing people and understanding how they see the world.

Current Administration

• Some find the current administration oppressive.
• There is a sentiment that racism was thought to be gone, but it has reemerged.
• The current administration has given permission for people to express their racism.
• Access is not equality, and it is only the basic foundation of how people thrive.

Symbolism

• Symbolism is important and can evoke strong reactions.
• Experiences vary and should be respected.

Privilege

• Privilege is often misunderstood.
• Examples include not being afraid of being pulled over by the police.
• Being the youngest child in a family can also be a form of privilege, as well as, certain opportunities afforded by work, relationships, or economic status.
• Having a high school diploma and living indoors are also privileges.

Left Handed Privilege Example

• Left-handed people live in a world designed for right-handed people.
• Power tools are designed for right-handed people, making them more dangerous for left-handed people.
• Left-handed people are statistically more likely to be in head-on collisions because of how they instinctively turn the steering wheel when startled.
• Left-handed people have a lower lifespan due to these challenges.
• Notebooks and desks are designed for right-handed people, causing inconvenience for left-handed individuals.

Different Realities

• Everyone's reality is different, and assumptions should be avoided.
• There is no comparing left-handed privilege to the struggles of African Americans.
• People should not feel the need to be accountable because of who they are.
• It is not necessary for someone to be at the bottom for someone else to be at the top.
• Wealthy people aren't responsible for poverty, however, they have a greater responsibility in a society to see that others have the same opportunities.
• Acculturation is not always the answer.