Chapter 10 Sociology Race and Ethnicity Essay

Race tidy sum who shargon carnal characteristics, such as skin color and facial features that atomic number 18 passed on done reproductive memory cordial reflexion a societal invention that labels peck found on physical appearance. Skin color, hair texture, and eye shape are examples of unequal treatment social Group a separate of people who identify with a common national origin or pagan heritage that includes spoken language, geographic roots, food, customs, traditions, and/or religion. Puerto Ricans, Chinese, Serbs, Arabs, Swedes, Hungarians, Jews Racial-Ethnic Group people who sport distinctive physical and cultural characteristics. Immigrants Illegal immigrants do the creases that roughly Americans dont want like clean homes and offices, nannies and busboys, nurses aides, and pick fruit for low profits Dominant and nonage Groups Dominant Group all physically or culturally distinctive group that has most(prenominal) economic and political power, the s uperlative privileges, and the highest social status. Men are dominant group because they have to a greater extent than status, resources, and power than women. Apartheid a formal system of racial segregation Minority a group of people who may be subject to differential coefficient and unequal treatment because of their physical, cultural, and other characteristics such as sex, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or skin color. American minorities have fewer choices than dominant group members in finding homes and apartments because they are slight apt(predicate) to get help from a bank to help with mortgage. Patterns of Dominant-Minority Group Relations Genocide the systematic parkway to kill all members of a particular ethnic, religious, political, racial, or national group. final solution in Ger human beingsy Segregation the physical and social separation of dominant and minority groups. De Facto informal may be voluntary as when members of racial or ethnic grou ps prefer to live among their confess group. Due to discrimination -De Jure statutory replaced by de facto Assimilation the process of conforming to the culture of the dominant group, adopting its language and values, and intermarrying with that group. Mexicans are less likely to assimilate in the US than immigrants from the Philippines, Vietnam or South Korea because they are more likely to have entered the country lawlessly which cuts them from getting a good job, most public assistance programs, and stock-stilltual(prenominal) citizenship Pluralism minority groups retain their culture but have equal social standing in a society. The US is pluralistic because it is multicultural, multicolored, and multilingual. Also, the US has most racial and ethnic communities (Little Italy, Greek Town, Little Korea, Spanish Harlem) live peacefully side by side Some Sources of Racial-Ethnic Friction. racialism a set of beliefs that ones own racial group is naturally superior to other grou ps. preconceived idea an attitude, positive or negative, toward people because of their membership. Different from us in race, ethnicity, or religion. Asians are really aphonic workers White people cant be trusted sort an oversimplified exaggerated generalization about a category of people. Can be positive All African Americans are athletic Can be negative All African Americans are lazy Ethnocentrism the belief that ones own culture, society, or group is inherently superior to others. lower those outside of our group. Scapegoats individuals or groups whom people blame for their own problems or shortcomings. They didnt hire me because the company wants blacks I didnt get into that college because Asian Americans are at the top of the list Minorities are scapegoating targets because they differ in physical appearance and too powerless to strike back. Stereotypes, ethnocentrism, and scapegoating are attitudes, but pop off to discrimination. disparity any act that treats people unequally or below the belt because of their group membership. Range from social slights ( non inviting a co worker to lunch) to rejection of job application and hate crimes. Can be subtle (not sitting contiguous to someone) or blatant (racial slurs) Individual favoritism harmful action on a one-to-one basis by a member of a dominant group against a member of a minority group. divergence while eating in restaurants, shopping, buying house, applying for job, etc. Institutional Discrimination unequal treatment and opportunities that members of minority groups experience as a payoff of the everyday operations of a societys law, rules, policies, practices, and customs. Heath go minorities get lower quality care than white people even when treated by the same doctor. Relationship between Prejudice and Discrimination Robert Merton described the relationship between prejudice and discrimination as 4 patterns 1. Unprejudiced Nondiscriminators All-weather liberals They ar ent prejudiced and dont break they believe in the American creed of freedom 2. Prejudiced Discriminators ready Bigots They are prejudiced and do discriminate. They are willing to break laws to extinguish beliefs 3. Unprejudiced Discriminators Fair-weather liberals They arent prejudiced but they discriminate because its in their own self interest to do so 4.Prejudiced Nondiscrimination Timid Bigots They are prejudiced but dont discriminate. Major Racial and Ethnic Groups in the US European Americans immigrants from southern and eastern Europe they viewed newcomers as dirty, lazy, and uncivilized because they differ in language, religion and customs. Latinos more Latinos who were professionals in their ingrained land only find low-income jobs in the US. They often have a hard time to both work and learn English thoroughly enough to pass exams to become doctors, lawyers, and accountants. Many are successful though. suck in go bad hourly wages because they are older, better ed ucated, and more likely to be employed in construction than agriculture. African Americans They are successful. A third of all black households earn incomes of $50,000 or more. Asian Americans the most successful Asian Americans are those who intercommunicate English relatively come up and have high education levels. Have higher educational levels than any other US racial-ethnic groups. Most likely to be concentrated in highly skilled occupations like information technology, science, engineering, and medicine. American Indians they are not immigrants, they have been in the US longer than any other group. They have made considerable economic progress by insisting on self- determination and the rights of tribes to run their own affairs. Most of them work in construction and repair, maintenance, and personal and laundry services. Middle Eastern Americans one of the most different and complex combinations of geographic, historical, religious, linguistic, and even racial places on Earth. Tend to be better educated and wealthier than other Americans. Well integrated into American life.Three of 4 speak only English at home or speak it well and more than half are homeowners. Sociological Explanations of Racial-Ethnic Inequality Functionalism (macro) Prejudice and Discrimination can be dysfunctional, but they provide benefits for dominant groups and perk up society. Conflict (macro) Powerful groups maintain their advantages and perpetuate racial-ethnic inequality primarily done economic exploitation Primary Labor Market held primarily by white workers, provide better wages, health and pension benefits, and some cadency of job security. Secondary Labor Market (fast-food employees) are largely minorities and slowly paid, their wages are low, there are a few benefits and functional conditions are poor. Feminist (macro and micro) Minority women suffer from the combined effects of racial discrimination and sexism. Gendered Racism the overlapping and cumula tive effects of inequality due to racial discrimination and sexism. Symbolic Interactionism (micro) Hostile attitudes toward minorities, which are learned, can be reduced through cooperative interracial and interethnic progress tos. Attitudes toward dominant and minority groups through labeling and selective perception can increase prejudice and discrimination. Contact Hypothesis the idea that more people get to know members of a minority group personally, the less likely they are to be prejudiced against that group Interracial and Interethnic Relationships cross marriage or sexual relations between a man and a woman of different races. The increase in intermarriage reflects many interrelated factors both macro and micro that include everyday contact and changing attitudes.