Sociology Exam 3 (Race and Ethnicity)

race

a socially defined category based on biological differences b/w groups of people
-percieved biologically
-an ideas that we ascribe to biology
-people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock
-lines b/w races-blurry- no "pure" races
-greater ge

ethnicity

a socially defined category based on the perception of shared natural origin, common ancestry, etc.
-ex: religion
-ex: Jewish people=ethnicity, not race

racial categories

-in 2000, individs. could identify w/ 2 or more categories in the census
-rac. categories on the census have changed over time
-2010 census-distinguished b/w race and ethnicity

minority group

social group that is systematically denied the same access to power or resources available to society's dom. groups
-about social ineq, not necessarily #'s
-ex: California-majority-minority state (less than 45% of people are white, but they still control

membership in this minority group

often seen as master status imposed by others

minority groups

tend to have common experiences, which can lead to a sense of shared identity and in-group solidarity

6 basic patterns of intergroup relations

1. genocide
2. population transfer
3. internal colonialism
4. assimilation
5. acculturation
6. pluralism

genocide

the deliberate and systematic extermination of racial, ethnic, nation, or cultural groups
-ex: Holocaust (Jews, Gypsies, etc)
-ex: European "settling" of N. America (targeted Native Americans-killing them)

populaation transfer

to forcible removal of a group of people from the territory they have occupied
-ex: Native Americans forced to relocate to reservations
-ex: Partitioning in Israel to keep Israelis and Palestinians sepearte

internal colonialism

economic and political dominance and subjugation of the minority group by the controlling group within a nation,
-the policy of economically exploiting minority groups
-ex: segregation

segregation

the formal legal separation of groups by race or ethnicity

assimilation

process by which minorities are absorbed into the dominant group
-minorities adapt and become more like the dominant group
-one-way process
-ex: Native American boarding schools

acculturation

2-way process, resulting in a new blended culture
-process by which minorities are incorporated into society where both minority groups and dom. group accept new behaviors from each other

pluralism

a cultural pattern of intergroup relations that encourages racial and ethnic variation w/ in a society where members of diff. groups have equal social standing
-ex: approximated in Switzerland and Canada through laws that promote equality

multiculturalism

an ideal of many Americans- to embrace and celebrate diversity, which makes us stronger as a nation

assimilation ex: Mexican immigrants

belief that Mexican immigrants should abandon their language and culture in favor of English and "mainstream" Am. culture

acculturation ex: Mexican immigrants

belief that they should become part of Am. society, while adding new cultural elements (ex: food, dress, etc)
-both immigrants and our society should adapt

pluralism: Mexican immigrants

belief that they can maintain their unique culture and attain equal status in society

race

socially constructed
ex: in changing definitions of "white

ethnic options

White ethnics can choose when and how they display their ethnic group membership.
1. symbolic ethnicity
2. situational ethnicity
-only available to white folks (in US)
-Blacks, Latinos, etc. tend to have their ethnicity imposed by dom. group
-(skin color

symbolic ethnicity

an ethnic identity that is only relevant of specific occasion, and does not significantly impact everyday life
ex: showing you're Irish on St. Patty's day

situational ethnicity

an ethnic identity that can be either displayed or concealed, depending on its usefulness in a given sit.
ex: White American w/ Irish and Italian ancestry
-can claim either or no ethnic idenity

panethnicity

a broad catchall ethnic category in which people w/ distinct histories, cultures, languages, and identities are lumped together and viewed as belonging to that cat.
-ex: Latinos, Asians

race as interactional accomplishment

-Our ident. is constructed in negotiations b/w what we project and what others recognize
-We gen. think that we can easily ident. one's race based on appearance alone. (But we can't!)

racism

a set of beliefs about the superiority of one racial or ethnic group that is used to justify ineq.
-often rooted in assumption of biological diffs.

prejudice

an idea about the characteristics of a group that is applied to all members of that grow
-unlikely to change regardless of evidence against it (stereotype)
(belief)

discrimination

uneq. treatment of individuals based on their membership in a social group w/ out considering merit, ability, or past performance
-usually motivated by prejudice
(actions)

prejudice and discrimination: Merton's 4 cats

1. non-prejudiced non-discriminators
2. non-prejudiced discriminators
3. prejudiced non-discriminators
4. prejudiced discriminators

non-prejudiced non-discriminators

-believe in equality and take action against discrimination
-no pred, no discrimination

non-prejudiced discriminators

-believe in equality, but discriminate unintentionally
-no prejudice, but discrimination
-ex: white boss hiring people, telling white people to recommend people for job

prejudiced non-discriminators

-don't believe in equality, but don't discriminate
-prejudice, but not discrimination
ex: at IU, there are people are are pred, but don't act on those beliefs

prejudiced discriminators

-active bigots, don't believe in equality and actively discriminate
-prejudiced and discriminate

individual discrimination

-carried out b/w individuals
ex: Police officers may disc rim. against black drivers.

institutional discrimination

-carried out by institutions that affect all members of a group who come in contact with it
ex: difficulty getting a job or a bank loan for a racial minority