CHAPTER 9: RACE & ETHNICITY
Section 1: Intro to Race & Ethnicity
3 Groups of Humans(Historically)
1. Caucasoids – Whites
– Fair skin, straight / wavy hair
2. Mongoloids – Asians
– Yellow / brownish skin, distinctive eyelid folds
3. Negroids – Blacks
– Dark skin, tightly curled hair
Minority
• Distinct characteristics
from majority
• Dominated by majority
• Traits believed inferior
by majority
• Members have
common identity
• Ascribed status
Race
• Physical
characteristics?
• People sharing
certain inherited
physical
characteristics that
are considered
important within a
society
Ethnicity
• Set of cultural characteristics that
distinguishes one group from another
• Ethnic minority - group identified by cultural,
national, or religious characteristics
Section 2: Interaction Patterns
Discrimination
• Denial of equal treatment to individuals based
on their group membership (behaviors)
– Individual (name-calling, rudeness, etc.)
– Societal (Legal & Institutionalized)
• Legal – upheld by law (apartheid)
• Institutionalized (becomes part of social structure)
Prejudice
• Unsupported generalization about a category
of people (attitudes)
• Stereotype – oversimplified generalization
• Self-fulfilling prophecy – prediction that
results in behavior that makes the prediction
come true
• Racism – belief that one’s own race / ethnic
group is naturally superior
Watch Your Chosen Show
1. Notice when and how often members of
minority groups appear. (racial, ethnic,
religious)
2. How are they portrayed by the television
media?
3. When do stereotypical characterizations /
events occur?
4. How do these portrayals compare to society?
True of False
• Most hate crimes are extremely brutal and
involve violence done to a person
• True
• More force than necessary is often used
against the victims
True of False
• The U.S. Constitution has identified English as
the official language of the country
• False
True of False
• The frequency of hate crimes in the U.S. has
finally begun to decrease
• False
• In 2003, hate crimes were still on the rise
True of False
• Most school-related hate crimes are
committed by students who belonged to an
organized hate group
• False
• More likely to act alone or with one or two
friends
True of False
• Some kinds of hatred toward certain groups of
people are instinctive and biologically based
• False
• Culturally transmitted or learned (duh)
PREJUDICE
DISCRIMINATION
YES
NO
NO Prejudiced nondiscriminator
• Prejudice but doesn’t
discriminate
• Afraid to because of
societal pressures
Unprejudiced-nondiscriminator
• Non-prejudiced who
doesn’t discriminate
YES Prejudiced Discriminator
• Prejudice and
discriminates
• Open about belief and
actions
Unprejudiced
discriminator
• Not prejudice but still
discriminates
• Because of societal
pressures
What percentages of the population belong to each category? How about at THS?
Sources of Discrimination
• Sociological
– Focus on social environment
– May become prejudice to fit in
Sources of Discrimination
• Psychological
– Individual behavior
– Due to personality type
– Product of frustration and anger
• Scapegoating – place blame for troubles on innocent
person / group
Minority Groups often Scapegoats
•
•
•
•
•
Easy to recognize them
Lack of power to fight back
Often concentrated in one area
TTWWADI
Represent something scapegoater doesn’t like
Sources of Discrimination
• Economic
– Arises out of competition for scarce resources
Patterns of Assimilation
• Assimilation – blending of minority groups into
the dominant society (Anglo-conformity)
– Melting Pot – several minorities blend together
– Tossed Salad – minorities maintain own culture to
some degree and affect dominant culture (Cultural
pluralism)
• Accommodation – minority maintains own
culture and independence
• Legal Protection – legal action to ensure
protection
Patterns of Conflict
1. Segregation – policies that physically separate
minority group from dominant group
– De Jure – Based on laws
– De Facto – based on informal norms
2. Subjugation – maintaining control thru force
3. Population Transfer – dominant group moves
minorities to new territory
– Indirectly - make life miserable
– Directly – use of force
Patterns of Conflict
1. Extermination
– Genocide – intentional destruction of entire group
– Ethnic cleansing – remove group thru terror,
expulsion, mass murder
True or False
• The United States has the most foreign-born
residents of any country in the world
• True
• WE admit more than 1 million every year (30%
unauthorized) – 4% of our population
True or False
• Among Asian Americans, the most
economically successful are Asian Indians
• True
True or False
• The government could do more to stop
prejudice and discrimination.
True or False
• Colleges and pro teams that have logos,
nicknames, or mascots that could be offensive
should be forced to change.
• What about the Minnesota Vikings or the
Notre Dame Fighting Irish?
True or False
• Reverse racism is as much of a problem as
racism
True or False
• We should celebrate Black History Month.
True or False
• It’s ok for rappers to use the N-word in their
music.
True or False
• BET television is acceptable to have on cable
TV.
True or False
• It’s ok to fly the Confederate flag.
What Would You Do?
• Rumor has it that one of five administrators at
your school unfairly punishes members of a
certain race and gender when dealing with
discipline referrals.
• You and your best friend (who is also a member
of this unfavored group) are sent to this person
because of tardiness. You receive a counseling
session and your parents are called; your friend
gets lunch detention, a parent conference, and a
Friday school.
• How do you respond to this?
Section 3: Minority Groups in the USA
Minority Groups in the USA
• American Dilemma – gap between what we
claim to believe and how we actually behave
• WASP – White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant
African-Americans
• Slaves in 1600s
• Civil rights movement helpful
• Lower income & education, poverty, urban
living
Latinos
• Largest minority group
• Until 1960s – primarily from Caribbean and
came legally
• 1960s & on – central & South Americans
• High poverty, urban living, low education &
income
• Political gains & voting blocks
• Very diverse population
Asian-Americans
• Increasing population
• First came in 1850s and again in 1890s, then in
1950s
• High education levels, higher than average
income
• The ‘Model Minority’
• Nowadays: SE Asians, low paying jobs & poor
Native Americans
• Disease, war, destruction reduced numbers
• Many unemployed, impoverished, alcoholics,
suicidal, little education
• Forced assimilation
• Nowadays
– Laws to protect land / artifacts
– Gambling & manufacturing industries on land
White Ethnics
• Eastern Europeans (mostly catholic countries)
• Little money, few skills, different languages
• Rapid assimilation