Lecture 8
Social Stratification: Race and Ethnicity
Why do we still see racial inequality today?

Racial and ethnic groups that were forced
into American society have historically been
disadvantaged in the opportunity structure
and experience segregation today


Black, Latino, and Native American
Racial and ethnic groups that have voluntarily
come to the US have seen higer levels of
integration

European, Asian
Racial Stratification

Cultural differentiation



Structural differentiation



Ethnocentrism
Individual Racism
Institutional Racism: unchallenged and customary way of
doing things in society that keep minority groups in
subordinate or disadvantaged positions
Unequal Opportunity Structure
Social structure can encourage or reduce inequality
among racial and ethnic groups
Opportunity Structure
→
→
→
→
Wealth
High Income
Good Neighborhood
Good Schools
Good Jobs
Access to Health Care
↑
↓
→
→
→
→
Historical Race Relations: When Race
Mattered
Race caste oppression in the Ante-bellum
South (pre-1865)
1.
Slavery economic system based on race

Class conflict and racial oppression (18651964)
2.
Split-labor market – racial conflict over jobs
De Jure Segregation: separation of racial and
ethnic groups in daily activities



Civil service, housing, education, marriage
What is the Racial Legacy?
According to William J. Wilson, class position now
matters more than race in defining life chances (Wilson)
3.

Political changes broke down racial barriers, but economic
inequalities exist

De Facto Segregation: Formal segregation
replaced with informal segregation today

Underclass: segment of the population with limited
social mobility due to economic subordination

Perpetuated by residential, occupation, and education
segregation
Racial Stratification Today

Three areas of informal segregation exist
today that perpetuate racial/ethnic
stratification




Residential
Educational
Occupational
All of these are tied to wealth, which is the
engine of social mobility
Residential Segregation

New Deal Polices and GI Bill created a
legacy of residential segregation



Between 1934 and 1962, the federal government
backed $120 billion of home loans & more than
98% went to whites
Created segregated white suburbs
Since 1970, residential segregation declined
for Hispanics and Asians
Diversity in Bay Area

Index of Diversity



Most Diverse - Alameda County
Least Diverse – Marin County
Largest Percentage of:



Black Americans – Alameda and Solano (14%)
Latino/Latina – Santa Clara (11%)
Asian Americans – San Francisco (30%)
Do We Live Together?

Residential segregation is highest for:




Blacks (32-57%)
Latinos (23-46%)
Asians (!5-28%)
Santa Clara County:



Black – White: 59%
Latino- White: 52%
Asian – White: 34%
Changes in Education Access

1950’s – 1970’s saw gains in education


By 1976 Black and White high school graduation
were nearly the same
Late 1990’s seeing decline or stagnation in
equal education

1998 non-white enrollment at UCB dropped 45%
and at UCLA 36%
Disparities in Educational Attainment
Separate & unequal

If schools act as sorting
mechanisms, what
happens when the
schools are unequal?
Occupational Segregation

Occupations in which at least 25% are
African American


Taxi driver, postal clerk, correctional officer,
security guard, nurse’s aid/health aid, barber
Occupations in which at least 25% are
Latino/a

Private house cleaner, maid/janitor, gardener,
construction worker, farmworker, food service
An Invisible Class?

Invisible class: those who are economically
invisible



Minority status
Recent Immigrants
Undocumented
Effects: Race and Health

Infant Mortality and Premature Birth


Disease




Black Americans have more than double the rate of infant
mortality and premature birth than White Americans
Obesity and Diabetes
HIV
Cancer survival
These health inequalities reflect inequalities in life
chances and a structure of racism