“RACISM IS MAN'S GRAVEST THREAT
TO MAN - THE MAXIMUM OF HATRED
FOR A MINIMUM OF REASON.”
-ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHE
Unit 3- Social Stratification:
Racism and Prejudice in America
WHITENESS
•
White Tanning vs. Umbrellas and Scarves
•
Asian Eye Surgery- Creating the Epicanthic Fold
•
Ethnic “Whiteness”
• Beyonce
• Ashwariya Rai
• Obama
When you go to the beach, how much
sunscreen do you use?
•
Do you see any rain?
What does this accomplish?
RACIAL AND ETHNIC INEQUALITY
Chapter 10
MINORITY, RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
• Racial Group-a group set
apart from others because of
obvious physical differences
• Examples-Whites, AfricanAmericans, Asian
Americans
• Ethnic Groups-set apart from
others primarily because of
national origin or distinctive
cultural patterns
• Examples-Puerto Ricans,
Jews, Polish Americans
ETHNICITY
•
Set apart by national origins or
distinctive cultural patterns
•
Spanish-speaking-Hispanics or
Latinos
•
others: Jewish, Irish, Italian,
Norwegian
•
distinction between racial and
ethnic minorities is not always
clear
•
distinction is socially significantless physical differences in
ethnicity-therefore stratification is
less difficult
MINORITY GROUPS
•
•
Numerical Minority-any group
that makes up less than half of
some larger population
•
Examples-television actors,
green-eyed people, tax lawyers,
descendants of the Mayflower
•
Not considered to be minorities
in the Sociological sense
Sociologists define minorities
by economic or political power,
or powerlessness, of that group
•
Subordinate group whose
members have significantly less
control or power over their
own lives than the members of
the dominant group
1. Share physical or cultural
characteristics
- Each society arbitrarily decides which
characteristics are important
2. Unequal treatment
- Social inequity may be created or maintained by
social prejudice, discrimination, segregation,
extermination
3. Membership is not voluntary
- Race and ethnicity are ascribed statuses
4. Strong sense of solidarity
- Group is the object of long term prejudice and
discrimination- “us versus them” mentality
5. Generally marry others from the same
group
- Members of dominant group is unwillingminorities encourage solidarity
FIVE BASIC
PROPERTIES OF
A MINORITY
GROUP
STEREOTYPING
• Unreliable generalization
about all members of a
group
• TV-almost all leading
dramatic roles are cast by
whites-even urban
portrayals such as Friends
are whites-blacks are
heavily represented in
crime-based dramas
 German Stereotype
SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY
AKA PYGMALION EFFECT
SELF-FULFILLING
PROPHECY
•
In response to stereotypes, false
definitions end up being
accurate
•
A person or group that is
described as having particular
characteristics begins to display
those very traits
•
•
Examples-bright child from
working class family is told he
would make a good carpenter
Labeling theory-how a person
comes to be labeled
•
Especially devastating to
minority groups
SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY
•
•
Dominant group believes that the subordinate group lack the ability
to perform in lucrative and important positions
•
Denies them the training for these positions
•
Minority group may see the entertainment or sports world as the only
way to fame and fortune
•
These same minority groups may help to convince the dominant group
that their stereotypes are valid-
Harry Edwards-studied the damaging effects of “innate Black
athletic superiority” self fulfilling prophecy
•
Only 2,500 blacks are making a living as professional athletes
•
Black community needs to abandon its “blind belief in sport as an
extraordinary route to social and economic salvation”
SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY
•
African-Americans and other
minority groups do not always
accept stereotypes and selffulfilling prophecies
•
“Black is Beautiful” and “Red
Power” rejecting traditional
definitions and replaced them
•
However, the use of the n-word
is still a controversial topic
today.
PREJUDICE
• Prejudice-negative attitude
toward an entire category of
people, often an ethnic or
racial minority
•
Can result from ethnocentrismthe tendency to assume that
one’s culture and way of life
represent the norm or are
superior to all others
• Form of prejudice is racismthe belief that one’s race is
supreme and all others are
innately inferior
•
1998-9,235 hate crimes -58% racial
bias-16% on sexual orientation-16%
on religious bias-10% on ethnic bias
•
Jasper, Texas-1998-3 white men,
possibly tied to race-hate groups,
tied up a black man, beat him with
chains, and then dragged him on
the back of their truck-until his
body became dismembered
•
Organized hate group activity is
increasing-both reality and virtual
reality
PREJUDICE
•
2,000 racial hatred websites on
the internet in 1999
 Emmitt Till
DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOR
•
Discrimination-the process of
denying opportunities and
equal rights to individuals or
groups because of prejudice or
other arbitrary reasons
•
•
Singling out of a certain group
or person due to their minority
characteristics.
Affirmative Action…
•
DISCRIMINATION?
•
NECESSARY?
•
Meant to counter
discrimination, but also
highlights it.
RACISM
Holy Smokes,
Batman!
• Prejudice or discrimination
directed against someone of
a different race based on
such a belief; hatred or
intolerance of another race
or other races.
• Prejudice and discrimination
CREATE racism.
• Often visible, whereas
prejudice is not always seen.
• Usually involves seeing
oneself as the superior race.
INSTITUTIONAL DISCRIMINATION
• Denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and
groups that result from the normal operations of a society
US Commission on Civil Rights identified various forms:
1. Rules requiring that only English be spoken at a place of work, even when it
is not a business necessity to restrict the use of other languages
2. Preferences shown by law and medical schools in the admission of children
of wealthy and influential alumni, nearly all of whom are white
3. Restrictive employment-leave policies, coupled with prohibitions on part
time work, that make it difficult for heads of single-parent families to obtain
and keep jobs
HOW OFTEN DO THESE
THINGS STILL EXIST?