CSP250/Beauty Within the Beast:
CLASS, GENDER AND RACE IN THE CULTURE OF
CAPITALISM
FALL 2009
“Taking Apart The Story”
Race and Ethnicity
Intersectionality
Representational
Realm
Realm of Social
Interaction
Social Structural
Realm
Intersections of Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
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Representational Realm
 The representational realm includes the symbols,
language, and images that convey “meanings” in a
sociocultural system.
Social Interactional Realm
 Social interaction refers to the norms and
behaviors observable in human relations in a
sociocultural system.
Social Structural Realm
 The social structural realm involves the institutional
sites where power and resources are controlled and
distributed in a sociocultural system.
Conceptualizing…
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Essentialism:
A perspective that argues that members of a
segment of a population share essential
biological and psychological characteristics.
These characteristics are argued to be uniform
and unalterable.
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Constructionism:
A perspective that argues that differences and
similarities among and between members of
segments of a population are created through
socio-econo-political processes of socialization
(enculturation).
Conceptualizing…
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The Matrix of Domination:
To borrow Marilyn Frye’s (1983) words, the Matrix
of Domination refers to “a network of forces and
barriers which are systematically related and
which conspire to the immobilization, reduction,
and molding of ”the oppressed.” In other words,
in the U.S.A. stratified society Race, Gender,
Sexuality, Worldview, and Class constitute the
multifaceted, intertwined, and fluid system of
oppression and domination. While some
dimensions are more forceful than others, good
analysis cannot be done with isolating and
compartmentalizing these dimensions.
Conceptualizing…
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The Categorization Process (The Creation of the Other)
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1) Naming (Defining)
-Imposing
-Asserting
-Reclaiming
2) Aggregating/Disaggregating
-Lumping and dissecting
3) Dichotomizing (polarizing)
-Creating master and subordinate categories in the
form of _________:None-______
4) Stigmatizing (dehumanizing, objectifying)
-Through the use of stereotypes in different venues
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Conceptualizing…

The Matrix of Domination:
-Racism
-Sexism
o
- Cissexism
-Hetrosexism
-Ageism
-Classism
-Other isms?
Conceptualizing Race …

Biological Race:
A product of the Speciation process where
members of a segment of a population no
longer interbreeds with members of the other
segment of the population (no gene flow) for a
long period of time. The result would be
biological races (species, subspecies) that are
characterized by distinctive gene frequencies
and can no longer interbreed. Contemporary
humans are members of one species: homo
sapiens sapiens.
Conceptualizing Race …
 Social
Race:
A product of the Categorization process
(The Creation of the Other) where members
of a segment of the population are
perceived, or claim, to share essential
biological and psychological characteristics
that are distinct from members of other
segments of the population, hence labeled
accordingly. Social Race is a constructed
socio-econo-political system.
Conceptualizing Ethnicity …
 Ethnicity:
A product of the Categorization process (The
Creation of the Other) where members of a
segment of the population are perceived, or
claim, to share common ancestry, distinctive
linguistic, religious, and/or other cultural
practices that are distinct from members of
other segments of the population, hence
labeled accordingly. Ethnicity is a constructed
socio-econo-political system.
Conceptualizing Whiteness…
 Whiteness:
In the context of the social
construction of Race, Whiteness
refers to the unearned, yet enjoyed,
accumulated differential advantages
at someone else’s expense. When
confronted, one may take
responsibility, or one may invoke
guilt, shame, fear, helplessness,
denial, ….
Ethnocentrism  Prejudice Discrimination
Genocide/Culturecide
 Ethnocentrism (Mental)
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Prejudice (Expressive)
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The use of verbal/written stereotypes in articulating
ethnocentrism
Discrimination (Behavioral)
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The naturalness of one’s own group in terms of values,
beliefs, and behavior vis-à-vis other groups
The implementation of Prejudice in terms of accumulated
advantages and disadvantages. This is done at both the
individual and institutional levels. It is also done overtly
and covertly.
Racism, Sexism, Classism, Heterosexism, Ageism
At the individual level, anyone, regardless of the group,
can discriminate (i.e be a racist, sexist, etc….). At the
institutional level, however, the dominant group,
regardless of individuals’ intentions, is the only one that is
capable of racism, sexism, etc….
Genocide/Culturecide (Behavioral)
The physical/cultural elimination of a group of people.
Racism…
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Discrimination against individuals and/or groups
based on the socially constructed category of
Race.This is done at both the individual and
institutional levels. It is also done overtly and
covertly.
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At the individual level, anyone, regardless of the
group, can discriminate (i.e. be a racist). At the
institutional level, however, the dominant group,
regardless of individuals’ intentions, is the only
one that is capable of racism.