The Sociological Imagination,
continued
Concepts and Perspectives
What is race?
• At one time, a group that had more
physical and moral characteristics in
common with one another than with
other races.
• Now, a socially constructed category of
individuals seen by society as
biologically and inherently distinct from
other races.
The Biology of Race
• Harris: How did our skins get their
color?
• Graves (2002): as few as six genes out
of the total of 30-40 thousand genes
could account for skin color differences.
• Brown and Armelagos (2001): no longer
makes sense to adhere to arbitrary
racial categories.
But, outcomes are associated
with race
• A higher percentage of black infants
than white infants die before reaching
their first birthday.
• The average number of years that an
African American can expect to live is
lower than that for a white American.
• Race: A socially constructed category—
real in its consequences.
What is ethnicity?
• A group characterized by cultural
practices and beliefs that distinguish
them from other groups in society?
• Are they real?
• Socially constructed from within and
without: Latina and Puerto Rican (J-Lo)
What is a minority group?
• A group of people afforded less
favorable treatment than others
because of their membership in the
group.
• Not all minority groups are racial and
ethnic groups.
• Not all minority groups are numerically
smaller than the majority group.
Range of attitudes about racial
and ethnic groups other than
ones’ own
• Relativism (extreme)
– E.G.: female genital mutilation
– Dietary prohibitions (pork, alcohol,
caffeine)
• Ethnocentrism
• Racism (different from prejudice)
• Where do you fit?
Attitudes about incorporating
racial and ethnic minorities
• Xenophobia
• Melting Pot
• Multiculturalism
(U.S. Constitution: no official language, no
official religion, now no racial criteria for
citizenship)
White Privilege
• What is it?
• Advantages accruing to white people in
American society by virtue of socially
constructed identities? Examples?
• Racial profiling, service in stores, real
estate agents, landlords
• Non-discriminators can benefit from
white privilege
Discrimination
• What is it?
• Denial of opportunities to members of a
group because of their group
membership.
• Types (Jencks, 1992):
– Principled (ethnic solidarity): Is it ok for
black businessmen to favor black suppliers
but not for white businessmen to favor
white suppliers?
Discrimination, continued
• Myopic (rooted in stereotypes)
• Statistical
• Institutional
The History of Sociological
Perspectives
• 18th Century: Ethnocentrism—
recognition but disapproval of cultural
differences
• 19th-20th Centuries: Imperialism,
Colonialism, Social Darwinism,
Scientific Racism
• 20th Century: Cultural Diversity, Cultural
Pluralism, and Cultural Relativism
Developing Our Sociological
Imagination: Taking Stock
1. Social and political acceptance of
African Americans is much greater
than in the middle of the 20th Century.
2. Immigration has significantly changed
the racial composition of many areas,
especially large cities.
Taking Stock, continued
3. The Civil Rights Movement and its
aftermath led other racial and ethnic groups
to focus on their own political and economic
issues.
4. Gender relations have changed significantly
during the past 50 years.
(Women have more choices, but many barriers
remain)
5. Globalization
A Model for Understanding
Contemporary Racial and
Ethnic Relations
• Important to recognize consensus and
conflict
• Ignoring conflict or glossing it over is
dangerous: a false or imposed
consensus
• Conflict carried out in the political arena
is good for our society
A Model,continued
• Americans can be Americans and also
be,
– African, Mexican, Chickasaw, Jewish, Arab
– Maintain an interest and tie with their
actual or emotional homeland (Africa,
Israel, Palestine, Mexico)
American Indians as a Model
for How to be an American
• The Pow Wow
• A particularly Indian event
• But, American flags, flag songs,
veterans groups, veterans songs
• Royalty modeled after beauty contests
• The fact that American Indians are
Indians and Americans simultaneously
reflects the major themes of this course.
Progress, Problems, and
Possible Solutions: Progress
• Discarding race as a biological concept
and the explicit recognition that race
and ethnicity are socially constructed
categories
• Using the scientific method to study
race and ethnicity
• Moving beyond an exclusive focus on
blacks and whites.
Current Problems
• Preoccupation with the black/white
divide
• Insufficient attention to the impact of
globalization
• Insufficient attention to the roles of
gender and class
Potential Solutions
• More research on Asians, Latinos, and
smaller understudied groups
• Explicit attention to the international
context
• Including gender and class in examining
race and ethnic relations
Historical Images
• Noble Savage
• Destructive Heathen
• Broken, Destitute Indian
• Gaming Enriched Indian
Contemporary Uses of These
Images
• A Critique of American Society
– Dances with Wolves
– Thunderheart
• An Affirmation of American Society
– Weapons
– Mascots
– Advertising
Why are these images so
popular?
•
•
•
•
•
Extent of Popularity
Part of common American images
Fascinating
Safe
Resistance to Change: Symbolic
Politics
Are these images harmful?
• Do they perpetuate stereotypes?
• Do they impede understanding?
• Good clean fun v. respectable bigotry?
What Should be Done?
• Arguments Against the Continued Use
of American Indian Images
– stereotypes, demeaning
• Arguments in Favor of the Continued
Use of American Indian Images
– free speech, honor Indians, Indians do it
• Important to Move Beyond These
Images