The Core8e Sociology Michael Hughes Carolyn J. Kroehler

reserved. chapter 7 Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity Chapter Outline  Racial and Ethnic Stratification  Prejudice and Discrimination  Patterns of Intergroup Relations: Assimilation and Pluralism  Sociological Perspectives on Inequalities of Race/Ethnicity  The Future of Ethnic and Minority Group Relations

reserved. Races Census 2000 had 15 self-describing choices Race — a social construct; a group of people who see themselves, and are seen by others, as having hereditary traits that set them apart 94% of genetic variation is intra-race Differences in ability can be ascribed to environmental and cultural factors Individual and institutional racism Racial and Ethnic Stratification

reserved. Ethnic Groups Groups identified culturally: language, folk practices, dress, mannerisms, religion Examples: Jewish Americans, Hispanics Sense of peoplehood or nationhood Shared history and/or fate Ethnic identities often “constructed” by their bearers Racial and Ethnic Stratification

reserved. Minority Groups Five properties of a minority group 1.Experiences discrimination from a dominant group and lacks power to change the situation 2.Distinguishing physical or cultural traits 3.Self-conscious social group; sense of group identity 4.Generally not voluntary 5.Typically endogamous Racial and Ethnic Stratification

reserved. Prejudice refers to attitudes of aversion and hostility towards members of a group because they are presumed to conform to an often negatively stereotyped description of the group. Prejudice and Discrimination

reserved. Origins of Prejudice Social Psychology – social interaction –Frustration-aggression theory –Authoritarian personality theory –Socialization theories Social Structure – cultural mechanism –Group-conflict theory –“Sense of group position” theory Superior  Alien Proprietary  Paranoia Prejudice and Discrimination

reserved. Prejudice and Discrimination Discrimination is action, a result of which members of a group are denied the privileges, prestige, power, legal rights, equal protection of the law, or other societal benefits that are available to other groups.

reserved. Discrimination Shift towards more subtle discrimination Not one-to-one with prejudice Institutional discrimination/racism Equality of outcome Gatekeeping Environmental racism Prejudice and Discrimination

reserved. Assimilation Processes whereby groups with distinctive identities are culturally and socially fused Melting pot and Anglo-conformity views Cultural assimilation (acculturation) tends towards dominant group Structural assimilation (integration) involves co-participation in societal institutions Amalgamation is the final stage of assimilation Intergroup Relations: Assimilation and Pluralism

reserved. Pluralism When diverse groups coexist and maintain boundaries Equalitarian pluralism (example: Quebec) Inequalitarian pluralism (examples: U.S.’s racial segregation in the South before 1960s; U.S.’s Indian Removal Act of 1830) Apartheid and genocide Intergroup Relations: Assimilation and Pluralism

reserved. Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States Share of Minorities in the Population of the United States, Source: Adapted from William P. O’Hare, “America’s Minorities—The Demographics of Diversity,” Population Bulletin, Vol. 47, No. 4, 1992, figure 1, p. 9. Reprinted by permission of Population Reference Bureau, Inc. Data added from U.S. Census Bureau, 2004.

reserved. Hispanics/Latinos Currently > one-eighth of U.S. population Lag in education, employment, income Data vary greatly with ethnic group Mexicans are 2/3 H/L population in U.S. Puerto Ricans strongly ethnic; highest poverty rate among H/Ls Cubans strong in Miami; good education Central/South Americans smallest group; lowest poverty level Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States

reserved. Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States Source: Gurman (2001), available at Hispanics/Latinos in the United States

reserved. African Americans 13% of U.S. population (2002) Poverty rates were declining until 2001 Past: Slavery, KKK, vote, segregation Civil Rights Acts of 1964, 1965, 1968 Formal desegregation, affirmative action Race or social class? Sociologists Wilson, Anderson vs. Willie, Cohen, Smith Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States

reserved. Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States African/American Progress in the United States: A Mixed Message Sources: Education data from the U.S. Census Bureau, March Current Population Surveys 1971 and 2002, and 1940 Census of Population, available at Income data from DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, and Lee, Occupation data tabulated by the authors from the Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2004 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004) Table 590.

reserved. Native Americans and Alaskan Natives Number < 2% of U.S. population About 500 tribes, from 100- to 250,000+ Each tribe a nation dealing with U.S. Most severely disadvantaged ethnic group Genocide and disease killed most (75% -95%) as whites invaded Removal Act of 1830 “Trail of Tears” High unemployment, short lives Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States

reserved. Asian Americans About 10.1 million in U.S. population, highly diverse Highest median family income of ethnic groups: $57,518 in 2004 Better educated than non-Hispanic whites Chinese have long history in U.S. of labor exploitation and living/work restrictions Japanese interned in WW II; highest income Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States

reserved. Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States 2004 Asian American Ancestry Breakdown (in millions) Source: 2004 census Total Asian American Population: 10.1 million

reserved. White Ethnics British, Northern, Southern, Eastern European heritage Successful and assimilated into U.S. U.S. politics and corporate leadership currently dominated by white Protestant males of northwestern European heritage Ethnicity tends to be symbolic Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States

reserved. Functionalist Perspective Dysfunctions –Inequalities reduce consensus, increase conflict, destabilize societies –Needs of stability will eventually eliminate ethnic stratification Functions –Inequalities promote group formation, cohesion –Conflicts act as safety valve (scapegoating) –Conflict between multiplicity of groups is conducive to democracy Sociological Perspectives on Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

reserved. Conflict Perspective Three components of racism –Ethnocentrism – out-group is object of loathing –Competition – success requires out- group to lose; the out-group is a threat –Unequal power – determines which group can institutionalize the racism Sociological Perspectives on Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

reserved. Conflict Perspective 2 Marxist theory –Racial prejudices benefit capitalism –Superiority ideologies make racism palatable –Racism allows exploiting wages to exist –Management can use racism to divide workers –Capitalists can use hire/fire minority reserve without disturbing dominant group stability Split labor market Sociological Perspectives on Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

reserved. Interactionist Perspective An ethnic group is a social construction, not a genetic construction Ethnocentrism arises from communication channel restrictions and local differences in meaning systems Stratification intensifies from same restrictions operating within a stratum Sociological Perspectives on Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

reserved. Today ethnicity is largely symbolic for white ethnics; heavily ascriptive for minority groups Ethnic distinctions will evolve differently for white ethnics vs. other groups Functionalists say differences will fade, to be replaced by achievement-based stratification Conflict theorists say differences will remain to preserve status of dominant groups New ethnicities are emerging The Future of Ethnic and Minority Group Relations