WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? ETHNIC STUDIES (H) Ms. Almaraz-De Santiago Race, Ethnicity, & Nationality

Opening Assessment-Answer these questions about yourself

Race Anthropologists believed that there were 3 main races that humans belong to: -Black or Negroid  From Africa -White or Caucasian  From Europe -Asian or Mongoloid  From Asia

Race Race scientists believed race was biological  you cannot control or choose your race Race was based on physical characteristics  skin color, skin tone, eye and hair color, as well as a tendency toward developing certain diseases Believed race could not be changed or disguised

Race-The Power of Illusion

Race However, recent studies have shown that what controls these physical differences (pigment, hair color, etc.) is minimal Scientists have long suspected that the racial categories recognized by society are not reflected on the genetic level So, is race real or based on our perception?

Race "We all evolved in the last 100,000 years from the same small number of tribes that migrated out of Africa and colonized the world.” – Dr. Craig Venter, head of the Celera Genomics Corporation in Rockville, Md.

Race Traits most commonly used to distinguish one race from another, like skin and eye color, or the width of the nose, are traits controlled by a relatively small number of genes Can change rapidly in response to extreme environmental pressures Percentage of genes reflected in your external appearance: 0.01%

Race Race is a Social Construction, not a scientific fact.  In other words, racial divisions are not natural. People created them. Race is “true” only so far as we act as though it is true. So, is race a real thing in America?

The Story We Tell in America

incarceration rate of males, by racial/ethnic group number of men incarcerated per 100,000 of each group

 Racism claims that the content of a person’s mind (not their cognitive apparatus, but its content) is inherited;  That a person’s values and character are determined before they are born, by physical factors beyond their control.  That a person or group of people is naturally inferior.  Race is used to exclude members of certain groups from full participation in the social system Vending-machine in Jackson, Tennessee

The Story of Race How are these graphs an example of the story we tell about race?

Ethnicity Ethnicity refers to shared practices – a sense of shared history, language, religion, geography, ancestry, and forms of dress Culture refers to learned behaviors and traditions practiced by members of a social group

Ethnicity vs. Race Most Americans fail to distinguish between ethnicity and race. Many people think that ethnicity is just a politically correct term for race. Ethnicity is based on cultural traditions, while race is based on biological traits.

Ethnicity Most countries today consist of different ethnic groups In the United States, people represent groups from all over the globe Former Soviet Union- more than 100 ethnic groups

Assimilation Assimilation is the process of change that occurs when a minority group adopts the culture and traditions of the dominant group Assimilation is a unique experience from group to group Sometimes assimilation is rapidly forced and happens under harsh conditions, while other times it happens gradually over the course of several generations

Multiculturalism vs. Assimilation Assimilation: cultural diversity is harmful to society  Minorities are expected to abandon their own culture and traditions for those of the dominant ethnicity  America as “melting pot” Multiculturalism: cultural diversity in a country as something good and desirable.  Minorities are encouraged to maintain their culture and traditions  America as “mosaic”

Multiculturalism Why has multiculturalism gained popularity in recent years? 1. Large-scale immigration  New ethnic groups coming in large numbers  New groups arrive before previous groups are assimilated 2. Rising ethnic consciousness  Attempts at discrimination raise awareness of target groups  Examples: Black Power, Red Power 3. Ethnic support networks  Closely maintained ethnic ties help new immigrants gain a foothold in their new home

Multiculturalism “We become not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” – President Jimmy Carter

Application Questions 1.What is your declared ethnicity? How do you know that you belong to that ethnic group? 2.Based on the definition ethnicity, is “American” an ethnic group? Why or why not? 3.When moving to a new country, should you assimilate to the new culture?