Key Concepts in Multicultural Education-- Socialization And Related Concepts: Stereotype, prejudice, racism, discrimination

Stereotype mental category based on exaggerated and inaccurate generalization used to describe all members of a group (Bennett, 1995); erroneous beliefs, either favorable or unfavorable, that are applied universally and without exception (Bennett, 1995); stereotypes become truths: African Americans are violent and sexually promiscuous, Mexicans are illegal, hard-workers; athletes are dumb and fat people are lazy,; Jews are stingy

Discrimination differential treatment of individuals considered to belong to particular groups or social categories (Rose, 1974). set of rigid and unfavorable attitudes toward a particular group or groups that are formed in disregard of facts individualized attitude (behavior); leads to discrimination. Prejudice

Racism belief that human groups can be grouped on the basis of their biological traits; these identifiable groups inherit certain mental, personality, and cultural characteristics that determine their behavior; extension of an attitude into an action. In a racist society, the political, economic, and social systems reflect and perpetuate racism; thus, racism is institutionalized (Gay, 1973); related to the idea of race, Race: human or biological traits of a group practiced when a group has the power to enforce laws, institutions, and norms based on its beliefs that oppress and dehumanize another group. Prejudice is an individualized attitude while racism is an institutionalized concept/belief;

Ethnocentrism feeling of superiority of a culture over another culture; culture is defined by our values; important to comprehend the complex dimensions of American racism and the separatist movements that have emerged within ethnic minority groups.

What racial groups do the following traits of racial classification belong to? Africans, Native Americans, Europeans, Asiatics have wide nostrils and harsh faces and are obstinate, content, free and regulated by costums. are gentle acute, inventive, and governed by law have black hair and dark eyes, and are severe, haughty, covetous, and governed by opinions wear scanty clothes, have black, frizzled hair, and are crafty, indolent, negligent, and governed by caprice, improper behavior. Racial classification

Native Americans: have wide nostrils and harsh faces and are obstinate, content, free and regulated by costums. Europeans: are gentle acute, inventive, and governed by law Asiatics: have black hair and dark eyes, and are severe, haughty, covetous, and governed by opinions Africans: wear scanty clothes, have black, frizzled hair, and are crafty, indolent, negligent, and governed by caprice, improper behavior. Racial classification

Carl von Linné’s racial classification

Western society has tended to accept this classification of Homo Sapiens along with the erroneous assumption that mental, behavioral, and socio-cultural tendencies are determined by a few visible biological traits and the belief that Western Europeans are superior to all others

AFRICA AND MYTHS ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICANS There has been prevalent misconception about the African continent causing a tremendous effect on the way Blacks are treated and stereotypized by the mainstream culture; The myths about Africa flourished in Europe and were transported to the colonies in North America. Myths conjured visions of the great White hunter facing primitive, cannibal tribes; Myths about Africa developed, among other things, from the need to justify slave trade. Assurance that slaves were heathen savages who would benefit from becoming Christianized and civilized became the basic excuse for slavery.

AFRICA AND MYTHS ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICANS When Europe launched into an era quest for new lands and control new colonies, traditional history, culture and sources of group identity were suppressed and replaced by the dominant culture; Today, many books have outdated information about African nations: a continent of lions, jungles, inferior savages, a race of Negroes, land of turmoil, incapable of self- government. Elementary and secondary history and geography books are filled with erroneous information about Africa and Africans; RESULTS are OBVIOUS : myths and distortions from the past used to justify slavery are now used to serve as rationalization for inferior segregated schools for black children, substandard homes, low-paying jobs, segregated lives…