Chapter 9 Race and Ethnicity

Chapter Outline Race and Ethnicity Prejudice Discrimination Sociological Perspectives on Race and Ethnic Relations Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States Global Racial and Ethnic Inequality in the Future

What Is Race? Some views of race: Skin color: the Caucasian “race”, Religion: the Jewish “race” Nationality: the British “race” Entire human species: the human “race”

Race and Biology Race means little biologically due to interbreeding within the human population. Race is socially constructed. The social significance people give race is more significant than biological differences that exist among people who are placed in arbitrary categories.

Characteristics of Ethnic Groups 1. Unique cultural traits (language, clothing, holidays, religious practices). 2. A sense of community. 3. A feeling of ethnocentrism. 4. Ascribed membership from birth. 5. The tendency to occupy a geographic area.

Persons Reporting Two or More Races in 2000 Census 6.8 million people reported being of two or more races in Census The largest combinations: – “White, American Indian, Alaska Native” – 15.96% – “White, Asian” – 12.7% – “White, Black or African American” – 11.5% – “Black or African American, American Indian, Alaska Native” – 2.7%

Merton’s Typology of Prejudice and Discrimination Prejudiced Attitude? Discriminatory behavior? Unprejudiced nondiscriminator No Unprejudiced discriminator NoYes Prejudiced nondiscriminator YesNo Prejudiced Discriminator Yes

Four Major Types of Discrimination 1. Isolate discrimination A prejudiced judge giving harsher sentences to African American defendants. 2. Small-group discrimination Small group of white students defacing a professor’s office with racist epithets.

Four Major Types of Discrimination 3. Direct institutionalized discrimination Intentional exclusion of people of color from public accommodations. 4. Indirect institutionalized discrimination Special education classes may have contributed to racial stereotyping.

Contact Hypothesis Contact between divergent groups should be positive as long as group members: 1. Have equal status. 2. Pursue the same goals. 3. Cooperate with one another to achieve goals. 4. Receive positive feedback while interacting.

Sociological Perspectives on Race and Ethnic Relations FocusTheory Symbolic Interactionist Microlevel contacts between individuals Contact hypothesis FunctionalistMacrolevel intergroup processes Assimilation: cultural, biological, structural, psychological Ethnic pluralism: Equalitarian and inequalitarian

Sociological Perspectives on Race and Ethnic Relations FocusTheory ConflictPower/economic differentials between dominant and subordinate groups. Caste perspective Class perspective Internal colonialism Split labor market Gendered racism Racial formation Critical Race Theory Racism is an ingrained feature of society that affects everyone. Law can remedy overt discrimination but has little effect on subtle racism.

Odds of Becoming a Professional Athlete by Race/Ethnicity and Sport Race / Ethnicity SportWhite African AmericanLatino/a Asian American Football1 in 62,5001 in 47,6001 in 2,500,000 1 in 5,000,000 Baseball1 in 83,3001 in 333,3001 in 500,0001 in 50,000,000 Basketball1 in 357,1001 in 153,8001 in 33,300,000 — Note: Odds of Native Americans participating in professional football are 1 in 12,500,000. They are not represented in other professional sports

Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States Native Americans White Anglo ‑ Saxon Protestants African Americans White Ethnic Americans Asian Americans Latinos/as Middle Eastern Americans

Native Americans Most disadvantaged group in the U.S. in terms of income, employment, housing, and nutrition. As a group they have experienced: – Genocide – Forced Migration – Forced Assimilation

African Americans Slavery was rationalized by stereotyping African Americans as inferior and childlike. Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965 sought to eliminate discrimination in education, housing, employment and health care.

Asian Americans Fastest growing ethnic minority in the U.S. Includes Japanese, Korean, Filipino and Indochinese Americans.

Latinos/as (Hispanic Americans) Includes Mexican American's, Puerto Ricans and Cuban Americans. Many Mexican American families have lived in the U.S. for 4 or 5 generations and have made significant contributions. In 1917, Puerto Ricans acquired U.S. citizenship and the right to move freely to and from the mainland.

Middle Eastern Americans Includes immigrants from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Jordan. The Lebanese, Syrians, and Iranians primarily come from middle class backgrounds. Most Iranian immigrants initially hoped to return to Iran; however, many have become U.S. citizens.

Growing Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the United States In 1980 white Americans made up 80% of the population. In 2000, white Americans made up 70% of the population. By 2056, the roots of the average U.S. resident will be in Africa, Asia, Hispanic countries, the Pacific Islands, or Arabia—not white Europe.