Chapter 11 Racial and Ethnic Inequality and Conflict

Chapter Outline  Intergroup Conflict  Preoccupation with Prejudice  Slavery and the American Dilemma  Status Inequality and Prejudice  Identifiability

Chapter Outline  Equality and the Decline of Prejudice  Mechanisms of Ethnic and Racial Mobility  Hispanic Americans  Going North: African American “Immigration” in the United States

Intergroup Conflict  Much of the prejudice among groups is not based on race.  Examples: –Antagonisms between Protestants and Catholics in the U.S. during the 19th and 20th centuries. –Conflict between English- and French- speaking Canadians. –Continuing massacres in Africa.

Race  A race is a human group with common biological features.  Racial groups differ in skin color, eyelid shape, the color and texture of hair and blood type.  Racial differences are important only because people attach cultural meaning to them.

Ethnic Groups  Groups with different cultural heritages.  Cultural differences are not enough to make a group an ethnic group.  The differences must both bind a group together and separate it from other groups.

Primary Ethnic Ancestry of Americans of European Descent Number (in 1,000s) % of total population German57, Irish38, English32, Italian14, French10, Polish9,3663.8

Primary Ethnic Ancestry of Americans of European Descent Number (in 1,000s) % of total population Dutch6, Scotch-Irish5, Scottish5, Swedish4, Norwegian3, Russian2,9531.2

“From the list, please indicate the groups you would not like to have as neighbors.” NationForeigners (%)Jews (%)Muslims (%) South Korea53-21 India Nigeria Mexico1819 Germany17820 Great Britain12717 United States10514 Canada6611

Theories on Prejudice : Authoritarian personality  Some people accept only the norms of their group and reject any variations.  When confronted with others whose norms differ, they become anxious.  To resolve the anxiety, they assume that those who differ are inferior.

Allport’s Theory of Contact  Prejudice will decrease if two groups with equal status have contact.  Prejudice will increase if one group is dominant and the other subordinate.  Prejudice will intensify if the groups are engaged in competition.  Prejudice will decline if the groups cooperate to pursue common goals.

Bonacich: Why People Will Accept Low Wages  Very low standard of living.  Lack of information. – They are unaware of minimum wage laws and have no way to collect unpaid wages.

Bonacich: Why People Will Accept Low Wages  Lack of political power – They lack citizenship or be unable to force favorable reforms.  Economic motives - They intend to be temporary workers.

Enrollment in School, 1930 Age Native-born Whites (%) Japanese Americans (%) 7– – – –

Post-World War II Earnings Recovery by Japanese Americans Ratio To White Earnings Whites100 Japanese Americans Chinese Americans

Three Elements of Group Upward Mobility in the U.S. 1. Geographical concentration. 2. Internal economic development and occupational specialization. 3. Development of a middle class.

American Minorities Group Number (in 1,000s) % of Population Hispanic Americans35, Mexican Americans20, Puerto Rican Americans3, Cuban Americans1, Other Hispanic Americans10, African Americans34,

American Minorities Group Number (in 1,000s) % of Population Asian Americans10, Chinese Americans2, Filipino Americans1, Asian Indians1, Vietnamese Americans1, Korean Americans1, Japanese Americans Other Asian Americans1,2850.5

American Minorities Group Number (in 1,000s) % of Population American Indians and Alaska Natives2, Pacific Islanders3990.1

Economic Circumstances Group % of Families below poverty line % of High Status occupations Median Family Income Total population $32,191 Hispanic Americans ,769 Mexican Americans ,025 Puerto Rican Americans ,932 Cuban Americans ,858

Educational Achievement of Americans Age 25–35 Group Less than High school (%) College Graduates (%) Total population Whites African Americans Hispanic Americans Mexican Americans Puerto Rican Americans Cuban Americans

Labor Force Participation Percent of persons age 16 and over who are employed or seeking work GroupMalesFemales Total population Hispanic Americans Mexican Americans Puerto Rican Americans Cuban Americans

Language Abilities of Hispanic Americans % who Speak Group Only Spanish Better in Spanish Equally well in both Better in English Only EnglishTotal Mexican Americans Puerto Rican Americans Cuban Americans

Personal Experience With Discrimination of Hispanic Americans Group % who feel they have been discriminated against Mexican Americans39 Puerto Rican Americans30 Cuban Americans18

Relative Educational Gains by African Americans, 1960–2000 % Completed High School African Americans Whites As a percentage of white rate % Completed College African Americans Whites As a percentage of white rate:

Income Gains by African American Working Couples Median family income in 1990 dollars African Americans $28,700$50,758 Whites$40,040$57,242

Barriers to African American Progress  The legacies of slavery  No homeland  Visibility  Numbers