Lecture 8 Social Stratification: Race and Ethnicity

Why do we still see racial inequality today? Racial and ethnic groups that were forced into American society have historically been disadvantaged in the opportunity structure and experience segregation today  Black, Latino, and Native American Racial and ethnic groups that have voluntarily come to the US have seen higer levels of integration  European, Asian

Racial Stratification Cultural differentiation  Ethnocentrism  Individual Racism Structural differentiation  Institutional Racism: unchallenged and customary way of doing things in society that keep minority groups in subordinate or disadvantaged positions  Unequal Opportunity Structure Social structure can encourage or reduce inequality among racial and ethnic groups

Opportunity Structure Wealth High Income Good Neighborhood Good Schools Good Jobs Access to Health Care ↑ ↓ → →

Historical Race Relations: When Race Mattered 1. Race caste oppression in the Ante-bellum South (pre-1865)  Slavery economic system based on race 2. Class conflict and racial oppression ( )  Split-labor market – racial conflict over jobs  De Jure Segregation: separation of racial and ethnic groups in daily activities Civil service, housing, education, marriage

What is the Racial Legacy? 3. According to William J. Wilson, class position now matters more than race in defining life chances (Wilson)  Political changes broke down racial barriers, but economic inequalities exist De Facto Segregation: Formal segregation replaced with informal segregation today Underclass: segment of the population with limited social mobility due to economic subordination  Perpetuated by residential, occupation, and education segregation

Racial Stratification Today Three areas of informal segregation exist today that perpetuate racial/ethnic stratification  Residential  Educational  Occupational All of these are tied to wealth, which is the engine of social mobility

Residential Segregation New Deal Polices and GI Bill created a legacy of residential segregation  Between 1934 and 1962, the federal government backed $120 billion of home loans & more than 98% went to whites  Created segregated white suburbs Since 1970, residential segregation declined for Hispanics and Asians

Diversity in Bay Area Index of Diversity  Most Diverse - Alameda County  Least Diverse – Marin County Largest Percentage of:  Black Americans – Alameda and Solano (14%)  Latino/Latina – Santa Clara (11%)  Asian Americans – San Francisco (30%)

Do We Live Together? Residential segregation is highest for:  Blacks (32-57%)  Latinos (23-46%)  Asians (!5-28%) Santa Clara County:  Black – White: 59%  Latino- White: 52%  Asian – White: 34%

Changes in Education Access 1950’s – 1970’s saw gains in education  By 1976 Black and White high school graduation were nearly the same Late 1990’s seeing decline or stagnation in equal education  1998 non-white enrollment at UCB dropped 45% and at UCLA 36%

Disparities in Educational Attainment

Separate & unequal If schools act as sorting mechanisms, what happens when the schools are unequal?

Occupational Segregation Occupations in which at least 25% are African American  Taxi driver, postal clerk, correctional officer, security guard, nurse’s aid/health aid, barber Occupations in which at least 25% are Latino/a  Private house cleaner, maid/janitor, gardener, construction worker, farmworker, food service

An Invisible Class? Invisible class: those who are economically invisible  Minority status  Recent Immigrants  Undocumented

Effects: Race and Health Infant Mortality and Premature Birth  Black Americans have more than double the rate of infant mortality and premature birth than White Americans Disease  Obesity and Diabetes  HIV  Cancer survival These health inequalities reflect inequalities in life chances and a structure of racism