Is the Significance of of Race Declining? By: Kolin Sanders

So We Are All On The Same Page, Race Is… As defined by The Inequality Reader: race is a concept which signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests by referring to different types of human bodies.

To answer the question, yes, the significance of race is declining. One reason for the decline in the significance of race is the laws in place which prohibit discrimination.

Laws Promoting Race Equality The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Executive Order of 1965 The Civil Rights Act of 1991

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Which didn’t allow any discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin in all federally assisted programs. Which includes employment discrimination from advertising for open job position to firing or retirement.

Executive Order of 1965 Promotes and insures equal opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin of employees or persons seeking employment with government contractors.

Civil Rights Act of 1991 When an employee sues their employer for discrimination; this law provides the right to trial by jury on discrimination claims and the possibility of emotional distress damages to the employee.

All the trends are the same, which I interpret as indicating low inequality. This graph does show how economic class does influence life chances.

Once, life chance was determined mostly by race, but that has changed and now class is the best indicator of life chance. “Race relations in America have undergone fundamental changes in recent years, so much so that now the life chances of individual black have more to do with their economic class position than with their day-to-day encounters with whites. “In the economic sphere, class has become more important than race in determining black access to privilege and power.”

Three Stages of American Race Relations Stage 1: plantation economy and racial-caste oppression Stage 2: industrial expansion, class conflict, and racial oppression Stage 3: progressive transition from racial inequalities to class inequalities

Another Reason for the Decline in the Significance of Race is… America’s culture has shifted a lot in the past 60 years. With each generation I believe we as a society are getting more accepting and less prejudice. I see this as being a trend that will continue. Racism isn’t inherent, it is taught. Hopefully the discrimination and injustices that accompany racism will also continue to diminish.

Questions…