Chapter 10

Societies use a variety of characteristics to determine social standing (chapter 9) Race & Ethnicity: 2 most prominent ascribed statuses used to distinguish 1 group from another RACE For centuries people have attempted to group ppl Based on physical feats.: skin/eye color, hair texture, etc Scholars place people into 3 main groups:

RACE Caucasoids: fair skin and straight/wavy hair Mongoloids: Yellowish/brown skin, folds on eyelids Negroids: dark skin, tightly curled hair Does not describe complexities: Australian Aborigines: dark skin but blond curly hair South Indians: caucasoid faces, dark skin & straight hair NO biologically “pure” races We often possess multiple race traits

RACE Sociological terms race: category of ppl who share inherited physical char. whom others see as being a distinct group Interested with how ppl react to these physical characteristics and how these reactions affect ind. in society

ETHNICITY Ethnicity: set of cultural char. that distinguishes one group from another Ethnic Group: ppl who share a common cultural background and a common sense of identity Usually based on: nationality, religion, lang. customs To survive, traditions must be passed down Some do a better job of preservation than others: Asian American, Hispanics, and Jews

Ethnicity is based on cultural considerations Race is based on physical considerations Some ethnic groups are also racially distinct African Americans: share common heritage Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Americans can be both ethnically and racially identified

Minority has nothing to do with group size South Africa Deals with groups unequal standing in society

Ethnic: based on cultural practices Gender: majority, women are the minority (socially) Religion: faiths that aren’t of the dominant culture Racial: groups classified on physical features; skin color

No particular skin color, physical feature, or ethnic background is superior or inferior by nature HOWEVER those in power w/in society may value specific char. Dominant groups est. norms and values Create social structure to benefit them Position of power allows certain privileges Usually at the expense of: Minority Group: group of ppl who are unequally treated/singled out, based on physical char. or cultural practices

Our goal as a class is to come up with ONE “theme” Your group will create 1 piece to the 5 piece mural Create a colorful mural that illustrates a celebration of minority groups using your characteristic

Break up into 5 groups of 7-8 students (YOU may choose this time) Each group will receive a slip of paper with info on it You will have 4 min. to discuss the info & think of a way to visually represent it… “theme” 1 member from each group will travel to the 4 other groups (learn their info and the groups “theme”) “Traveler” will come back and divulge info to original group

The group possesses identifiable physical or cultural charac. that differ from those of the dominant group Group members are the victims of unequal treatment at the hands of the dominant group Membership in the group is an ascribed status Group members share a strong bond and a sense of group loyalty Members tend to practice endogamy-marriage within the group

Two SEPARATE but related things Discrimination: denial of equal treatment to individuals based on their group membership Prejudice: unsupported generalization about a category of people You can be prejudice for or against someone/thing Discrimination=behavior, Prejudice=attitude

Individual or societal level Range from: name calling to violence (death) Societal level happens in two forms: legal discrimination: upheld by law Institutionalized: outgrowth of social structure Apartheid system in South Africa=legal Women's right to vote in US or enter legal contracts Plessy v. Ferguson, Jim Crow laws

Institutionalized Discrimination Unequal access to resources pushes minorities into less- powerful positions Dominant group, not necessary to consciously discrim. Becomes part of social structure Self-perpetuating, even if steps to end discrim. are taken Denied access to jobs and housing  Members live in low-income communities  Poorly funded schools in those neighborhoods  Unqualified for jobs when restrictions are lifted

^ often involves a stereotype: oversimplified, exaggerated or unfavorable generalization Formed about an ind. and apply to all members of group W.I. Thomas, “If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.” We see reality based on what we believe to be true, not necessarily what is Self-fulfilling prophecy: prediction that results in behavior that makes the prediction come true If we think a group can’t learn, we don’t teach

Prejudicial beliefs that serve as justification for discrimination often take form as: Racism: belief that ones own race/ethnicity is superior to others

Unsupported generalizations about a category of people Involves attitudes Can be in favor of a group PREJUDICEDISCRIMINATION Denial of equal treatment based on group membership Involves behaviors Can be individual or societal Sociological or psychological

Sociological explanations: through socialization Prejudices embedded in society Psychological explanations: authoritarian personality Scapegoating: placing blame for troubles on innocent groups Economic explanations: competition over resources Chinese during the late 1800s

Cultural Pluralism: allows each group w/in society to keep its unique cultural ID (Switzerland) Assimilation: blending of culturally distinct groups into a single group w/ common culture “melting pot” Legal Protection: Civil Rights Act ‘64, Voting Rights Act ‘65, Affirmative Action Segregation: physically separating minority group from dominant group Ghettos, Apartheid, Jim Crow Laws

Subjugation: maintaining control over a group through force (Slavery, apartheid) Population Transfer: Indirect/Direct transfer Extermination: genocide: intentional destruction of an entire population Ethnic cleansing: removing a group from a particular area through terror, expulsion and murder

1) What are some of the minority groups found in the US? 2) What kinds of problems have minority groups faced? 3) For what kinds of rights have members of minority groups struggled? 4) What strides have members of minority groups made over the years? 5) What problems remain?

“an American Dilemma” Equality, freedom, and inalienable rights Not always living up to these things Subjugation, segregation, reservations, internments WASP: White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant Imagery of what a typical American is/should be Those who adapted to the WASP image were accepted Other groups, AA, Hispanics, Asian Americans and ethnic whites, have had more difficulty

Minority GroupConditions/Concerns African Americans Making gains toward equality, but statistics still show members are lagging in education, employment, and income; becoming more politically active HispanicsRapidly growing population; trailing in income and education; diverse population Asian AmericansContrast between first-generation immigrants, who are often poor, and second-geneartion, many of whom succeed educationally and financially; viewed as a “model minority,” although this term is resented Native Americans Often live on reservations, high poverty and poor education; encouraged to assimilate; taking steps to establish sources of income and better schools White EthnicsIncludes some who assimilate quickly and others who remain victims of prejudice and discrimination; making gains in religious tolerance; good education level

2 nd largest minority group Suffered a long history of prejudice and discrim. Since the civil rights movement, progress made… HS grad rates are only a few points lower than whites 24% employed have managerial/35% of whites Other stats not as good: 4 year college completion % is half of white % living in poverty is 3x as high as whites Unemployment rate is 2x higher than whites

Largest minority group Increasing political gain/control large voting blocks Like AA, unemployment is 2x higher than whites

3 rd largest minority group…roughly 4% American pop. First wave: Chinese 1850s RR Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 Second wave: Japanese 1890 to Hawaii Immigration Act of 1924 Third wave: McCarran-Walter Act 1952 Allows Asians to migrate based on national quotas Comparable to % of bachelor degrees to whites $13K higher median income than all Americans

Pop. in the millions before Europeans came Of all minority groups, NA face the greatest challenges: 50% of NA workforce on/near Res. is unemployed 31% live below poverty level Alcohol related deaths is 7x higher than general pop. Suicide rate is 1.5x greater than other Americans Only 66% of 25^ grad. HS and >10% college Gov’t policies were causes of ^^^ Indian Removal Act, assimilation, Reparations: Grave Protection/Repatriation Act

White ethnic: immigrants from Catholic countries, or non WASP Faced major discrimination based on being Catholic Assimilated into “American” society quickly Others did the opposite: ethnic neighborhoods