1. ETHNICITY AND RACE Chapter 15

2. Ethnic Groups Ethnicity is based on cultural similarities Ethnicity – Identification with a certain ethnic group Ethnic group – one culturally distinct group in a society or region Share beliefs and values Language, religion, geography, history, kinship, or race Complex societies Social identities are in flux Presentation of self Status – any position that determines where someone fits into society Neutral Parent, worker, leader, ethnicity Ascribed – based on little or no choice Achieved- earned or chosen Status shifting Mutual exclusivity Male or Female Mother and Teacher Situational Negotiation of Social Identity Hispanic affiliation Based mainly on language Various “racial” backgrounds and geographic origins “Latinos”

3. Race and Ethnicity Race – Ethnic groups assumed to have a biological basis Still a “cultural category” Not possible to define races biologically Inequalities among racial groups are not biological American society does not clearly separate ethnicity and race Racism – discrimination against a racial group

4. Race in the USA Determined at birth Arbitrary “Racially mixed” child Child will be identified by phenotype Rule of Descent Social identity based on ancestry Hypodescent Rare outside the US Mixed children automatically places in the minority group Native American One ancestor out of eight Census Since 1790 3/5ths rule 6 “ethnicity choices” in 1990 White, Black, Indian, Eskimo, Pacific Islander, Other Separate question for Hispanic

5. Race in Japan Less diverse than most countries Contact and Isolation Portuguese in 1542 Fear of monotheism 1641 adoption of isolation 1854 Convention of Kanagawa Intrinsic racism – racial differences are enough to alter a person's value Quasi-hypodescent Racial identity of majority with stigma Define themselves as opposition to others Assimilation is discouraged Minorities should be “kept in place” Burakumin Cultural minority of 4 million Physically and genetically identical Identified by neighborhoods called buraku Originates from social ranking Stratified class – call structure with differences in wealth, prestige, and power Burakumin did “unclean” work

6. Race in Brazil Flexible and less exclusionary Slave history like the US Lacks rule of hypodescent Many more racial labels 500 reported Attached to phenotype Racial labels can be easily changed Tanning, change in hair or dress, language, etc. Racial identity is inconsequential Historical reasoning American settlers were families Conquistadors were men More racial mixing International politics Claiming of indigenous rights Pan-African identity in Brazil Mobilization Access to resources

7. Ethnic Groups, Nations, and Nationalities Nation – a society sharing a language, religion, history, territory, ancestry, and kinship Once synonymous with tribe or ethnic group Now synonymous with State Nation-State – a country Most today are heterogeneous Migration, conquest, colonization Only 18 % consist of a 90% majority or higher Ethnic majorities Rare Africa Common to Latin America Based on a common European language Asia, North Africa and the Middle East Singular or dual ethnic majorities

8. Ethnic Groups, Nations, and Nationalities (cont’d) Nationalities – Ethnic groups that have, once had, or want to have, their own country “Imagined communities” Most members will never meet or interact Imagined sameness Critical role of language and print 18 th century Europe Splitting and merging of nationalities Wars and conflict WWI Kurds in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran WWII, Cold War Germany and Korea Colonialism Africa

9. Ethnic Tolerance and Accommodation Assimilation – process of change that a minority group may experience in a dominant culture Adopts cultural norms No longer culturally separate Plural society – society with economically interdependent ethnic groups Combines ethnic contrasts and ecological specialization No ethnic competition Some dependence and exchange

10. Multiculturalism and Ethnic Identity Multiculturalism- the idea that cultural diversity is valuable and worth maintaining Opposite of an assimilationist model Language and Food United States and demographic change 2011 - first time in US history minority births outnumbered white births Reclamation of old ethnic identities Italian, Irish, Serbian, etc. Multiculturalism: Assumes that each ethnic group has something beneficial to offer Is related to globalization Is fueled by overpopulation and job loss in “less developed” nations Ethnic identities are often expressed for gain Help with transnational migration Political unity

11. Roots of Ethnic Conflict Political, cultural, economic, religious, linguistic or racial Reaction to preconceived or real prejudice Means of devaluing a particular group Often based on unfavorable stereotypes Leads to discrimination, either in policy (de jure) or practice (de facto) De facto – minority treatment by police officers De jure – southern segregation Ethnic minority conflict Discrimination between established and new arrivals Long lasting ethnic groups expect assimilation of the new Example: 1992 L.A. riots

12. Aftermath of Oppression Discriminatory aggression towards ethnic groups includes: Genocide – deliberate elimination of a group through mass murder Jews in Nazi Germany Ethnocide – destruction of cultures of certain ethnic groups Forced assimilation – forced adaptation of the dominant culture Banning languages or customs Ethnic expulsion – removing those who are culturally different from a country Often creates refugees People who flee a nation to avoid persecution or war Colonial influence India/Pakistan Israel/Palestine Cultural colonialism – Internal domination by one group and its culture or ideology over others Soviet Union dominated by Russian culture Russian colonists were sent to weaken the structure of local cultures