1. Crash Course: Contemporary Human Relations Race, Ethnicity, Culture

2. Entrance Instructions Pick up a bell-ringer slip from the podium. Pick up a bell-ringer slip from the podium. Answer one of the following questions: Answer one of the following questions: – What is the difference between “black” and “African-American”? – My identity has been shaped by… – Which is more dangerous – the in-your-face racist or the behind-closed-doors racist? Why?

3. Daily C.I. “Rallies over mosque near Ground Zero get heated” “Rallies over mosque near Ground Zero get heated” “Rallies over mosque near Ground Zero get heated” “Rallies over mosque near Ground Zero get heated”

4. What is the difference between race and ethnicity? “I apologize” “My southern heritage”

5. Race and Ethnicity RACE RACE – Identity based on physical characteristics – Externally constructed by society – Simple: Traits are observed objectively Skin color, eye color, hair texture, etc. Black, White, Blue-eyed ETHNICITY ETHNICITY – Identify based on felt characteristics – Internally constructed by individual – Complex: Influenced by many subjective factors Nationality, language, faith, race, heritage, customs Hispanic, Latino, Irish-Catholic, African-American

6. Race and Ethnicity Racism Racism – Belief that race determines capabilities and character traits, and that a racial hierarchy exists Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism – Belief that one’s own culture is superior to others

7. Historical Contrast Latin America: Cultural Fusion Latin America: Cultural Fusion mestizaje – Colonial mestizaje 300 years of racial mixing – Original races: Brown Americans, White Europeans, Native, Black Africans – Impact: Complex racial classification Very few are purely black or purely white in Lat. Am. – Casta paintings Casta paintings – Example: 1976 study by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics1976 study

8. Historical Contrast North America: Cultural Pluralism North America: Cultural Pluralism – Anti-miscegenation 200 years of “enforced” racial segregation – Racial mixing: Unnatural and inappropriate – Impact: Oversimplified racial classification Most are either white or black – 1977 census categories 1977 census categories – Modern census… not much better Modern census – “One-drop rule” of the 20 th c.

9. Contemporary Issues? Latin America: Not a racial democracy Latin America: Not a racial democracy – Skin color hierarchy Black: Source of shame? – Skin-bleaching in JamaicaJamaica – Racism in BrazilBrazil

10. Contemporary Issues? United States: United States: More mixing, more confusion – More trans-racial adoptions Challenges? Challenges Benefits? – More than 7 million “multi-racial” children How should parents raise biracial children? Do biracial kids gain full or partial acceptance?

11. Cross My old man’s a white old man And my old mother’s black. If ever I cursed my white old man I take my curses back. If ever I cursed my black old mother And wished she were in hell, I’m sorry for that And now I wish her well. My old man died in a big fine house. My ma died in a shack. I wonder where I’m gonna die, Being neither white nor black! - Langston Hughes

12. ONE-DROP CONFUSION "You see, unfortunately, I am not black. There are lots of different kinds of blood in our family. But here in the United States, the word 'Negro' is used to mean anyone who has any Negro blood at all in his veins. In Africa, the word is more pure. It means all Negro, therefore black. I am brown.” - Langston Hughes: The Big Sea, an Autobiography (1940)

13. Contemporary Issues? The challenge of cultural assimilation The challenge of cultural assimilation – The cultural “melting pot” Blessing or curse? Is Americanization a bad thing? Are immigrants to the US able to resist assimilation?resist assimilation – Should they? Are we who we were? – Language? – Dress? – Culture – food, music, customs? – Daily practices? – Names?