Sociology Chapter 10 Reserved Others Emphasize That The Millennial Generation

CHAPTER 10: RACE AND ETHNICITY

BRIEF CHAPTER OUTLINE

I. The Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity

A. Defining Race

B. Racial Formation

C. Multiracial Identity

C. Stereotypes

III. Racism: Its Many Forms

IV. Diverse Groups, Diverse Histories

A. Native Americans: The First of This Land

B. African Americans

C. Latino/as

D. Asian Americans

E. Middle Easterners

F. White Ethnic Groups

G. Contemporary Immigration: The New Civil Rights Challenge

V. Racial Stratification: A Current Portrait

VII. Racial Justice: Changes and Challenges

A. The Civil Rights Movement

B. Power and Militancy in the Movement for Racial Justice

C. #BlackLivesMatter

D. Strategies for Change: Race-Blind or Color-Conscious?

E. Where Do We Go From Here?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Define race as a social construction.

KEY TERMS (listed in text)

affirmative action (266)

anti-Semitism (254)

Immigration Act (254)

Immigration and Nationality Act (254)

implicit bias (245)

institutional racism (245)

intersectional theory (262)

laissez-faire racism (245)

minority group (241)

nativism (259)

Naturalization Act of 1790 (254)

segregation (258)

stereotype (242)

stereotype interchangeability (244)

stereotype threat (244)

urban underclass (262)

White privilege (245)

white space (259)

KEY PEOPLE

Martin Luther King Jr. (263)

Douglas Massey (255)

William Julius Wilson (261)

Malcolm X (264)

LECTURE OUTLINE

I. The Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity

We tend to categorize people on the basis of what appears initially prominent

and obvious, which is the salience principle—salient characteristics include

skin color, gender, and age.

A. Defining Race

1. A race is primarily a social construct, and it is a term used to describe a

B. Racial Formation

Racial formation is the process by which a group comes to be defined as a

race. a. This definition is supported through official social institutions such as

the law and the schools.

Racialization is the process whereby some social category, like social class,

ethnicity, or nationality, takes on what is perceived in society to be racial

characteristics.

1. Race is thus socially constructed, based on certain characteristics that have

mean in the context of social and historical experience.

C. Multiracial Identity

A growing number of people (approximately 4.5%) identify as multiracial, and

that is expected to increase. For example, someone with an Asian father and a

Black mother may identify as multiracial because he or she is of mixed race.

Thus the concept of race becomes fluid (and not binary) and demonstrates that

race is socially constructed.

D. Ethnicity

1. An ethnic group is a social construct and it refers to a social category of

people who share a common culture.

E. Panethnicity

Ethnicity can also evolve into a new collective identity. When multiple ethnic

groups come together to forge a new collective identity (and create a new

F. Minority/Majority Groups

1. A minority group is any distinct group in society that shares common

group characteristics and is forced to occupy a low status in society

because of prejudice and discrimination.

a. Minority group status is not a numerical representation, as indicated by

2. The group that assigns a racial or ethnic group a subordinate status is

called the dominant group or social majority.

II. Prejudice, Discrimination, and Stereotypes

A. Prejudice

Prejudice is the evaluation of a social group, and individuals within that group,

based on conceptions about the social group that are held despite facts that

contradict it.

1. Prejudice involves both prejudgment and misjudgment.

2. Everyone possesses prejudices.

3. People who are more prejudiced are also more likely to stereotype others

B. Discrimination

Discrimination is overt behavior that treats members of a particular group

unequally just because they belong to that group.

1. Racial-ethnic discrimination—the unequal treatment of a person based on

race or ethnicity; takes many forms; may be combined with other forms of

C. Stereotypes

People routinely categorize other people based on readily apparent (salient)

characteristics.

1. Stereotypes are oversimplified sets of beliefs about members of a social

group or social stratum that presumably, but usually incorrectly, describe a

III. Racism: Its Many Forms

Racism is more than an attitude; it is institutionalized and can take many forms.

Aversive racism: subtle, covert, and nonobvious racism.

Implicit bias: a predominantly nonconscious form of racism.

1. Institutional racism is negative treatment and oppression of one racial or

ethnic group by society’s existing institutions based on the presumed

inferiority of the oppressed group.

a. It persists because of the economic and political power that

accrues to dominant groups because of their position in social

IV. Diverse Groups, Diverse Histories

A. Native Americans: The First of This Land

1. The size of the indigenous population in North America in 1492 is

estimated from 1 to 10 million people.

B. African Americans

1. The development of slavery in the Americas is related to world markets

for sugar and tobacco.

2. An estimated 12 million Africans were transported to the Americas, with

the vast majority going to Brazil and the Caribbean, and only 25% to the

United States.

a. Slavery, in which people were chattel, evolved as a rigid caste system

based on patriarchy and white supremacy.

C. Latino/as

The diverse Latino or Hispanic American population has grown considerably

over the past few decades, and they are now the largest minority population in

the United States. These two terms obscure important differences in how

different Latino groups entered the American society.

1. Mexican Americans

a. Before the Anglo conquest, Mexican colonists had formed

settlements and missions throughout the West and Southwest that

2. Puerto Ricans

a. Puerto Rico became a commonwealth in 1952, followed by the

launching of Operation Bootstrap, designed to attract U.S. corporations

3. Cubans

a. The largest migration of Cubans to the United States, after the 1959

D. Asian Americans

Asian Americans come from different countries and diverse cultural

backgrounds, such as the following:

Chinese

1. Chinese Americans began migrating to the United States in the mid-19th

century as a cheap labor force, relegated to the most difficult and

Japanese

1. Many first-generation immigrants (Issei) who entered the United

States between 1890 and 1924 prior to the Japanese Immigration Act

were employed in agriculture and in small Japanese businesses.

2. The 1913 Alien Land Law of California stipulated that Japanese aliens

could lease land only for three years and that land already owned or

Filipinos

1. Filipinos entered the United States freely from 1899 through 1934

when the islands became a commonwealth of the United States and

Koreans

1. Many Koreans entered the United States in the late 1960s, with a

large concentration settling in Los Angeles.

2. Although many Koreans experienced downward mobility in the

Vietnamese

1. a. South Vietnamese began arriving in the United States following

E. Middle Easterners

1. Christian and Muslim immigrants from Middle Eastern countries such as

Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iran began arriving in large numbers since

the mid-1970s.

F. White Ethnic Groups

1. White ethnic immigration to the United States dates to the original WASP

(White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant) immigrants from England, Scotland, and

Wales (this term usually refers to the WASP male).

2. As immigrants from Northern and Western Europe and later Eastern and

G. Contemporary Immigration: The New Civil Rights Challenge

The United States is a country of immigrants. However, even while immigrants

have been incorporated into the nation, they have faced exclusion and

discrimination.

a. The Naturalization Act of 1790: rules about who could become

V. Racial Stratification: A Current Portrait

Racial stratification is defined as a system of inequality in which race and ethnicity

mark differential access to economic, social, cultural, and political resources.

A. Economic Inequality

There is a persistent income gap between White households and those of people of

color. The gap between Black and White households is virtually unchanged since

1970. Presently, the median income for Black households is still 61% of that for

White households. There has, however, been an increase in the number of Black and

VI. Explaining Racial and Ethnic Inequality

A. Assimilation theory

This theory examines the process by which a minority becomes socially,

economically, and culturally absorbed within the dominant society. The process is

B. The Culture-Structure Debate

This discusses the role of culture in producing racial and ethnic inequality. Cultural

C. Is It Class or Is It Race?

This debate attempts to address questions whether class is now more important than

race in explaining inequality. In other words, can inequality be best explained by

one’s social class or does race still matter?

1. Economic transformations (loss of well-paying manufacturing jobs to lower

paying service jobs) have created an urban underclass, which consists of

D. Intersectional Theory: Connecting Race, Class, and Gender

1. This theory focuses on the interaction of class, race, and gender through

an intersection perspective, which acknowledges that gender differences

of these concepts creates an incomplete picture.

VII. Racial Justice: Changes and Challenges

Increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the United States, and the resulting

intergroup contact, has intensified the importance of addressing sociological

concerns about intergroup conflict and inequality.

A. The Civil Rights Movement

1. The civil rights movement was initially based on the passive resistance

philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr., learned from the philosophy of

unconstitutional.

B. Power and Militancy in the Movement for Racial Justice

1. More militant leaders grew increasingly disenchanted with the limits of

the civil rights agenda, which was perceived as moving too slowly.

C. #BlackLivesMatter

The Black Lives Matter Movement is one of the most visible examples of a new

movement in recent years and arose out of growing concerns about police

shootings of Black people. Black Lives Matter inspired numerous protests

around the nation. The movement values all Black Lives, including disabled,

lesbian, and gay Blacks.

D. Strategies for Change: Race-Blind or Color-Conscious?

1. The tension between colorblind and race-specific (or color-conscious)

E. Where Do We Go From Here?

1. Some argue that the United States could evolve into a racial system that

divides people in three groups: white, black, and brown.

2. Others emphasize that the millennial generation (people reaching young

LECTURE/DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

1. Bias Crimes. Discuss the data on bias or hate crimes in your area, based on local or

state law enforcement sources. Alternatively, invite the bias crimes officer of your

2. Border Patrol. Increased attention has been directed to border control at the

U.S./Mexican Border in the last several years. The President ordered increased

surveillance and border control agents to ensure that illegal Mexicans do not gain

3. Factual Information. Have students gather information from https://www.census.gov

on the distribution of racial groups within this country, within the state, and within the

4. Racial Profiling. Have the class divide into two groups (pro and con) and take sides

on a discussion of racial profiling in our nations and the “War on Terrorism” policy—

5. Joint Terrorism Task Forces. Many students may be unaware of the Joint Terrorism

Task Force operating in their area, usually with the cooperation of local law

6. Examining Race Relations and Stereotypes. Through your campus multicultural

7. Local Racial/Ethnic History. Through the local historical society and organizations in

your city, town, or state, review some of the history of racial and ethnic minorities.

Connect your class to student groups or history month activities related to groups

represented on your campus.

8. Immigrants and Refugees. Consult with the local immigrant and refugee coordinating

body or service agency in your community to gather information about historic and

9. Native Americans. Through a nearby tribal council or Native American organization

in or near your community or on your campus, investigate the history of the people

10. Civil Rights History. Discuss the strategies and philosophy of the civil rights

movement and the Black Power movement, as a way of introducing students to

achievements and impact of both movements and their unfinished business.

11. Brown v. Board of Education. The Harvard University Civil Rights Project released a

study in 2004, on the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, documenting

that Black and Latino students are more isolated in schools than they have been since

12. Sports and Race. In many colleges/universities throughout this country the best

players on the basketball or football team are often Black. Invite a basketball or

football coach and a Black team member to the class and ask the student to discuss

13. Ethnic Groups. Have your students discuss their ethnic origins as far back as possible.

In the discussion highlight where they came from, the economic position of their

14. Minority Voting Rights. Recent presidential elections have drawn national attention

to serious flaws in the U.S. voting system. One aspect of the many problems was the

compromise to minority voting rights 40 years after the passage of the Voting Rights

15. Affirmative Action. The Supreme Court recently ruled on affirmative action

legislation yet again, and this legislation remains among the most controversial

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

1. Affirmative Action. In light of the June 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the

2. Ethnic Identity. Assign students to research and write an essay about their ethnic

identity. If they have no strong ethnic identification, ask them to concentrate on the

3. Hate Crimes. Have students investigate the occurrence of hate crimes based on race

or ethnicity in your community. Organize a class forum on the issue of how to

4. Multiculturalism. Have a team of students investigate how the local school district

approaches multicultural/multiethnic issues in curriculum, teacher training, and

5. Civil Rights. Have students investigate the Rosa Parks and History article by Thomas

Sowell, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute. This town hall article is about the

6. Racialization. Have your students generate a discussion about racialization in their

social groups on campus. Ask them to address how race enters the dynamics of the

social groups and how it is addressed.

7. Stereotypes. Have your students develop modern stereotypes of their culture. Let them

8. Race as Topic of Investigation. Many students argue that continuing to talk about

race only perpetuates racial awareness and differences. The American Sociological

9. White Privilege. Peggy McIntosh’s famous essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the

Invisible Knapsack,” was written several decades ago. As a class exercise, students

VIDEO SUGGESTIONS (Videos with a * next to them have corresponding activities

below.)

Face the Truth: Racial Profiling Across America (2010, 11 min.)

Kurdish American Karwan Abdul Kader was detained and interrogated by local law

enforcement for no reason other than driving in the wrong neighborhood. Watch stories

like his in this powerful documentary showing the devastating impact of racial profiling on

communities across America, including the African American, Latino, Arab, Muslim, and

South Asian communities.

Miss Evers’ Boys (1997, 118 min.)

This HBO special about the Tuskegee syphilis studies can be used to raise questions

about research ethics, racial and class inequality, and the U.S. health care system.

Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity (2012, 150 min.)

Black/White (2006, 6 episodes, approx. 50 min. each)

A reality show from the cable network FX that is about a Black family and a white

The Office, Season 1, Episode 2: Diversity Day (2005, approx. 25 min.)

In this episode, the hapless Michael Scott hijacks a tolerance presentation and turns it

into an offensive event.

The Office, Season 3, Episode 5: Diwali (2006, approx. 25 min.)

Office employees attend a Diwali festival (the Hindu Festival of Lights) with one

of the employee’s families. This episode has several examples of cultural

ethnicity and miscommunication based on culture.

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006, 255 min.)

This Spike Lee film looks at the racial- and class-based ways that Hurricane Katrina

affected New Orleans residents differently.

American Blackout (2006, 92 min.)

This film is about race-based voter disenfranchisement and is clearly biased in favor of

Any of Jane Elliot’s Videos (times vary)

Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement, 1954–1985 (2006, 14 one-hour

episodes)

This excellent, critically acclaimed documentary miniseries contains one of the most

comprehensive collections of video footage from the civil rights movement ever

* Representation and the Media Featuring Stuart Hall (1997, 55 min.)

“In this accessible introductory lecture, Hall focuses on the concept of ‘representation’—

one of the key ideas of cultural studies—and shows how reality is never experienced

Education Foundation)

* Tim Wise on White Privilege (2008, 57 min.)

For years, acclaimed author and speaker Tim Wise has been electrifying college campuses

VIDEO ACTIVITIES

Have students view Representation and the Media Featuring Stuart Hall and write a

paper comparing and contrasting the racial images they have encountered in the

media with descriptions of real people they know.

Discuss the concept of reverse racism with students and what it means to be white. Have

INTERNET EXERCISES

1. The Poverty and Race Research Action Council (https://prrac.org) focuses on the

intersection of poverty and race. Have students select one of several issues, from

race/racism to homelessness and community organizing. They will find articles and

other resources for extensive research.

2. Racism and Sports Controversies. The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and

3. Race and Ethnicity in Child Welfare from the North American Council on Adoptable

4. First Nation’s Child and Family Caring Society of Canada