Chapter 5: Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Concept Caching: Woman Headload and Baby-Malawi Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All.

Field Note: Building Walls “ “Traveling on the Indonesian island of Bali, I saw a brick-making facility and stopped to visit. Boys and women were building bricks by hand, in the hot sun. I watched young boys scoop wet mud from a quarry by a creek into their wheelbarrows. They poured the mud into wooden forms. Once the bricks began to dry and harden in the sun, someone had to turn the bricks repeatedly to prevent them from cracking. The woman in Figure 5.1 worked ten hours a day, six days a week, turning, stacking, and re- stacking bricks to prevent them from cracking. For her work, she earned about 45 cents (U.S.) per hour.” © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Geographer Gillian Rose defines identity as “how we make sense of ourselves.” We construct our own identities through experiences, emotions, connections, and rejections Identifying against other people: define the “Other,” and then we define ourselves in opposing terms © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. What Is Identity, and How Are Identities Constructed?

Many of societies’ modern assumptions about race grew out of the period of European exploration and colonialism Racism What society typically calls a “race” is in fact a combination of physical attributes in a population Skin color is not a reliable indicator of genetic closeness © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Race What Is Identity, and How Are Identities Constructed?

Concept Caching: Fenway Park, Boston, MA Field Note “We were traveling in Darwin, Australia, in 1994 and decided to walk away from the modern downtown for a few hours. Darwin is a multicultural city in the midst of a region of Australia that is largely populated by Aboriginals. At the bus stops on the outskirts of the city, Aboriginals reached Darwin to work in the city or to obtain social services only offered in the city. With a language barrier between us, we used hand gestures to ask the man in the white shirt and his son if we could take their picture. Gesturing back to us, they agreed to the picture. Our continued attempts at sign language soon led to much laughter among the people waiting for the next bus.” © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Race and Ethnicity in the United States Unlike a local culture or ethnicity to which we may choose to belong, race is an identity that is more often assigned. U.S. racial categories are reinforced through residential segregation, racialized divisions of labor, and categories of races recorded by the Census Bureau and other government and nongovernmental agencies. Because of immigration and differences in fertility rates, the United States is increasingly “nonwhite.” How Americans define “race” is changing. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. What Is Identity, and How Are Identities Constructed?

Geographers Douglas Massey and Nancy Denton: residential segregation is the “degree to which two or more groups live separately from one another, in different parts of the urban environment.” Five measures of segregation: evenness, exposure, concentrated, centralized, clustered. Residential Segregation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. What Is Identity, and How Are Identities Constructed?

Different identities at different scales: Individual: brother, sister, student Local: residents of a neighborhood Regional: Southerners National: American Global: Western, free Appropriate identity is revealed at the appropriate scale. Identities across Scales What Is Identity, and How Are Identities Constructed?

© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. New York has a greater number and more diversity of immigrants than any other city in the United States. Succession : New immigrants to a city often move to low-income areas being slowly abandoned by older immigrant groups. Many new immigrants focus on the streetscapes, creating businesses to serve their community and reflect their culture. The Scale of New York What Is Identity, and How Are Identities Constructed?

Recall the last time you were asked to check a box for your race. Does that box factor into how you make sense of yourself individually, locally, regionally, nationally, and globally? What impact might it have on how other people view you? © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnic Geography: Threads of Diversity Ethnicity – comes from the Greek word, ethnikos, which means “national” – Greek ethnos means “nation” or “people.” Geographers are interested in where ethnicities are distributed. Globalization and proselytizing universal religions dilute diversity Ethnicity stands as the strongest bulwark for the preservation of local diversity © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cultural Realms vs. Ethnic Geography Culture Realms – DeBlij and Fellman call them “realms” while Huntington uses “civilizations” – Culture Realms represent the mainstream trends of a realm on a large scale Ethnic Geography – Focuses on a much smaller scale – the spatial distributions and interactions of ethnic groups Examples of the focus of the ethnic geographer would include – multiple movements – Diffusions – Migrations – mixings of diverse groups © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnic Groups Ethnic Group – Populations who identify themselves as separate in someway from the general population Characteristics of Ethnic Groups – Bound together by common origins – Separated from other groups – Culture/customs – Race – Religion – Language – National origins There is no single trait which denotes ethnicity There is no “ethnic identity” © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Three Common Unifying Bonds of Ethnicity Irregardless of traits, or perceived identification, there are common bonds which tend to unify ethnic groups 1.Shared ancestry and cultural heritage 2.Retention of a set of distinctive traditions 3.Maintenance of “in-group” interactions and relationships © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethno-Centrism Ethno-centric ideas tend to judge other cultures, nations, races, and ethnic groups by: – one’s own standards – Maintain notion(s) of one’s own group as superior to all others Ethnocentrism can present itself as an outgrowth of egocentrism © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnicity a Spatial Concept Two types of spatially discussing ethnicity – Larger homeland districts where: Ethnic groups are associated with clearly recognized territories in which they are the primary or exclusive occupants smaller rural or urban enclaves within a host country/society – These enclaves are inhabited by members of an ethnic group who immigrated away from the “homeland” area © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnic Cleansing “Ethnic Cleansing” is a euphemistic term for racial and/or ethnic inspired genocide. It is a blatant attempt to “cleanse” a geographic area of all competing, conflicting groups, so that the dominant or conquering group can claim its alleged “homeland,” free from “foreign” competition or interference. – Yugoslavia in SE Europe and Rwanda/Burundi in Central Africa are very recent examples – Pre-war Nazi land acquisitions and policies culminating with the Holocaust of the Jews (as well as other “undesirables”) may be the most blatant modern attempt to eliminate any and all people who do not fit into the Nazi mainstream notions of “racial/ethnic purity.” © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnic Cleansing Black “Homelands” in South Africa – During the apartheid era, South Africa created a series of black “homelands” with the expectation that every black would be a citizen of one of them. These were abolished with the end of apartheid. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

What about Ethnic Homelands in North America? Guest Workers “Guest workers” – frequently called by their German name Gastarbeiter – have substantially altered the ethnic mix in formerly unicultural cities of Western Europe. – On average, foreigners comprise over 7% of Western Europe’s labor force. – They form the majority of the work force in many Middle Eastern countries Between 60% and 90% of the workers of the Persian Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are foreigners Note: Virtually all female workers in the Arabian countries are guest workers because of Islamic restrictions on women’s movement in these countries. – 25% of of Singapore’s workforce is foreign. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Universality of Ethnic Diversity Approximately 5000 ethnic groups are distributed within roughly 200 sovereign nations Europe – guest worker enclaves + minority homelands SE Asian & African resettlements & colonial legacies – a dynamic mosaic of fluid, pluralistic societies Polyethnic countries: – the former Yugoslavia & USSR – China, India, Afghanistan, – Former colonies in Africa & Latin America – USA = economic and political magnet for all world refugees contribute to an ever- changing cultural “melting pot” (although some object to the term melting pot, and rather, consider it a composite “quilt”). © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Figure 5.8 New Glarus, Wisconsin. The town of New Glarus was established by immigrants from Switzerland in 1845. The Swiss American town takes pride in its history and culture, as the flags at the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant demonstrate. © Don Smetzer/Alamy © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. How Do Places Affect Identity, and How Can We See Identities in Places?

© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Geographer Gillian Rose: “Developing a sense of place ” Ethnicity and Place Ethnicity: people are bounded in a certain place over time. ethnos = “people” Ethnic identity is greatly affected by scale and place. How Do Places Affect Identity, and How Can We See Identities in Places?

Chinatown in Mexicali Mexicali Chinatown was crucible of Chinese ethnicity in the Mexicali Valley throughout much of the twentieth century. Now plays an important symbolic and functional role in preserving group identity and consciousness. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. How Do Places Affect Identity, and How Can We See Identities in Places?

Identity and Space Space : “social relations stretched out” Place : “particular articulations of those social relations as they have come together, over time, in that particular location.” Gendered places © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. How Do Places Affect Identity, and How Can We See Identities in Places?

Glen Elder, Lawrence Knopp, and Heidi Nast: queer theory Gary Gates and Jason Ost : The Gay and Lesbian Atlas Concentrations of same-sex households in the United States are in cities with well- established gay and lesbian neighborhoods. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. How Do Places Affect Identity, and How Can We See Identities in Places? Sexuality and Space

Glen Elder, Lawrence Knopp, and Heidi Nast: queer theory Queer theory was originally associated with the radical gay politics which embraced “queer” as an identity label that pointed to a separatist, non-assimilationist politics. Queer theory challenges either/or, essentialist notions of homosexuality and heterosexuality within the mainstream discourse, and instead posits an understanding of sexuality that emphasizes shifting boundaries, ambivalences, and cultural constructions that change depending on historical and cultural context. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Glen Elder, Lawrence Knopp, and Heidi Nast: queer theory When one considers the realms of fantasy, the unconscious, repression, and denial, much that is ostensibly considered “heterosexual” easily falls within the realm of queer. – Thus straight-identified women spectators might enjoy the sexual tension generated between Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in Thelma and Louise; straight-identified men might enjoy the exaggerated homoeroticism of Stallone's Rambo. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Glen Elder, Lawrence Knopp, and Heidi Nast: queer theory Non-straightness does not necessarily embrace liberation. – Straight male-oriented genres such as gangster films, the Western, action films, and buddy films, which position male homoeroticism as a means to create and defend a “world of men” and place “hard” masculinity against the softening effects of domesticity and heterosexual commitment (as opposed to conquest and flight) set forth in the standard Hollywood narrative structure of the Oedipal trajectory. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Glen Elder, Lawrence Knopp, and Heidi Nast: queer theory Thus a central political weakness of queer theory: If non-straightness includes so many, what happens to the sexual minorities and marginalized “deviants” who seek explicit protections within well-defined political communities that can organize internally and create coalitions with other well-defined groups? © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Homophobia and heterosexism Homophobia- intense fear and hatred of homosexuality and homosexuals – Highly correlated with a belief in traditional gender roles – Homosexual slurs are used to reinforce gender conformity Heterosexism- society reinforces heterosexuality and marginalizes anyone who does not conform to this norm

Power relationships can subjugate entire groups of people, enabling society to enforce ideas about the ways people should behave or where people should be welcomed or turned away Jim Crow Laws Belfast, Northern Ireland © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. How Does Geography Reflect and Shape Power Relationships Among Groups of People?

Vulnerable Populations Vulnerability is fundamentally influenced by geographically specific social and environmental circumstances. Through fieldwork and interviews, geographers can see differences in vulnerability within groups of people © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Introduction Gender roles are socially constructed Gender roles are created by humans to meet the needs of their societies Life chances in the stratification system depend upon the combination of age and sex (and other categories as well)

Sex, gender, and stratification Sex- usually thought of as a biological term referring to ascribed genetic, anatomical, and hormonal differences between males and females, but it is actually determined by socially accepted biological criteria, e.g.:

Gender identity - the socially constructed meanings associated with males or females and how individuals construct their gender identity within these constraints – Gender roles- rigidly assigned tasks or expected behaviors of individuals because of their sex category Sexuality - how we experience our own bodies and our bodies in relation to others The three terms are frequently used interchangeably, but are all distinct

Sex, gender, and sexuality at the micro-level Agents of socialization teach us from birth how to display “proper” gendered behaviors – Failure to comply often results in sanctions – Compliance is celebrated

Sex, gender, and sexuality at the meso-level Adults roles and responsibilities in social institutions differ by age and sex Rites of passage differ by age and sex Women’s reduced power in micro-level settings is often related to a lack of power in meso-level organizations and institutions

Sex, gender, and sexuality at the macro-level Institutionalized discrimination- patterns of social action that are imbedded in the entire social system may influence women and men, providing unrecognized privileges or disadvantages

Gender socialization Gender socialization is the process by which people learn the cultural norms, attitudes, and behaviors appropriate to their gender through sanctions Parents focus on gender socialization during infancy and childhood Meso-level agents include: – CorporationsEducation – Mass MediaReligion

Macro-level processes of gender socialization Glass ceiling- social forces that keep women from reaching the highest levels of corporate and public responsibility Sticky floor- social forces that keep the vast majority of the world’s women stuck in low-paid jobs Glass escalator- even if men do not seek to climb in the organizational hierarchy, occupational social forces push them up the job ladder into higher echelons, especially in female-dominated occupations The workplace itself is gendered

Gender discrimination De jure discrimination- done legally & deliberately because of cultural images of women as inferior/weaker to or fundamentally different from men De facto discrimination- unequal treatment that is unintended,customary – Side effect discrimination – Past-in-present discrimination

Feminist theory- patriarchy is the cause of women’s oppression – Patriarchy- a few men dominate and hold authority over all others, including women, children, and less powerful men – Class, race, and gender intersect in a way that privileges some women over others, though most women are still subordinate to most men

Gender and minority group status Women are a “minority group” because: – Distinguished by physical, cultural, or social characteristics – Share of desired goods is limited by the dominant group – Ideological or other justifications are used to deny them equal treatment – They have a collective identity used to help insulate them from unequal treatment – Minority group status is generally determined by rules of descent, with members born into a status they cannot change – Benefited from the Civil Rights Era

Meso and macro costs and consequences of gender stratification Stratification has consequences for all social institutions Men are able to “take gender privilege with them” Stratification can lead to: – Poor educational achievement of female children – Loss of human talents and resources of half of the population – Lack of health care coverage for women, which impacts both those women and their children – Social divisiveness leading to alienation, if not hostility.

Women in Subsaharan Africa Much of Subsaharan Africa, especially rural areas, is dominated numerically by women. Women produce an estimated 70 percent of the region’s food, almost all of it without the aid of modern technology. In East Africa, cash crops such as tea are sometimes called “men’s crops” because the men trade in what the women produce. Uganda was a leader in affirmative action for women. Rwanda is the first country in the world where women hold more than 50 percent of the legislative seats. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. © Harm de Blij

Field Note “I am filled with admiration for the women carrying water on their heads up the bank from the Niger River. Other women are at the water’s edge, filling their buckets. These women are performing a daily ritual requiring incredible endurance and strength. Once they carry their buckets to their dwellings, they will likely turn to preparing the evening meal.” Figure 5.16 Along the banks of the Niger River just outside Mopti, Mali. © Alexander B. Murphy © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dowry Deaths in India In an arranged marriage, the dowry is the price to be paid by the bride’s family to the groom’s father. In extreme cases, disputes over the dowry have led to the death of the bride. Power relationships place women below men in India. Family Courts Act passed in 1984 to provide support for women who feared dowry death. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

The practice of dowry deaths is not declining in India. The number of love marriages is on the rise and many couples in love marriages are meeting online. The number of divorces is also on the rise, with 1 in 1,000 marriages ending in divorce in India today. Just as some statistics point to an improving place of women in Indian society, other statistics confirm India still has a preference for males overall. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Dowry Deaths in India

Shifting Power Relations among Ethnic Groups Urban geographers, John Frazier, Florence Margai, and Eugene Tettey- Fio: Race and Place: Equity Issues in Urban America Areas with multiple ethnicities often experience an ebb and flow of acceptance over time. In California and in much of the rest of the United States, the “Asian” box is drawn around a stereotype of what some call the “model minority.” The myth of the model minority: “paints Asians as good, hardworking people who, despite their suffering through discrimination, harassment, and exclusion, have found ways to prosper through peaceful means.” © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Power Relations in Los Angeles Geographer James Curtis: southeastern Los Angeles County is today “home to one of the largest and highest concentrations of Latinos in Southern California.” Barrioization: describes a change that saw the Hispanic population of a neighborhood jump from 4 percent in 1960 to over 90 percent in 2000. April 29–30, 1992: Riots in Los Angeles after the verdict in the Rodney King case led to deaths, injuries, and about $1 billion in property loss. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Shifting Power Relations among Ethnic Groups

Geographers who study race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality are interested in the power relations embedded in a place from which assumptions about “others” are formed or reinforced. Consider your own place, your campus, or your locality. What power relations are embedded in this place? © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 5: Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Concept Caching: Woman Headload and Baby-Malawi Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All.

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Chapter 5: Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Concept Caching: Woman Headload and Baby-Malawi Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All."— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Chapter 5: Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Concept Caching: Woman Headload and Baby-Malawi Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All.

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Chapter 5: Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Concept Caching: Woman Headload and Baby-Malawi Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All."— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback