Race Racism and Ethnicity Unit

Opener What race is President Barack Obama? Father was “black as pitch” and a mother who was “white as milk” (Obama 2006)

Defining Race Sociologists view race as human constructed categories Connected by shared and selected ancestors, history and physical features which created the distinct racial group

Defining Race Need to focus on the SELECTED Choose some parts out of the larger whole to focus on or ignore Focus on some ancestors, emphasize some physical features

Defining Race Because of his appearance, this teenager is seen as belonging to the race of just her father. Do you see how placing importance on skin color and hair texture dismisses connections the teenager has with the history and ancestors associated with her mother’s “race”?

Race as an Illusion No basis in logic –1. There are no sharp dividing lines specifying the physical boundaries that distinguish one race from another –2. Millions of people are products of sexual unions between people of different races. The children cannot be classified as a singular race

Race as an Illusion –3. The diversity of people within any one racial category is so great that knowing someone’s race tells us little about him or her

Race as an Illusion –U.S. Asian classification: includes Cambodia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Siberia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. People from these countries do not share a language, country of origin, or a culture. –Only one trait in common is that they have had one blood relative that came from an Asian country

U.S. Census Bureau Classification White79.1% Black12.4% Asian4.5% American Indian/Native American.8% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.1% Other Race4.9%

What is other Race? Officially recognizes 5 categories and “other race” 80% of the 308 million people self-classify as white Hispanic/Latino or Arab/ Middle Eastern not official 5% classify themselves as other

Paper Bag Test One time in the U.S., some churches used the brown paper bag test, permitting only those with shades no darker than the bag to enter.

Racial Formation Theory Why is something that makes no logical sense have such great importance? European creation used race to justify and explain grave inequalities and discrimination

Racial Common Sense Ideas people hold in common about race that are believed to be so obvious or natural they need not be questioned Unquestioned assumptions held about anyone who holds a certain group of physical features Reluctant to talk about (stereotyping)

Racial Common Sense Informs our expectations and interactions that involve race Will persist even when shown those who defy the rule –Assume they are the exceptions

Race as a Social Construction Definitions are the products of social beliefs and values imposed by those who had (or have) the power to create the labels and categories. Reinforced when those who break away from these categories are seen as wrong