Lesson 21 – Race Inequality in the UK (1) Learning Intentions (Pupils should be able to): 1. Identify the different ethnic groups which exist in the UK. 2. Describe the extent to which racism exists in the UK today.

Ethnicity in the UK A person’s ethnicity is usually understood to mean a group of people who have a common identity or heritage. Scotland and the UK are both multicultural societies. Around 2% of the people of Scotland are from a (non- White) minority ethnic group (100,000 people) compared to around 8% of the UK population (4.7m people). According to the UK Census of 2001, the largest minority ethnic groups within the UK population were: Indian 1.8%Pakistani1.3% Other Asian 0.4%Black Caribbean1.0% Black African0.8%Chinese0.4% The last decade has seen a rise in the number of people coming to the UK from E. Europe. Around 6.5m are from E. Europe countries although the rate of immigration has slowed since the start of recession, with many E. European workers returning home.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today Racism is a fact of life in Scotland and the UK. Direct racism – This is where someone is treated unfairly on the basis of their ethnic origin. This can range from discrimination in employment, to racial harassment, to racial attacks and murder. Indirect racism – This occurs where an employer makes a requirement e.g. a dress code, which indirectly discriminates against one group e.g. those who wear a turban. Institutional racism – This is where organisations have been found to ignore racist behaviour /language. Islamophobia – This type of racism refers to prejudice against Islam or Muslims in light of 9/11 and 7/7 bombings.

The extent to which racism exists in the UK today Race and Education – Although there are many students from minority ethnic groups who do well in school and higher education (e.g. Indians), there are clear inequalities in education. For some ethnic minority groups, such as Pakistanis and Black Africans/Caribbeans, the educational qualifications are consistently below average with fewer going to college and university. Race and Employment – People from ethnic minority groups can be found in all areas of employment. However, people from minority ethnic groups are more likely to be unemployed or poorly paid. Some commentators claim there is a “glass door” (similar to the “glass ceiling”) which prevents those from minority ethnic groups achieving their full potential.

Racial Inequality in the UK (1) Questions 1.What evidence is there that Scotland and the UK are multicultural societies? 2.Explain what is meant by direct/indirect/institutional racism and Islamophobia. 3.What evidence is there of racism in Scotland and the UK from the textbook. (Use pages 72 and 73 textbook). 4.What evidence is there that minority ethnic groups do less well in education and employment in Scotland and the UK. (Use pages of textbook) Reading: “Modern UK Social Issues” pages