1. Minority Groups

2. What is a Minority Group?
A subordinate group whose members have significantly less control or power over their lives than members of a dominant or majority group
A group that experiences a narrowing of opportunities (success, education, wealth, etc) that is disproportionately low compared to their numbers in the society

3. Characteristics of a Minority Group
Distinguishing physical or cultural traits, e.g. skin color or language
Unequal Treatment and Less Power over their lives
Involuntary membership in the group (no personal choice)
Awareness of subordination and strong sense of group solidarity
High In-group Marriage

4. Types of Minority Groups
Racial
Groups who are classified according to obvious physical characteristics, e.g. skin color
US Racial Minority Groups: Blacks, American Indian, Asian Americans, Hawaiians
Ethnic
Groups who are differentiated on the basis of culture such as language
US Ethnic Minority Groups: Hispanics or Latinos such as Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Cuban; Jews are also consider cultural minorities instead of religious minorities.

5. Minority Groups Cont. Gender
Males are a social majority; women demonstrate four out of five characteristics of minority status. There are no in-group marriages
Religion
Groups who have a religion other than the dominant faith.
US Religious minorities - Muslims, Amish, Mormons, Roman Catholics

6. Creation of Minority Groups #1
Migration
Emigration – leaving a country
Immigration – coming to a country
Both voluntarily and involuntary
Can occur within a country – Like the Great Migration

7. Creation of Minority Groups #2
Annexation
Incorporation or attachment of land that is contiguous to the nation
Can get from war or purchase
The dominant power attempts to suppress the language and culture of the minority groups.

8. Creation of Minority Groups #3
Colonialism
The maintenance of political, social, economic, and cultural domination over people by a foreign power for an extended period.

9. Stereotype PREJUDICE A belief about a certain group of people.
Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
A feeling about a person based on their membership in a group.
A belief about a certain group of people.
Example: What is the basic idea of a teacher such as their appearance?

11. Consequence of Minority Group Status
Extermination
Genocide or the deliberate, systematic killing of an entire race or ethnic group
Holocaust
Rwanda
Sudan
Armenian

12. Consequence of Minority Group Status
Expulsion
Dominant group forcing a specific minority group to leave a certain area or entire country
Native Americans onto reservations
Non-communist after Mao take-over
Bantu in South Africa

13. Consequence of Minority Group Status
Secession
A group secedes to form a new nation or moves to an already established nation where it becomes dominant
American Colonization Society – Liberia
UN - Israel for Jews post WW II
Great Britain – Australia for prisoners

14. Consequence of Minority Group Status
Segregation
Physical separation of two groups in residence, workplace, and social functions.
Legally imposed – Jim Crow Laws
De Facto – schools segregated based on district population being segregated.

15. Consequence of Minority Group Status
Fusion
When a minority and majority group combine to form a new group.
Both a biological and cultural event

16. Consequence of Minority Group Status
Assimilation
Minority individual or groups takes on the characteristics of the dominant group.
This would be a majority ideology
Whites + Blacks + Asian = Whites