1. Introduction to Sociology Chapter 11 - Race and Ethnicity
Mrs. Hefele

2. The Case of Treyvon Martin
February 26, 2012 – Walking back from a convenience store to his father’s fiancé’s multi-ethnic gated community.
George Zimmerman – a white Hispanic male who was the coordinator of the local neighborhood watch called the police.
There had been a series of break ins
He was told not to approach Martin
Soon after there was a physical confrontation and Martin was shot and killed.

3. Zimmerman said Martin Attacked him and he defended himself.
There was a public outcry of racial profiling – the use of race alone by law enforcement to determine whether to stop and detain someone.
Zimmerman was arrested on April 11th, charged with 2nd degree murder, and found not guilty.
Do you think race played a role in Martin’s death?

4. The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity
Race - A socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that members of a society consider important
We think of race in biological terms but it is a socially constructed concept
The meaning and importance of race not only differ from place to place but also change over time
Generally, sociologists, anthropologists, and psychologists believe that the idea of race was social constructed in order to support racist policies and pseudo science.

5. Today, our ideas of race are often based on socioeconomic assumptions
In modern society some people who consider themselves “white” actually have more melanin in their skin than others who identify as “black.”
In some countries, such as Brazil class is more important than skin color in determining race. People may consider themselves “white” if they live in a middle class style.

6. The term African American was created in the late 20th century to replace the word Negro. He point was to celebrate the multiple identities tha ta black person might hold.
Why was this a bad choice?

7. Unfortunately, it lumps together a variety of ethnic groups under an umbrella term while excluding others who could accurately fit the label but don’t meet the spirit of the term.
This is Charlize Theron. She is technically African American as she was born in South Africa and became a U.S. citizen.

8. The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity
Scientists invented the concept of race to organize the world’s physical diversity
Caucasoid
Negroid
Mongoloid
Sociologists consider such terms misleading and harmful
There is more genetic variation within each category than between categories
From a biological point of view, knowing people’s racial category allows us to predict nothing about them

9. Racial Categories??
Caucasoid Congoid Capoid
Mongoloid Australoid

10. The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity
Ethnicity - A shared cultural heritage
Common ancestors
Language
Religion
Like race, ethnicity is socially constructed
Race is constructed from biological traits and ethnicity is constructed from cultural traits

11. Hispanic – Race or Ethnicity?

12. Hispanic – Race or Ethnicity

13. The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity
Minorities - Any category of people distinguished by physical or cultural difference that a society sets apart and subordinates
Based on race, ethnicity, gender, some other category, or a combination of the above.
Two important characteristics:
Share a distinct identity
Experience subordination
Not all members of a minority category are disadvantaged
Usually make up a small proportion of a society’s population

14. Prejudice and Stereotypes
Prejudice - A rigid and unfair generalization about an entire category of people
Prejudice may target people of a particular social class, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, race, ethnicity
A powerful form of prejudice is racism – the belief that one race is superior to the other
Prejudice often takes the form of stereotypes
An exaggerated description applied to every person in some category
Especially harmful to minorities in the workplace

15. Measuring Prejudice: The Social Distance Scale
Recent study found three major findings
Student opinion shows a trend toward greater social acceptance
People see less difference between various minorities
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, may have reduced social acceptance of Arabs and Muslims

17. Theories of Prejudice SCAPEGOAT THEORY
Prejudice springs from frustration among people who are themselves disadvantaged
SCAPEGOAT
A person or category of people, typically with little power, whom other people unfairly blame for their own troubles
Minorities often are used as scapegoats
They have little power
Usually are “safe targets”

18. Theories of Prejudice AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY THEORY
Extreme prejudice is a personality trait of certain individuals
Conclusion supported by research
Indicated that people who show strong prejudice toward one minority are intolerant of all minorities
Authoritarian Personalities
Rigidly conform to conventional cultural values
See moral issues as clear-cut matters of right
and wrong

19. Theories of Prejudice CULTURE THEORY CONFLICT THEORY
Claims that although extreme prejudice is found in certain people, some prejudice is found in everyone
“culture of prejudice”
Taught to view certain categories of people as “better” or “worse” than others
CONFLICT THEORY
Proposes that prejudice is used as a tool by powerful people to oppress others
Another conflict based argument
Minorities encourage “race consciousness” to win greater power and privileges

20. Discrimination
Discrimination - Unequal treatment of various categories of people
Prejudice refers to attitudes
Discrimination is a matter of action
Positive or negative
Subtle to blatant

21. Discrimination Institutional Prejudice and Discrimination
Bias built into the operation of society’s institutions
Schools, hospitals, police, workplace, banks
People are slow to condemn or recognize institutional prejudice
Prejudice and discrimination reinforce each other
Situations that are defined as real become real in their consequences

22. Powerful Members of Minority Groups…Is there a Pattern?

23. Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction
Six models
Pluralism
Expulsion
Assimilation
Segregation
Genocide
Amalgamation

24. Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction
Pluralism - A state in which people of all races and ethnicities are distinct but have equal social standing
US is pluralistic to the extent that all people have equal standing under the law
US not pluralistic for three reasons
Although most of us value our cultural heritage, few want to live with only people exactly like ourselves (we are forced to)
Our tolerance for social diversity goes only so far
People of various colors and cultures do not have equal social standing
The Idea of the US as a Salad Bowl vs. A Melting Pot

25. Expulsion When a subordinate group is forced out by a dominate group
Trail of tears, holocaust.
It can be a factor in Genocide.
Can also be done on it’s own: Executive Order 9066 Japanese Americans with as little as 1/8th Japanese heritage were forced into internment camps during WWII.

26. Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction
Assimilation - The process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture
Assimilation is…
Avenue to upward social mobility
Way to escape prejudice and discrimination directed against more visible foreigners
Amount of assimilation varies by category
Assimilation involves changes in ethnicity but not in race

27. Majority and Minority: Patterns of Interaction
Segregation - the physical and social separation of categories of people
Segregation enforces separation that harms a minority
de jure segregation (by law)
de facto segregation (in fact)
Continues in the US (de facto)
Hypersegregation
Having little contact of any kind with people beyond the local community

28. Genocide
Genocide - The systematic killing of one category of people by another
Deadly form of racism and ethnocentrism
Common throughout history
Even the US committed genocide against Native Americans

29. Amalgamation
The process by which a minority group and a majority group combine to form a new group.
This is the classic “Melting Pot” analogy.
This is also known as miscegenation and is generally achieved through intermarriage.
Antimiscegenation laws flourished in the United States during the Jim Crow era until they were struck down by Loving v. Virginia in 1967