1. Racial and Ethnic Inequality
Chapter 3
Racial and Ethnic Inequality

2. Defining race Biological definition of race:
Population differs from another because of some genes.
Today no “pure” races exist due to generations of intermixing.
Sociologists view race as a social construct
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3. Racial Group A racial group is:
A category of people who have been singled out
Seen as inferior or superior than other groups
Determined by subjectively defined physical characteristics
Such as skin color, hair texture, eye shape
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4. Ethnic Group An Ethnic Group is: A group distinguished from others.
Seen as inferior or superior.
Distinguished on the basis of cultural or nationality characteristics.
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5. Figure 3.1 Median U.S. family income by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2009.
Source: DeNavas-Walt et al., 2010.
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6. Dominant and Subordinate Groups
Dominant Group:
Advantaged compared to other groups in society
Have superior resources and rights in a society
Can be determined by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or other factors
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7. Dominant and Subordinate Groups
In the U.S. the dominant group is associated with white-skin privilege.
Subordinate Group:
Are disadvantaged compared to other groups
Face unequal treatment, prejudice, or discrimination
See themselves as objects of discrimination
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8. Racism and Prejudice Racism:
Beliefs and practices which justify unequal treatment of racial and ethnic groups
White racism is present in the U.S. and denies people of color opportunities
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9. Racism and Prejudice
Prejudice: negative attitude toward a particular group
Based on faulty generalizations
Stems from ethnocentrism (assumption one’s group is superior)
Also influenced by stereotypes
Overgeneralizations about all members of a group
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10. Discrimination Individual Discrimination:
One on one acts against subordinate group by dominant group
Generally stems from prejudice
Institutional Discrimination:
Involves day to day practices of institutions
Harmful impact on subordinate group
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11. Sociological Perspectives on Race
Social Psychological Perspective:
Frustration-aggression hypothesis:
Individuals who are unable to achieve a set goal become frustrated
Authoritarian Personality
Tendency to be more prejudice
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12. Symbolic Interactionist
Racial Socialization:
Process of social interaction containing messages about one’s racial/ethnic group.
Can be direct via contact with parents, peers, teachers, others
Also indirectly through media images
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13. Functionalist Focus on social order and stability as being important.
Assimilation:
Process where subordinate group members become absorbed in dominant culture
Seen by functionalists as stabilizing
Anglo-conformity model
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14. Functionalist Ethnic Pluralism: Segregation:
Diverse racial and ethnic groups coexist
Maintain separate identities and cultures
Segregation:
Spatial and social separation of people
Based on race/ethnicity, class, gender, religion or other social characteristics.
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15. Conflict Class perspectives:
Historically African Americans were enslaved; they were the cheapest & best workers
Contemporary theory
Split-labor market theory: U.S. economy divided into 2 sectors
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16. Conflict Gendered Racism: Internal Colonialism:
Interaction of gender and race resulting in exploitation of woman of color.
Internal Colonialism:
Members of a racial/ethnic group are placed under control of the dominant group
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17. Conflict Theory of racial formation:
Government has large role in defining racial and ethnic relations
Policies and actions placing one group in a subordinate position
Immigration and naturalization laws
Influence relations between racial & ethnic groups
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18. Native Americans
Population of 15 million inhabited land when Columbus arrived in 1492
White Europeans conquered and colonized the Native Americans
Engaged in genocide
1830: Indian Removal Act passed
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19. African Americans First brought to North American as slaves in 1619
Slavery abolished in 1863:
In South: de jure segregation
In North: de facto segregation
Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965 ended de jure segregation
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20. Latinos (Hispanic Americans)
Puerto Rico became a U.S. possession in 1917; citizens allowed migration to U.S.
In late 1950s refugees immigrated to U.S. from Cuba to flee from Fidel Castro
Mexicans have immigrated to the U.S. as agricultural workers
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21. Asian and Pacific Americans
Chinese workers came to America between 1850 and 1880.
Japanese immigrants forced into internment camps during WWII.
Many immigrants have come recently from other parts of Asia
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22. Figure 3.2 Race and Hispanic origin
Source: Humes et al., 2011.
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23. Solutions to Racial and Ethnic Inequality
Functionalist:
Restructure Social Institutions
Conflict:
Struggle and Political Action
Interactionist:
Teach cultural diversity to unlearn prejudice and discrimination
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24. Figure 3. 3 Percentage of U. S
Figure 3.3 Percentage of U.S. population by race and Hispanic origin (for those indicating one race only): 2010, 2025, and 2050 (middle-series projections)
Source: Humes et al., 2011.
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