ETHNICITY AND RELIGIONETHNICITY AND RELIGION

CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5

Ethnic DiversityEthnic Diversity

• The United States is ethnically diverse• Germans are the largest ancestral group

• 1/6th of Americans said they had at least some German ancestry

• Germany is one of twenty-one European nations from which at least 1 million people claim to have ancestry

Why Don’t We Study Whiteness?Why Don’t We Study Whiteness?

• Two aspects of White as race are to be considered:• The historical creation of whiteness• How contemporary White people reflect on

their racial identity

• Established English immigrants, as the political founders of the US, came to define what it meant to be White

• Other groups regarded as White today were not always considered White in the eyes of the English• Irish, Germans, Norwegians, and Swedes

• Irish viewed by English as socially and culturally inferior

• As European immigrants and their descendants assimilated and distanced themselves from other oppressed groups such as American Indians and African Americans, they came to be viewed as White

• Whites don’t think of themselves as a race or have a conscious racial identity

• Transparent racial divide of the South during slavery allowed ignorance of how Whiteness was constructed

• Contemporary White Americans give little thought to “being White”• Little interest in studying “Whiteness” or

considering “being White” except that it is “not being Black”

White PrivilegeWhite Privilege• The social identity of Whiteness exists if one enjoys

the privilege of being White• Peggy McIntoshPeggy McIntosh – study on the privilege of being

white• Considered financially reliable• Taking a job and your race is not questioned (anonymity)• Never having to speak for all or represent all of one’s

race• Seeing one’s race represented widely

in the media• Race does not work against you in

court or medical care etc.

The Rediscovery of EthnicityThe Rediscovery of Ethnicity• Marcus Hansen (1952)Marcus Hansen (1952)

• Principle of third generation interest• What the son wishes to forget the grandson wishes to remember

• The civil rights movement played a role in reinvigorating Whites about their ethnic heritage • White ethnics, only a half step above Blacks in

social status, viewed this emerging consciousness as working for them also

Symbolic EthnicitySymbolic Ethnicity• Expressions of ethnicity involving symbols of

one’s cultural heritage• Much of ethnicity today is expressed

symbolically• Food

• Clothing

• Festivals and holidays

• Ethnic organizations

• Supporting specific political issues or issues confronting the old country

• Ethnicity that does exist may more a result of living in the US than importing practices from the past or old country

• Ethnicity ParadoxEthnicity Paradox• Maintaining ethnicity can be a critical step Maintaining ethnicity can be a critical step

toward successful assimilationtoward successful assimilation• Facilitates full entry into the dominant culture through economic and

psychological strength and positive self-esteem

• Ethnicity gives continuity with the past in the form of an affective or emotional tie

Prejudice Toward White Ethnic Prejudice Toward White Ethnic GroupsGroups

• Respectable BigotryRespectable Bigotry• Hostility towards White ethnicsHostility towards White ethnics

• Socially proper to condemn White working class as racist but improper to question negative attitude of middle-class people toward White ethnics

• Ridicule in the media

• Perceived victimization of Roman Catholics

• EthnophualismsEthnophualisms or ethnic jokes and slurs

The Prejudice of EthnicsThe Prejudice of Ethnics• White ethnics have often been portrayed as

bigoted hard hats (The bastion of blue color racism)• Ethnic neighborhoods and racial conflicts

• White Ethnics have distinguished themselves from both Blacks and White Anglo-Saxon Protestants

• White ethnics has been antagonistic to African Americans

The Irish AmericansThe Irish Americans• Diversity based on

• Time of entry• Settlement area• Religion

• Fled not for a better life but from certain death• Potato crop failure and famine

• Reawakened old religious hatreds in the dominant New English aristocracy

• According to dominant Whites, Irish worse than Blacks, because unlike slaves or freed Blacks, who “knew their place,” the Irish did not suffer their maltreatment in silence

• Employers mixed immigrant groups to prevent unified action by the laborers

• Began to experience slow advancement as “white” identity overcame “immigrant” status

• Past issues with immigration led to Irish support of protests for procedures to allow to allow illegal immigrants to apply for citizenship

The Italian AmericansThe Italian Americans• Concentrated not only in time but in geography• Received their jobs through ethnic labor

contractors – PadronePadrone• Catholic church very important to their lives• With assimilation began constructing a social

identity as a national group and successfully became indistinguishable from other Whites

• Controversial aspect involved organized crime as typified by Al Capone (1899-1947)

• Characterization as criminal, even in the mass media, is another example of respectable bigotry

• Immigration was slowed by the National Origins System• Even becoming educated did not ward off

prejudice• Politically, Italian Americans have been more

successful, at least at the local level, where family and community could translate to votes

• Geraldine Ferraro, 1st Italian to get a cabinet position

Polish AmericansPolish Americans• Experience similar to Irish and Italians• Primary reason for their exodus was changing

political status of Poland• Had to adjust to a new culture and urban way

of life• Predominant in coal-mining occupations,

which paid little and were dangerous• PoloniaPolonia-meaning Polish American

• More common in Midwest cities

• Religion played an important role among immigrants and their descendants

• Jewish-Catholic distinction was most distinguishing factor among Polish Americans• Other divisions are Kashubes and Mazurians

• Made use of a rich structure of self-help voluntary associations

• Stigmatized as outsiders and stereotyped as simple and uncultured

• Many have retained little of their cultural tradition

The Language DivideThe Language Divide• Learning English is not easy but immigrants

are trying• Language is both a barrier and means to

accomplishing being a part of American society

• Language is a key to functioning in a society and critical in relation to how they see themselves

• 23% of Mexican Americans are English dominant, 26% are bilingual, and 51% are Spanish dominant

• Myth of Anglo superiority has rested in part on language differences

• Criteria for economic and social achievement includes proficiency in English

• Anglos believe that Spanish is not an asset occupationally

• Only recently has Spanish become useful and necessary for certain tasks

• Many in US are concerned and suspicious about the public use of any language other than English

Bilingual EducationBilingual Education• Cisneros v. Corpus Christi Independent Cisneros v. Corpus Christi Independent

School DistrictSchool District• De jureDe jure segregation of Mexican Americans was

unconstitutional

• Even in integrated schools, Latino children were given separate, unequal treatment

• BilingualismBilingualism• The use of two or more languages in places of The use of two or more languages in places of

work or educational facilities, according each work or educational facilities, according each language equal legitimacylanguage equal legitimacy

• Bilingual EducationBilingual Education• Instructing children in their native language while Instructing children in their native language while

gradually introducing them to the language of the gradually introducing them to the language of the dominant societydominant society

• English ImmersionEnglish Immersion• Students are taught primarily in English, using Students are taught primarily in English, using

their native languages only when they do not their native languages only when they do not understand their lessonsunderstand their lessons

• In practice, instruction usually becomes an English only “crash program”

• Though valuable, funding is sparse and students encouraged to enter “regular” classrooms

Official Language MovementOfficial Language Movement• Attacks have taken several forms

• Appropriateness of using any language other than English has been questioned

• Federal policy has become more restrictive• Repeated efforts to introduce constitutional

amendment declaring English the nation’s official language

• Passions remain strong as policy makers debate how much support should be given to people who speak other languages

Religious PluralismReligious Pluralism• Pluralism used in US to refer explicitly to

religion• The United States reflects a society based

on religious pluralism • Over 1,500 religious groupings

• Denominations• Sects• Cults

• In 1900:• Ninety six percent of the nation was Christian• One percent was non-religious• Three percent was of other faiths

• In 2001• Seventy-six percent of nation was Christian• Fourteen percent was non-religious• Four to six percent was of other religions

• Diversity of beliefs, rituals, and experiences reflects nation’s immigrant heritage and 1st Amendment prohibition against a state religion

• The vast majority of religious belong to a denomination

• Denomination defined - large formally organized church or churches not officially linked to the State

• Four non-Christian religious groups in US whose numbers are comparable to any large denomination• Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus all number

more than 1 million

• One notable characteristic of religious practice in the US is its segregated nature at the local level

• Legacy of racism in religious expression leads to segregation in worship that allows churches to be identified as Black or White

• Even with broad representation, tendency is homogenous

• Religion in US is an ever-changing phenomenon

Ethnicity, Religion, and Social Ethnicity, Religion, and Social ClassClass

• Life ChancesLife Chances• People’s opportunities to provide themselves with material People’s opportunities to provide themselves with material

goods, positive living conditions, and favorable life goods, positive living conditions, and favorable life experiencesexperiences

• Affected by religion, ethnicity, or both

• Andrew Greeley and his study of the relationship between religion and ethnicity on behavior

• Religion seems to influence behavior on religious doctrinal issues

• Ethnicity is generally a better predictor of behavior

• Ethclass Ethclass • interactive effect of ethnicity and social class.interactive effect of ethnicity and social class.

• Ethnicity, religion and social class play a role in life chances and identity

• Difficult to separate the influences of religion and ethnicity on any one individual

• Greeley’s research cautions against discounting the influence of ethnicity in favor of religion

• Religion, ethnicity, and social class combine to form one’s social identity

Religion in the United StatesReligion in the United States• Civil ReligionCivil Religion

• The religious dimension in US life that merges the The religious dimension in US life that merges the state with sacred beliefsstate with sacred beliefs

• Robert Bellah (1967)Robert Bellah (1967)• The emergence of civil religion - the The emergence of civil religion - the

interrelationship between the State (Secular) and interrelationship between the State (Secular) and sacred beliefssacred beliefs

• Functionalists view religion as reinforcing central American values that may be more patriotic than sacred

Diversity Among Roman CatholicsDiversity Among Roman Catholics

• Social scientists tended to ignore diversity within the Roman Catholic Church in US

• Roman Catholic Church experienced growth through Latin America immigration

• Despite its ethnic diversity, has been a powerful force in reducing ethnic ties of its members, making it a significant force in assimilation

Diversity Among ProtestantsDiversity Among Protestants• Often portrayed as a monolithic entity• Sharp differences in religious attitudes• Four “generic theological camps”

• Liberals: United Church of Christ (Congregationalists) and Episcopalians

• Moderates: Disciples of Christ, Methodists, and Presbyterians

• Conservatives: American Lutherans and American Baptists

• Fundamentalists: Missouri Synod Lutherans, Southern Baptists, and Assembly of God

Women and ReligionWomen and Religion• Religious beliefs have often placed women

in an exalted but protected position• Exception in the United States

• Christian Science church• Majority of practitioners and readers are women

• Largest denomination, Roman Catholicism, does not allow women to be priests

• Largest Protestant denomination, Southern Baptist Convention, voted against ordaining women

• Women play a significant role as volunteers• Notable rise in female clergy in last 20

years• Women continue to face sexism after

ordination

Religion and the U.S. Supreme Religion and the U.S. Supreme CourtCourt

• Religious pluralism owes its existence to 1st Amendment

• FOUR ISSUES:• 1. Issue over prayer in school• 2. Secessionist minorities• 3. Creationism and secular humanism• 4. Public display of religious symbols

• Secessionist MinoritiesSecessionist Minorities• In conflict with the rest of society in that they In conflict with the rest of society in that they

reject assimilation and coexistence in some form of reject assimilation and coexistence in some form of cultural pluralismcultural pluralism

• Amish• Native Americans

• CreationistsCreationists• People who support the literal interpretation of the People who support the literal interpretation of the

Bible and have formed various organizations to Bible and have formed various organizations to crusade for creationist treatment in schools and crusade for creationist treatment in schools and universitiesuniversities

• Edwards v Aguillard (1987)Edwards v Aguillard (1987)• Ruled that states may not require the teaching of Ruled that states may not require the teaching of

creationism alongside evolution in public schools creationism alongside evolution in public schools if the primary purpose of such legislation is to if the primary purpose of such legislation is to promote a religious viewpointpromote a religious viewpoint

• Intelligent DesignIntelligent Design• The idea that life is so complex it could only have The idea that life is so complex it could only have

been created by a higher intelligencebeen created by a higher intelligence• Supporters advocate a more accurate account than

Darwinism

• Kitzmiller v. Dove Area School DistrictKitzmiller v. Dove Area School District• Judge found intelligent design to be a religious beliefJudge found intelligent design to be a religious belief

Limits of Religious Freedom: The Limits of Religious Freedom: The AmishAmish

• Practice self-segregation• Yoder v. Wisconsin (1972)Yoder v. Wisconsin (1972)

• Allowed Wisconsin Amish to escape prosecution Allowed Wisconsin Amish to escape prosecution from laws that required parents to send their from laws that required parents to send their children to school to age 18children to school to age 18

• Conflict theorists observe that as long as the Amish remained totally apart from dominant society in the US, they experienced little hostility

• RumspringeRumspringe• ““Running Around”Running Around”

• Young Amish test their subculture’s boundaries during Young Amish test their subculture’s boundaries during a period of discoverya period of discovery

• Attend barn dances where taboos like drinking, smoking, and driving cars are commonly broken

• Growing area of Amish-English clashes is over young Amish children working as laborers

• Old Order Amish developed a pluralistic position that has become increasingly difficult to maintain as their numbers grow and they enter the economy in competition with the English or non-Amish

QuestionsQuestions

• In what respect are the ethnic and the religious diversity of the United States related to each other?

• Is assimilation automatic within any given ethnic group? Why or Why not?

• Apply “Whiteness” to Irish, Italian, and Polish Americans.

• To what extent has a non-Christian tradition been developing in the United States?

• How have court rulings affected religious expression?

• In the future, do you believe the Amish will be able to maintain their lifestyle in an America that is growing in need of land and more reliant on technology?

• Discuss the importance of Affirmative Action as it relates to White privilege.

• Do ethnic minorities, such as Hispanics and Blacks, benefit from the ethnicity paradox? Why or why not?