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Some Key Words
–Assimilation
–Integration
–Multiculturalism
–Minority group
–Prejudice
–Discrimination
–Stereotyping
– Ascribed Status
– Socio-economic position
– Race
– Ethnicity
– Social construction
– Culture
– Capitalist economy
– Marginalization
RACE• The MEANING of being a particular “race” is
ascribed to particular groups (ie interpreted socially)
• What it means to be ‘black’ or ‘white’ is given by particular society
• Taking of biological features and using them
as basis to discriminate
What is racism?
Phenotype and Genotype
• Genotype: genetic inheritance
• Phenotype: visible attributes– i.e. skin color
• “races” of humans are variable in degrees of melanin in skin
• Total genetic variation between racial groups is only 6%...variation within groups is also 6%!
(King, The Biology of Race,1981)
What is race?
• Classifying by skin color & related characteristics appear objective,
but there are other equally valid ways to specify race.
RACE: biological definition
– Refers to biological characteristics (skin color, facial features, inherited characteristics)
Ways to Categorize “Races”Race by Resistance
Presence or absence of anti-malarial genes
Present:African blacks,Arabs living on Arabian peninsula
Absent: Swedes, some black Africans (the Xhosas)
Race by Digestion Presence or absence of lactase in adults (helps to digest milk)
Present: Fulani of West Africa, Swedes, Europeans Absent: E Asians, Native Americans, Australian Aborigines, most black Africans
Race by types of fingerprints
– Type 1: Black Africans, most Europeans, East Asians (loops)
– Type 2: Jews, some Indonesians (arches)
– Type 3: Australian Aborigines (whorls)
• Source: Jared Diamond (1994, Nov.). Race without color. Discover, pp. 92-97.
• Race is arbitrary • SOCIAL category,
not biological one.
So, why such an important
category?
Categorization–Humans categorize physical and social
worlds
»group together objects/people that have similar features Circles,
triangles, people.
–It’s efficient – speeds up processing and helps us learn about people and things.
–All categorization involves some distortion and oversimplification. (principle of least effort )
cablinasian like me
Caucasian-black-Indian-Asian.
Term "Caucasian" originated as one of racial categories in 19th c. by people studying craniology. Was derived from region of Caucasus mountains. 18th c. German philosopher Christoph Meiners first named Caucasian race.
http://www.humanracemachine.com/
Kenneth &Mamie Clark Doll Experiments
When asked to choose the brown doll, the white doll,
or no doll at all, ten of sixteen students selected the white doll as the "nice" doll. Eleven labeled brown doll as the "bad" doll. Even
though the children had demonstrated that they
could distinguish between white and brown dolls, when asked to choose
which doll looked like them, seven selected
the white doll.
The Bell Curve, authors Herrnstein and Murray strongly implied that the white/black IQ gap is largely genetic.
Research on IQ and race by Arthur
Jensen, William Shockley,
Herrnstein and Murray (The Bell Curve)
Ethnicity
shared cultural heritage: ancestry, dress, religion, language, tools, holidays
People can change ethnicities by adopting different way of life
CULTURAL HERITAGE
• Knowledge of culture passed from generations
• Shared social and cultural values
• Socially constructed
• Sense of membership of particular people
• Ethnic group is interest group who mobilizes to work for their needs and interests
ETHNICITY as Ascribed Status
• Social construction based on shared “cultural heritage” or tradition
• Culture refers to ‘way of life’language, dress,
rituals, ideals, norms, belief system
Minority: category distinguished by physical or cultural difference that society sets apart and subordinates.
•Numerical minority : less than 50%
•Sociological minority : may have #s but not power
e.g., women and Blacks in South Africa
Minority Group Characteristics
• Experience a pattern of disadvantage or inequality
• Visible identifying traits• Aware of their
disadvantages and inequality
• Born into their minority classification
• Usually marry within their own group
What is Hate? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary: Hate: to have a strong aversion to (2) find very
distasteful (3) to express or feel extreme hostility We will define hate as the mindset that you are
better than someone else based on appearance, beliefs or practices
The Birth of Hate Group Websites
• 1st hate group website established 1995 (Stormfront.org)
• Hate groups around country followed lead/began opening websites of their own
• The sites remain in place due to laws of free speech• Sites funded by members willing to contribute to
cause • Most sites charge membership fee
The First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.”
What is Speech?
• Symbolic speech
• Political speech
• Prejudiced speech
• Freedom not to speak
• Fighting words
Protected Not Protected
The Legal Battles
• Cohen v. California (1971)
• Hud v. Wilson (2000)
• Frederick Toben v Germany (2000)
Hate Group Websites• American Knights (June, 1998)
http://www.americanknights.com
• Aryan Nations (Sept, 2000) http://www.aryan-nations.org/
• World Church of the Creator (Aug, 1996) http://www.creator.org
• Westboro Baptist Church (Jan, 1997) http://www.godhatesfags.com
Dedicated to Stopping the Hate on the Web
• Federal Bureau of Investigation• United States Department of Education• American Civil Liberties Union
On the Internet:http://www.publiceye.orghttp://www.thecdr.org http://www.adl.org
Commonsense Explanations of Prejudice and Discrimination
• Human Nature– Humans club together
in groups – Innate need to feel
superior/safe from others– Learned Behavior
RACISM as Prejudice• Prejudice - PRE-JUDGE person or situation (an attitude)
• Based on stereotype (which justifies prejudice)
• STEREOTYPE: Generalize from member of group to all– All Muslims are terrorists– All feminists hate men– All men like sports/hunting or they are gay
THEORIES• Closure theories• These argue that in order to maintain group
boundaries members tend to emphasis differences between selves and others
• Class Theories• Discuss prejudice and discrimination as an
aspect of inequality – When resources not evenly distributed dominant
group will try to maintain its position by vilifying or scape-goating members of minority groups
What is a Stereotype?• schema about group
• lead us to pay attention to information that confirms, to interpret information in light of stereotype, to remember information that fits stereotype.
• When we act upon our attitudes to detriment of others
• Social behavior arising from prejudice and stereotyping
• Means that some members of society receive different treatment in relation to allocation of rewards (different “life chances”)
• Cycle of discrimination– migrants don’t assimilate, cut funding
for English classes, don’t learn English, migrants don’t assimilate
Types of DiscriminationFederally Protected Classes
Class Protected by
Race Civil Rights Act of 1964
Color Civil Rights Act of 1964
Ethnic Origin Civil Rights Act of 1964
Gender Civil Rights Act of 1964; Equal Pay Act
Religion Civil Rights Act of 1964
Age (over 40) Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Disability Americans with Disabilities Act;
Vocational Rehabilitation Act
Pregnancy Pregnancy Discrimination Act
Vietnam Veterans Status Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Act
Prejudice and Discrimination in the 21st Century
• Symbolic Racism--Belief that:– No longer serious discrimination– Any inequality is fault of minority group– Demands for preferential treatment is unfair
and discriminatory (Affirmative Action)
• Racism--Belief that:– Certain groups are genetically inferior – Unequal treatment is justified
Affirmative Action• Intentional recruitment of minority applicants
• Removal of discriminatory workplace practices
• Preferential hiring and promotion of minority applicants– History of discrimination– Goals based on qualified
workforce vs. area population– Cannot trample rights
of non minorities
Conclusions
• Notions of ethnicity and race help us define who we are and who we are not
• Race and Ethnicity and the kinds of prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping that is based on ethnicity and race can impact negatively on ‘life chances’ and access to rewards of society, ie. contributes to inequality
Conclusion • While online hate groups are not beneficial to
society, we should not restrict their right to free speech
• Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to this problem
• Should online hate groups be forced to have disclaimers for children?