reading assignment race and ethnicity

11/22/2020 Ch. 11 Key Terms - Introduction to Sociology 2e | OpenStax

https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-2e/pages/11-key-terms 1/2

amalgamation the process by which a minority group and a majority group combine to form a new group

assimilation the process by which a minority individual or group takes on the characteristics of the dominant culture

colorism the belief that one type of skin tone is superior or inferior to another within a racial group

culture of prejudice the theory that prejudice is embedded in our culture

discrimination prejudiced action against a group of people

dominant group a group of people who have more power in a society than any of the subordinate groups

ethnicity shared culture, which may include heritage, language, religion, and more

expulsion the act of a dominant group forcing a subordinate group to leave a certain area or even the country

genocide the deliberate annihilation of a targeted (usually subordinate) group

institutional racism racism embedded in social institutions

intersection theory theory that suggests we cannot separate the effects of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other attributes

minority group any group of people who are singled out from the others for differential and unequal treatment

model minority the stereotype applied to a minority group that is seen as reaching higher educational, professional, and socioeconomic levels without protest against the majority establishment

pluralism the ideal of the United States as a “salad bowl:” a mixture of different cultures where each culture retains its own identity and yet adds to the “flavor” of the whole

prejudice biased thought based on flawed assumptions about a group of people

racial profiling the use by law enforcement of race alone to determine whether to stop and detain someone

racial steering

11/22/2020 Ch. 11 Key Terms - Introduction to Sociology 2e | OpenStax

https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-2e/pages/11-key-terms 2/2

the act of real estate agents directing prospective homeowners toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race

racism a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are used to justify the belief that one racial category is somehow superior or inferior to others

redlining the practice of routinely refusing mortgages for households and business located in predominately minority communities

scapegoat theory a theory that suggests that the dominant group will displace its unfocused aggression onto a subordinate group

sedimentation of racial inequality the intergenerational impact of de facto and de jure racism that limits the abilities of black people to accumulate wealth

segregation the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, but also in workplace and social functions

social construction of race the school of thought that race is not biologically identifiable

stereotypes oversimplified ideas about groups of people

subordinate group a group of people who have less power than the dominant group

white privilege the benefits people receive simply by being part of the dominant group