Patterns of Ethnic Relations: Assimilation, Pluralism, and Identity
KevinLiu
Chapter1Lecture-MajorIssuesSomeBasicConcepts2.pptxBasic Concepts Defining the Nature of Race Relations Establishing a Foundation
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Orientation
Consider for one moment a “social justice” issue that is important to you:
Income and/or wealth inequality
Racial and ethnic inequalities
Gender inequalities
Inequalities of sexual orientation
Inequalities of health and well-being
Transnational inequalities
What is central to each of these relevant issues?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Understanding Racial Inequalities as a Social Justice Issue
Four (4) Key Themes to Social Justice Issues
Power
Socially Constructed Differences
Links Between The Individual and the Broader Society
Intersecting Inequalities
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Power
Power is found in one’s social position
Power positions are social constructions
Being in the power position provides a lens for seeing others
Positionality
Being among the power groups affords greater “access” to relevant resources than persons in less powered groups.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Socially Constructed Differences
Comparing Perspectives
Essentialists are people who believe that gender, race, class, and sexual orientation are naturally occurring phenomena: stable across time and space and representing “objective categories of real difference among people.”
Social Constructionists views gender, race, class, sexual orientation as categories of differences that are socially created: intertwined with history and culture, taking on different forms and meanings at different times and in different societies – thus social expectations change over time and space.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Links Between Individual and Broader Society
As sociologists, we believe that what individuals believe, how individuals behave, and even what individuals feel are all to some extent shaped by the broader society.
Social Statuses and Identity influence individual’s attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and feelings.
Sociologists examines the role of history, culture, social institutions, and governmental policies in shaping people’s (groups) inequalities.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Intersecting Inequalities
As sociologists, we recognize ways in which inequalities intersect
Intersectionality is a theoretical framework that draws attention to the ways in which inequalities (race, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, and citizenship status) work with and through one another at multiple levels of society.
Inequalities intersect at the level of the individual, where people experience race, class, gender, and sexuality differently depending upon their social location in the structures of race, class, gender, sexuality.
Inequalities also intersect at micro levels of society where systems of race, gender, class, and sexuality are each built into our economic, political, and cultural institutions.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
WHAT, THEN, IS AMERICANIZATION?
How does inequalities shape the American experience?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Resurgence of Ethnicity
The preeminent thought was with the advancing of industrialization and forces of modernization would diminish the significance of race in and ethnicity in heterogeneous societies
American society, as other industrialized global societies is multiethnic.
As multiethnic, one’s race and ethnicity identity is a negotiating factor in the Americanization experience
Differential experiences define what it means to be American from the standpoint of ethnic groups respective experiences
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Americanization and Ethnicity
Americanization is the process of group’s “integration” and democratic “participation”, in the American social, economic, and political structures – authentic membership defined through genuine sense of belongingness
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Authenticity Exercise
Close your eyes, really close your eyes. Think about your answer to the question:
When do you feel most like yourself? Consider a place and/or activity when you feel your trueness.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Authenticity Exercise
When do you feel most like yourself?
Now examine the following:
In these places, do you feel your own uniqueness as an individual?
Are you clear about the place where defining yourself ends, and “other” begins?
At those times, is what you are feeling your connection–to the universe, to nature, to music – rather than your difference, your uniqueness?
In this place, do you feel your legitimacy for existing there is questioned?
Do you have to negotiate your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality in this place?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
American Authenticity
This authenticity exercise provides a prism in which to see the differing Americanization experiences among various ethnic groups;
American Authenticity is defined through groups acceptance into the American melting pot
American Authenticity is defined through quality of entrance being involuntary or voluntary initial contact with dominant group
American Authenticity is defined through ethnic group’s ability to embody the values, attitudes, behavior, language, and world view of the dominant group.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Who Is Authentic American? Who decides?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Race, Ethnicity & Diversity Establishing a Foundation
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
What Is Race?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Race as a Social Construct
Race, technically, refers to differential concentrations of gene frequencies responsible for traits which, so far as we know, are confined to physical manifestations such as skin color or hair form; it has no intrinsic connection with cultural patterns and institutions.
Milton M. Gordon
Assimilation in American Life
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The Biology of Race
Race is biologically meaningless
Race is not built on scientific evidence; only useful to biomedical scientists for making decisions about medical treatments or research
There is .1% DNA variations among humans (skin color, hereditary traits)
Journal of Nature Genetics 36, S28 - S33 (2004)
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
What is Racism?
An“ideology” that considers the unchangeable physical characteristics of groups to be linked in a direct, causal way to their psychological and intellectual functioning, and on this basis, distinguishes between superior and inferior races.
Feagan, 1989
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Race and Social Division
If Race has no intrinsic scientific definition or relevance, then what has been its societal function?
Race has been used to develop social classes and hierarchies of power, privilege, and access
Race classification serve to rank-order groups
Race classification creates the “othering” effect
Racism is the byproduct of race
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
THE INTERSECTION OF RACE AND RACISM
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
RACE
POWER
RACISM
Forms of Racism
Classifications of Racism include Direct and Indirect Racism
Direct Racism occurs when a person is confronted and placed at a disadvantage because of race
Indirect racism is a side-effect of other concerns, such as unemployment.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Forms of Direct and Indirect Racism
Tacit Racism is implicit or implied racist beliefs systems existing without being stated.
Micro-aggressions are subtle acts of racism; indirect or unintentional discrimination/racism against members of a marginalized group
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Forms of Direct and Indirect Racism
Overt Racism racist acts, behaviors, or communications done or shown openly ; plainly apparent.
Internalized Racism occurs when members of a marginalized minority ethnic group makes the racist attitude and behaviors part of one’s nature by learning or unconscious assimilation to projected racist beliefs from majority group.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Tacit Racial Hierarchy
Tacit Racial Hierarchy is the idea that a society and its constituents have an unspoken agreement regarding a hierarchy of racial superiority.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Erosion of Race and Racism
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The Rashomon Perspective
The Rashomon model can be applied in situations wherein there are a number of differing viewpoints of reality
The important point of this model is that views of reality are shaped by position (positionality), experiences, emotions and needs, with variations in time, place and situation.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The Rashomon Perspective
When issues are framed in terms of race and ethnicity, the racial and ethnic lens provides the main focus
It is difficult to provide a universal agreed upon lens to view societies and behavior, although in most cases, those who control the camera (power) have the most influence
It is not our place to invalidate the lens and perspectives of others – we must recognize the viewpoints are shaped through their respective experiences in space and time.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
From the Rashomon perspective, we understand the existing of racism;
Racism exists in stratified societal systems
Stratified racism is a byproduct of differential power among members in a strata
Anti-racism is the same as diversity and multiculturalism
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The Rashomon perspective
Perspectives for Eliminating Racism
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Perspective 1 – Micro-Level
The focus is on changing the individual
Belief that prejudice and discrimination are conscious aspects of the individual
Motivation, desire, and rewards are key to building race relations
The aim is to encourage the individual to recalculate their motivations through a redefinition of incentives (rewards).
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Focus is on changing institutions
Emphasis is on the role of social institutions in the theoretical and practical dimensions of creating and sustaining racial differentiation
Assigns importance of role, position, status, economic needs, power, and institutional policies in shaping racial behavior
Problems of race is multidimensional
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Perspective 2 – Macro-Level
What Is Ethnicity?
Groups with unique language, ancestral, often religious, and physical characteristics.
Broadly characterizes a religious, racial, national, or cultural group.
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Major issues & Basic Concepts
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in American Societies
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
How Do We Understand Race Relations in American Society?
Two Primary Questions
What is the probability of building racial harmony among different ethnic groups in the United States, and why are we not yet there?
What strategies exist for building racial and ethnic relations?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
BASIC FACTS ON AMERICAN DIVERSITY
To understand the previous questions, we must consider,
The United States of America at exactly 240+ years old is the youngest nation in comparison to all modern nations.
Defined as a heterogeneous nation
Deprived of a true national identity
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
American Diversity
| Race Group | Population Percentage (2010) | Population Percentage (2014) |
| White | 74.4 | 77.4 |
| Black/African American | 12.6 | 13.2 |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| Asian | 4.8 | 5.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 16.3 | 17.4 |
| 2 or More Races | 2.9 | 2.5 |
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/RHI125214/00
Examining the major issue: Who is American?
Who is American, relatively easy question to answer by stating Americans include all who are citizens of the country by birth or naturalization
Who wants to be American? – a little more difficult to answer; to respond in kind, we must evaluate involuntary and voluntary immigration patterns , and characteristics of the Americanization experiences for each immigrant group
Who decides? – probably the most important question; policies has often excluded people of color, and politicians constantly refer to “real Americans” in the manner they have the correct definition of this illusive concept.
What are the goals of American society? Is it to make us all Americans? Narrowly or broadly defined? Is it to reinforce one culture, one phenotype, one belief, and one value system, or would it include diversity and a more pluralistic look?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Summary Questions
What is race without a theory of racism to define it?
Does America have a race problem, or race crisis?
How significant is the element of fear in building race relations?
Can multiculturalism become an American virtue?
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
End Chapter 1 Discussion
SOC 310 - Racial and Ethnic Diversity
