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?