Prejudice, Discrimination, and Racism, Sexism, Ethnism
I. PREJUDICE simply means to prejudge something, but it can be considered as an irrational attitude that develops after we have come in contact with a group that differs from ourselves.
A. TEXT: cognitive level;
emotional level; action-oriented level
1. Stereotyping
2. Ethnophaulisms
II. Causes: [we can use the following causes of prejudice to address how and why the scientists in Mismeasure of man were prejudiced]
A. socialization
B. self-justification
C. personality
D. frustration-aggression
E. competition
F. social norms
III. Definition of DISCRIMINATION
A. Simply stated, PREJUDICE +
ACTION = DISCRIMINATION
B. (Our text refers to this as
an "action-oriented level of prejudice")
C. (BOOK'S DISCUSSION ON PAGE
97... Our text defines five levels of discrimination. (Levels three and above
really require power).
1. verbal expression
2. avoidance
3. exclusion
a) de jure
b) de facto
4. physical abuse and ethnic violence
5. massacres, genocide, pogroms
IV. Now, distinguish action-oriented prejudice from more
serious phenomena like racism or sexism. What is racism?
A. DISCRIMINATION (on basis of race) + POWER = RACISM
B. DISCRIMINATION (on basis of
ethnic identity) + POWER = ETHNISM (You have to search hard to find the term
“ethnism” in a dictionary. (It is
listed on one web site, “thefreedictionary.com”).
V. Examine MERTON'S MODEL on page 98.
VI. How can majority minority relations be improved? One suggestion involves the text's formula of education and increased contact.
1. interaction reduces prejudice
2. forced contact may increase it
3. frequency and duration are important variables
4. the relative status between the two groups is important
5. nature of interaction, competitive or cooperative is important
6. situational variables—whether
they meet in a political, religious, occupational, recreational or residential
setting.
VII. A Discussion of Chapter 4, DOMINANT-MINORITY
RELATIONS.
A. Minority Group Response to Prejudice and Discrimination:
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B. Other forms of minority group
response to discrimination and prejudice mentioned in our text— Think of these
as results of prejudice and discrimination. (It may be difficult to consider
them responses because the term, "response" can imply a conscientious
action taken voluntarily):
1. negative self-image
2. the vicious circle [cumulative causation]
3. marginality
4. middleman minorities
C. Majority Group Response to Minorities:
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VIII. EXPLOITATION:
A. Power Differential Theory
1. LIEBERSON; Important here is
the relative power of the dominant and minority groups. In many former
colonies, the dominant power succeeded in controlling the "minority"
of original inhabitants at first. However, as time progressed and a class
consciousness developed among the subordinate groups, they were able to use
their vast numerical advantage to overthrow the colonizing power. If the
indigenous (resident) group is more powerful, then the colonizing power will be
forced to assimilate, give in, or depart.
2. PATERNALISTIC AND
COMPETITIVE SYSTEMS—William Julius Wilson—under a paternalistic system such as
B. Internal Colonialism
Theory [Blauner] Heavy Emphasis On Violence as the Only Way To Avoid
Subjugation.
1. American treatment of its
own black (Hispanic, Native American) citizens was comparable to European
Colonial Powers in their treatment of people in the lands they occupied.
a) Take, for example black and Asian ghettos. They are longer lasting than the white ethnic ghettos. While Asian ghettos were able to take over their economic and political control, black ghettos were not largely due to the fact that their traditional ethnic culture was destroyed by slavery.
C. Split Labor Market Theory
[Edna Bonacich]
1. Much of ethnic antagonism is
based not on ethnicity and race but rather on the conflict between higher-paid
and lower-paid labor. What happens is that dominant group employers exploit
minorities and several minorities may compete for scarce jobs. The conflict
results over these pay differentials. Ethnic groups will attempt to restrict
other groups from entering the country (especially Asians and Blacks) if they
perceive them to be a threat to their own economic security.
a) According to Bonacich, the
one characteristic shared by all societies high in ethnic antagonism is that
they have an indigenous working class that earns higher wages than immigrant
workers. Bonacich has been criticized because her theory overlooks racial
discrimination. (Based upon racial and ethnic hatred—not upon economics).
IX. Chapter 14; The American Mosaic
A. At present, the government
policy seems to be "Pluralism." But what will happen if there is a
change to Assimilation or Amalgamation? [IF THERE IS A CHANGE WHICH DIRECTION
WILL IT BE TOWARD? ASSIMILATION OR AMALGAMATION? CAN ASSIMILATION, PLURALISM,
OR AMALGAMATION BE CONSIDERED LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE VIEWS? EXPLAIN].
a) Assimilation—Conservative Viewpoint?
b) Amalgamation—Liberal or Conservative Viewpoint?
c) Pluralism—Liberal Viewpoint?
X. Ethnic Consciousness—if succeeding generations supposedly identify less with their country of origin, how do we explain the resurgence of ethnicity among white ethnics in recent years? Are there different patterns of social mobility, social change, and behavior patterns even among third generation ethnic Americans?
A. Mary Sengstock—focus on the
relationship between the migrant and the country of origin to understand
assimilation.
1. communication today allows migrants to keep in touch with motherland.
2. look at degree of stability
or social change in the motherland; stability in the homeland may foster a
stronger identity with it.
B. Marcus Hansen's "Three
Generation Hypothesis." The Law of the Return of the Third Generation—for
some reason, the third generation has an "irresistible impulse" to
"interest themselves... in the heritage of blood."
C. John Goering, found some
reemergence of ethnic consciousness, but much of it was the result of back lash
against the black civil rights movement and the "hippie phenomenon."
First and second generation Irish and Italian Americans living in the ethnic
ghetto was actually more tolerant than third generation ethnics living outside
the ghetto.
D. Neil Sandburg found that that
(Polish) subjects in the
