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Introduction

• The question of race continues to divide our society

• We have widely divergent views on whether a problem even exists

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What is Race?

• Connotes biological difference among people- skin color, facial features, and stature.

• Usually transmitted from generation to generation.

• Biological differences: permanent characteristics of people.

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Cont...

Cont…Ethnicity or ethnic group is a

population of human beings whose members identify with each other,

on the basis of a real or a presumed common genealogy or ancestry.

* shares similar cultural characteristics (common language,

religion, national origin, dietary practices, etc.)

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Minority Groups

• Minority group: a group of people who because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from others in the society and therefore regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination.

• People who lack power, privilege, and prestige in social, political or economic spheres.

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Labeling

• A trademark used to distinguish people by either their skin color or physical features

• i.e. “Black”, “Asian”, “Mexican”, “Caucasian”, or “Indian”

• Video #1- Are we so different?• *Group Activity- Extreme labeling

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Racism has long been a part of American history

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When did Racism begin in America?

• Savagery- the idea imposed by Englishmen in the 16th and 17th Century that they were civilized and everyone else was inferior

• Invention of the “white race”, ethnocentrism• Began to pass laws (late 1600’s) that

restricted the rights of Africans and Native Americans

• Ultimately leading to social stratification and slavery

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American Society

• Society is ultimately responsible for racism• Race has been constructed to be the

dominant source of human identity • Referred to as a “social invention”

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What is racism?

• Racism refers to certain attitudes and actions that single out certain people on the basis of their racial–or, in some cases, ethnic–heritage –disadvantage them in some way on this

basis.

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Overt and Institutional Racism

• Overt racism: intended to discriminate against one or more groups on the basis of race– Example: covenants in deeds preventing

property from being sold to people of color.• Institutional racism: social and institutional

structures that, as a matter of fact, disadvantage certain racial groups e.g. a Caucasian man refusing to sell a house to an Asian man

• Video- Who kept it alive?

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Historical examples of Racism

• Jim Crow Laws• The KKK• Zoot Suit Riot• Beltway Sniper• Gang violence• 9/11 attack increase in discrimination against

Iraqi and middle eastern races• Hate crimes and lynching

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Discrimination and Ethnic Prejudice

What is discrimination?• Process by which individual, group, or

subpopulation of individuals acts in ways that deny another individual to valued resources.

• Ethnic discrimination: members of a more powerful and dominant ethnic group deny the less powerful the access to valued resources

• e. g jobs, education, health etc

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Ethnic Prejudice

• Prejudice is a set of beliefs and stereotypes about a category of people; hence ethnic prejudices are beliefs and stereotypes about designated subpopulations who share certain identifying characteristics- biological, organizational or cultural

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Types of discrimination

• Genocide• Expulsion• Segregation• Exclusion• Selective Inclusion• Abusive Practices

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Adaptations To Prejudice and Discrimination- How do oppressed groups cope with and

counteract the problem?

• Passive acceptance• Marginal participation• Assimilation• Withdrawal and Self- segregation• Rebellion and Revolt• Organized Protest• Ethnogenesis

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Historical Examples

• Civil Rights Movement centered around injustices to African Americans

• Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of a society beyond racism

• Rosa Parks- Montgomery Bus Boycott

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Effects of discrimination

• Rate of poverty among various ethnic groups• Poor education among the oppressed groups• Low- paying jobs hence low income; cannot

buy homes, take interesting vacations, often don’t have to health care, they cannot buy decent clothes

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Poverty Rates by Ethnic GroupsU.S Bureau of Census 2003-2004

Ethnic Subpopulation Percentage Who Are Poor

White 10.6%

Non- Latino white 8.4

Latino 22.2

African American 24.6

Native American/ Alaskan Native 24.4

Asian 10.8

Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander

Total U. S population

12.9

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Racism is promoted by society

• Racist commentary, jokes, comedians, and websites poke fun at different races and ethnicities. While these examples aren’t necessarily meant to hurt peoples’ feelings, they can sometimes be taken the wrong way.

• Video 3- Racist moments in Television

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Examples

• Russell Peters• The Amazing Racist• www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com• South Park• Family Guy• Simpsons

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Comedians

It almost seems like comedians have to use racial specific commentary to keep their ratings up, and compete with other comedians.

• Dave Chappelle• Carlos Mencia• Chelsea Handler• Russel Peters• Larry the Cable Guy• Margaret Cho

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Advocating for Victims of Racism: What can YOU do?

• Be the person to speak out against injustices• Be courteous of different ethnicities and their

customs• Try to learn and understand from differences• Consciously try not to feed into stereotypes• Seek out commonalities- not differences- with

people who are of a different race or ethnicity

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Resources and Websites

• www.tolerance.org• www.antiracism.net• www.crossroadsantiracism.org• www.aestheticrealism.org

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Keep in mind

• RACISM IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR• It is important to understand that

race is a social invention and does not define a person’s intrinsic or potential qualities because of physical differences

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Keep in mind contd.

• Racial categories appear biological, but their significance is often social.

• Racial categories in the United States often appear mutually exclusive, but may in fact be overlapping.

• The 2000 census was the first that allowed individuals to claim multiple racial affiliations—e.g., African-American and Native American.

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Racism in the News

• http://www.oliverwillis.com/category/racism/

• http://racism.alltop.com/

• http://www.usnews.com/topics/subject/racism

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Five Fundamental Questions

• What is the actual condition today in regard to race and racism?

• What is the ideal that we want to strive to achieve?

• What is the minimally acceptable situation in regard to race?

• How do we get from the actual to the minimally acceptable condition?

• How do we get from the actual to the ideal?

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