RaceSince ancient times, people have
attempted to group humans in racial categories based on physical characteristics
Historically scholars have placed people into 3 racial groups: Caucasoids, Mongoloids, and Negroids
CaucasoidsCaucasoids
are white
They are characterized by fair skin
Straight or wavy hair
MongoloidsMongoloids are Asian (or
people whose ancestors are thought to have come from Asia, such as American Indians)
Characterized by yellowish or brownish skin
Distinctive folds on the eyelids
NegroidsNegroids are
black
They are characterized by dark skin
Tightly curled hair
Racial Categories
The reality is that people in each category exhibit a wide range of skin colors and hair textures
It is often hard to categorize groups
There are no biologically “pure” races
Definition of Race
Race: a category of people who share inherited physical characteristics and who others see as being a distinct group
EthnicityAmerican society consists of people
from many different cultural backgrounds.
Ethnicity is a set of cultural characteristics that distinguish one group from another
Ethnic GroupsPeople who share a common cultural
background and common sense of identity are known as an ethnic group
Ethnic groups are usually based on national origin, religion, language, customs, and values
Minority Groups
A minority group is a group of people who- because of their physical characteristics (race) or cultural practices (ethnicity) are singled out or treated unequally
Characteristics of Minorities
Minorities view themselves as objects of discrimination
Membership in the group is an ascribed statusGroup members share a strong bond & sense of
group loyaltyMembers tend to practice endogamy- marriage
within the group. The term has nothing to do with group size, but
more so with powerExample: in South Africa while whites made up 15%
of the population, they dominated the loves of other racial groups in the nation.
DiscriminationDiscrimination is a common feature of the
minority group experience. Discrimination is the denial of equal treatment
to individuals based on their group membership.
Discrimination involves behaviors of an individual or society and can range from name calling and rudeness to acts of violence
Example: In America prior to 1970, 1,170 African Americans were lynched by white mobs. Many were lynched for attempting to vote or for desiring equal treatment.
Societal Discrimination
There are two types of societal discrimination:Legal discrimination can change when laws are
changed1. Legal discrimination- discrimination upheld by
the law2. Institutionalized discrimination-
discrimination that is an outgrowth of the structure of a society
Institutionalized
discrimination if far more
resistant to change
PrejudicePrejudice is another common
feature of the minority group experience.
Prejudice is an unsupported generalization about a category of people.
Prejudice refers to attitudes and involve stereotypes
Stereotypes are oversimplified, exaggerated, or unfavorable generalizations about a group of people
White performers would paint their faces black
and entertain crowds in minstrel shows from the
1840s-1920s
Stereotypes
When stereotyping, an individual forms an image of a particular group and applies it to all members of the group
When stereotyping happens long enough, people begin to believe it
When people believe stereotypes, it makes it easier to accept discrimination
RacismPrejudice beliefs
can justify discrimination and racism can occur
Racism is the belief that one’s own race or ethnic group is naturally superior to other races or ethnic groups
Cultural Pluralism
Cultural pluralism is a policy that allows each group within a society to keep its unique
cultural identity
AssimilationAssimilation is the blending together of
culturally distinct groups into a single group with a common culture and identity
Often assimilation occurs voluntarily, but sometimes it is force on an ethnic group
Segregation
Segregation is a policy to physically separate a minority group from the dominate group
1. De jure segregation: segregation based on the law
Example: White-only and Colored-only bathrooms in the 1950s
2. De facto segregation: segregation based on informal norms
Example: All Black churches