Society, Culture, and Discrimination Part II

HSP3M

Homework

• Apartheid article

Multiculturalism

• Article: A Challenge for Korean-Canadians

• P. 222

Segregation vs. Multiculturalism

• In the fall of 2009, Toronto opened its first “Africentric school”

• The school is primarily meant to address the 40% dropout rate among Toronto’s black youth

Arguments in favour

• “For its proponents, a black-focused school is not something that will perpetuate inequity and injustice but a corrective measure intended to help right those past wrongs.”

• "We're talking about creating a sense of belongingness for the students in the school environment. We're teaching them about values-about respect, responsibility, community and history. We're affirming their identities and talking about having a very complex understanding of what it means to be black or African."

Arguments against

• “Martin Luther King and so many of our fathers fought to come together so black and white can be together, for us to sit in the front of the bus together. What we're doing is all segregating each other. We should be one.”

• “In a country that defines itself by its commitment to multiculturalism, many believe the very idea of a black-focused school runs contrary to everything Canada stands for.”

What do you think?

• Is Toronto’s Africentric school a step forwards or a step backwards for Canada?

• One critic says “With dropout rates also high among Portuguese and Arab students,” he fears the school is "the tip of a slippery slope.“– Is this a valid concern?

What do you think?

• State your opinion, and provide at least 3 key points to back up your argument

Key Terms

• Prejudice: a belief or judgement about members of a group, without the knowledge needed to make such a judgement– Can be favourable, but usually is negative

• Stereotype: a simplified belief based on judging all members of a group by the behaviours of a few– A generalization (and a type of inductive reasoning)

Key Terms

• Discrimination: a set of actions taken against particular groups of people– Based on race, gender, sexual orientation,

etc.– Can be taken by individuals or societies– Usually involves denying rights

Discrimination

• Systemic discrimination is supported by laws or institutions– South Africa, USA, Canada

• Unofficial discrimination is perpetuated by individuals despite the law– Ex: Harassment

Discrimination

• Related to discrimination, but more extreme, is the concept of genocide– Attempt to wipe out an entire group

• Racism is a specific form of discrimination directed towards members of a racial/ethnic group– Racists are firmly on the “nature” side of the

nature-nurture debate

Other forms of discrimination

• Sexism

• Ageism

• Ableism

• Homophobia

Homework

• Complete questionnaire on p. 229 “What do jokes say about prejudice”

• Read “Society Matters” on p. 228 and be prepared to discuss the question(s) at the end of each example.