SOCIAL STRATIFICATION:

Racial & Ethnic Minorities

Rupal SatraDepartment of SociologyUniversity of Illinois Chicago

Today:

1. The difference between race & ethnicity

2. Social Stratification & Inequality

3. Theories of racial and ethnic inclusion & exclusion

What Constitutes an Ethnic Group? Race & Ethnicity often used

interchangeability

Ethnic Group:

A group that shares:

1. Sense of togetherness2. Common cultural characteristics3. National origin4. Unique social & historical experiences

Subjective identity: sense of belonging

What is Race? Defined as a group of people thought to have

similar:

1. Physical characteristics2. Common ancestry

Does not share sense of identity

SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED!! Not biological although each race share

physical characteristics, THE WAY THEY ARE CLASSIFIED AND THE MEANINGS WE GIVE THEM ARE SOCIALY DETERMINED!

Classification into social categories

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

What is the difference between racism and ethnocentricism?

What is the difference between race and ethnicity?

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Color-blind racism

White privilege

Model Minority Institutionalizing Color-Blind Racism

Race Off

White Privilege

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION:

Categorize according to race, class, gender, sexuality, etc.

Hierarchical system:

White, heterosexua

l, & male

Black, lesbian,

& woman

LETS SEE HOW RACIAL AND ETHNIC INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION PLAY OUT IN

SOCIETY…

WHAT’S AMERICAN?

Arizona Immigration Policy Can Muslims be American? Miss America 2013

RACIAL AND ETHNIC INEQUALITY

What triggers public opposition to immigration?

Purpose and objective: Understand if and how elite discourse shapes public opinion about immigration.

Hypotheses:

1. Expect great opposition with negative news2. This “news” will trigger increased anxiety3. The direction of opinion change should then be

consistent with that information

Conclusion: The perception that immigration is harmful, ethnic cues strongly condition emotional reactions to this news.

Dog Whistle Politics

ELEMENTS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC INEQUALITIES:

Prejudice vs. Discrimination Prejudice: Feelings & Attitudes Discrimination: Action Racism: type of prejudice against a particular

group Racial Ideologies:

Embedded in social fabric Collective standpoint

Stereotypes: Essentializing

Reductionist:

THEORIES OF RACIAL/ETHNIC INEQUALITIES

Historic Arguments: Biological Cultural

Contemporary Arguments: Structural Theories: It’s the system, not the

individuals members. Focuses on the mechanisms of inequality i.e.

economic system, social system, political system, etc

How these systems create mechanisms for inclusion and exclusion

Still rely on these

arguments to help justify

racial inequalities

RACIAL/ETHNIC INEQUALITIES: STRUCTURAL

Structural Violence: Refers to systematic ways in which social structures

harm or otherwise disadvantage individuals.

Subtle & often invisible

Institutionalized Discrimination: Discrimination against minority groups that is

practices by economic, educational, and political organizations.

Built into the social structure

Reaffirms theories of cultural deficiencies and makes them appear normal and natural.

INSTITUTIONAL INEQUALITIES: EDUCATION

Education: Studies have shown that people with more

education are likely to have higher-paying and higher-status jobs.

Lets see if we can find a pattern…

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, 2012

TYPE & QUALITY OF EDUCATION:

FUNDING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Ok, So lets see how less access to and less opportunities for education impact

employment…

But first, what do you expect to find?

INSTITUTIONALIZED DISCRIMINATION: EMPLOYMENT

Statistics show that members of minority groups are far more likely to have a low-status and low-paying job.

EMPLOYMENT ACCORDING TO RACE & ETHNICITY:

EXPLANATION OF EMPLOYMENT INEQUALITIES:

Partially explained by educational differences

BUT: Minority employees tend to receive less pay and encounter a glass cage as compared to whites with the same educational levels.

WHAAAAAAA?!

EXPLANATION OF EMPLOYMENT INEQUALITIES:

NEED FOR A CHEAP LABOR SOURCE: Systematic controls to keep minorities in lower-

level and marginalized jobs.

Glass Cage Effect

Cultural Discrimination: Homophily: Like sticks to like

Network groups

INSTITUTIONAL INEQUALITIES: LAW AND JUSTICE

INSTITUTIONAL INEQUALITIES: LAW AND JUSTICE

The Crack Cocaine & Cocaine Powder incarceration policy

Arizona Immigration Reform Policy

No Child Left Behind

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

1. Describe the ways in which the ethnic inequality is built into our educational, economic, and legal institutions:

2. What are the different theories about the causes of prejudice and discrimination?

WHERE IS THE DEBATE AT TODAY?

Immigration model: Model challenges the persistence of

institutionalized discrimination “If we can do it why can’t they”

Internal colonialism vs. Immigrant minority Internal colonialism

Immigrant minority

The Model Minority Myth