Ethnic inequality - Weberian Explanations Flashcards
(29 cards)
What 3 categories do Weberian explanations fall into?
Status inequality, Organisation of the Job market, and the Underclass
How is there an ethnic struggle in society alongside Weber’s theory of status inequality?
status and power is in the hands of the majority ethnic group, thereby making it difficult for ethnic-minority groups to compete equally for jobs, housing etc.
How does ethnic struggle and status inequality show up in society?
Ethnic minorities who do manual jobs are technically part of the working class but are likely to face prejudice and discrimination from the white working class because they suffer from status inequality in addition to class inequality.
What do Barren and Norris point out about the Organisation of the job market?
Black people less likely to gain primary sector employment because employers may have racist beliefs and practise discrimination against them. Furthermore the legal and political framework supporting black people is weak. Trade unions are generally white-dominated and have been accused of favouring white workers and being less interested in protecting the rights of black workers.
Race Relations Act 1976
Supposed to protect black people from discriminatory practises was generally thought to be feeble.
Race relations act 2001
increases the need for greater clarity concerning the meaning and status of race. Now it has a much wider impact – seeking to ensure that racial discrimination is outlawed throughout the public sector and placing a duty on all public bodies and authorities to promote good race relations.
What do Rex and Tomlinson argue about the underclass in relation to ethnic inequality?
Ethnic minority experience of both class and status inequality can lead to poverty, which is made more severe by racism. Consequently, a black underclass may be created which is marginalised and feels alienated and frustrated. Sometimes these feelings may erupt in the form of inner-city riots if young blacks feel they are being harassed by the police and socially excluded.
What are the disadvantages of the weberian explanations?
- There is considerable overlap between the white and black population in terms of poverty and unemployment but the constant threat of racism does suggest some sort of break with the interest of the white working class.
- In addition, the concept of status inequality does help explain the apparent divisions between the white and black working class.
What are the differences between the market situation of White British people and ethnic minorities?
Most White British people in the UK are more likely to have a superior market and work situation compared to ethnic minorities, and this will increase the White British people’s life chances and opportunities.
Why is the status and power in the hands of the majority White British?
Modern society is characterised by social inequality and status groups might be competitive and have social closure. This means they monopolise their privileges and exclude other groups/people from these privileges.
How do ethnic minorities suffer from social class and status inequality?
Status also divides a social class or group of people, e.g. ethnic minority manual workers might have a lower status than White manual workers, and middle class ethnic minorities might experience status inequality in the form of prejudice or racism by members of the middle classes and working classes.
How may trade unions perpetuate ethnic inequalities?
Many trade unions might have white British leaders which might mean that ethnic minorities do not get their voice heard
Why is Marxism a disadvantage of Weber?
Weber criticised Marxism as it only focused on the bourgeoisie and proletariat but Weber believed this can be subdivided further to explain ethnic inequalities
What are the advantages of Weber’s ideas?
- They have been adopted by other sociologists to devise a complex multidimensional approach of society reflecting Weber’s ideas helping link ethnic inequalities to other inequalities
- Has been praised as he suggests other sources of power such as status derived from cultural and ethnic background
What do Barron and Norris (1976) look at?
The dual labour market
Why do Barron and Norris look at the dual labour market?
Because it can help explain prejudice and discrimination in the labour market since employers have stereotypical beliefs about ethnic minorities which may be racist
What does the dual labour market consist of?
The primary and secondary labour market
Which labour market are ethnic minorities usually a part of?
The secondary labour market
What is the secondary labour market characterised by?
low security, low paid jobs, and zero contract hours with poor chance of promotion
What did Barron and Norris find overall?
discrimination exists (based on status) and stratification is not purely economic (based on pay)
What was the highest maximum award in 2022 for Race Discrimination?
£228,000 (employment tribunal
Why have Barron and Norris been criticised?
- Their research failed to recognise that further differences may emerge too
- Failed to acknowledge that ethnic minorities appear in the primary labour market too
What did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) look at?
Did a study in Birmingham of ethnic minority disadvantages
What did Rex and Tomlinson find?
That the material disadvantage that ethnic minorities experienced was so great, that it cut them off from the white working class. Ethnic minorities formed a separate underclass beneath the white working class
