Soci 302

Question 1

3 “traits” of ethnicity

Answer 1

1) visible attributes (food, clothing, music)
2) invisible attributes (myths, stories, and history)
3) ethnic behaviour

Question 2

What is an ethnic groups

Answer 2

• “Ethnic groups are those human groups that entertain a subjective belief in their common descent because of similarities of physical type or of customs or both, or because of memories of colonization or migration…”
• “A named human population with myths of common ancestry, shared historical memories, one or more elements of a common culture, a link with a homeland and a sense of solidarity”
• “An ethnic group has a many of the following features: 1) membership is reckoned primarily by descent 2) members are conscious of group membership 3) members share distinguishing cultural features 4) these cultural features are valued by a majority of members 5) the group has or remembers a homeland 6) the group has a shared history as a group that is “not wholly manufactured but has some basis in fact”
• “People who share a distinctive and enduring collective identity based on common descent, shared experience and cultural traits”

Question 3

What is culture?

Answer 3

• a set of dynamic social processes and practices: it is a collective response of socially constituted individuals to their ever-changing external conditions. it is not monolithic, static, uniform or homogenous.
• a property of groups very much determined by the ecological and geographic conditions of any given group. it changes over time.
• you can describe groups according to culture but it doesn’t define the essence of a group.

Question 4

describe ethnicity - etymology

Answer 4

comes from greek word “ethnos”
changes over time:
- political categories
- New Testament connotations
- racial characteristics
- national categories

Question 5

conceptions of ethnicity: Primordial

Answer 5

common history, culture and languages in part due to sociobiological factors.
- enduring over time
- essentialized characteristics
- history as rigid and unchanging
- given and passed down
responses and behaviours shared by all members

Question 6

conceptions of ethnicity: instrumental

Answer 6

an identity which is “instrumentally manipulated, selected, used. It gains significance when symbols are invoked and manipulated by actors in response to threats or opportunities” for political and economic ends.

Question 7

Conceptions of Ethnicity: Constructivist

Answer 7

a social identity, it comes about in the context of social circumstances and in relationship and contrast to others.
it evolves, adapts and develops constantly in relation to specific historical, political, economic, cultural forces and other contextual circumstances.
in incorporates multiple cultures, customs and ideas about gender, clan, class and other social constructions.
it is sensitive to internal and external circumstances.

Question 8

historical conceptions of tribes

Answer 8

historical conceptions of tribes:
- Discrete units unchanging in time
- Primitive, pre-modern societies
- Distinctions between ‘tribal’ societies and ‘us;
- autonomous and self-sufficient
- distinctive language, culture and sense of indignity

Question 9

what is a minority group?

Answer 9

“any group of people who, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment and who therefore regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination”

Question 10

what are biological explanation of race?

Answer 10

not biological, no physical genetic things such as race, genetics are not included in race.

Question 11

how did the explanations of race came about?

Answer 11

Came from European colonialism. And wanted to justify their bad behaviour. One group is better than another.
* Slavery

Question 12

Previous and Discourse about racism

Answer 12

Previous: expressions of racisms were overt with a focus on racist beliefs/ideologies (e.g. white people are superior) and racist actions (e.g. lynchings).

Current: expressions of racism are subtle and indirect. Today the focus is less on the ‘racists’ and more on the impacts of racism.

Question 13

3 contemporary manifestations of racism

Answer 13

1. interpersonal (individual level)
2. social/society/infrastructional (the foundations of society are built upon exploitation and oppression of certain ‘radicalized’ groups
3. institutional (institutions are social constructions that reflect the norms of the societies in which they are located. Active and Passive.

Question 14

when thinking about contemporary manifestations of racism what is the difference between passive and active in institutions

Answer 14

active = do the institutions engage in practices that are harmful to radicalized groups?

passive = do the institutions and their members benefit from historic practices and embedded (Eurocentric) norms.

Question 15

what is racialization

Answer 15

race isn’t a thing in the world, rather a social process.

Question 16

4 assumptions about power in society

Answer 16

1) Often institutional functioning is based on historical and/or social norms which are rooted in inequalities (social/infrastructional racism).
2) Powerful groups can perpetuate these norms or create new norms which determine institutional functioning (e.g. political, legal and economic systems).
3) They can use this power to privilege certain (‘racial’ or ethnic) groups over others.
4) The impacts can be widespread AND hard to identify

Question 17

Racism Definition

Answer 17

“Racism can be defined as those ideas and ideals
(ideologies) that are embedded within individual attitudes,
cultural values, institutional practices and those structural
arrangements that assert or imply the assumed
superiority of one social group over another, together with
institutional power to put these perceptions into practice
in ways that secure advantage for the mainstream but
reinforce disadvantage for those racialized as different or
inferior.”

Question 18

3 Sociological Explanations for Racism

Answer 18

1) people are conditioned to be racists by social norms that support out-group hate and antipathy
2) racism was a tool for explaining and justifying conquest, settlement and economic domination
3) racism facilities certain kinds of social control and privileges for certain groups.

Question 19

Similarities between Ethnicity and Race

Answer 19

1) both are historically evolving, socially constructed, context dependent, dynamic, relational, complex, and fluid.
2) both can relate to power relations and lead to discrimination
3) some ethnic groups are radicalized while some racial groups are ethnicized

Question 20

Differences between Ethnicity and Race

Answer 20

1) Race is a less neutral term than ethnicity; it more strongly correlates with unequal power relations.
2) Because race implies inborn and unchanging characteristics, racial discrimination can be more inflexible than ethnic discrimination.
3) Ethnicity tends to emphasize cultural uniqueness and social solidarity; biological difference is stronger in racist thought and practice.

Question 21

Stereotype Definition

Answer 21

Assumptions and generalizations about whole categories of people. in the context of race or ethnicity, specific groups are typecast like ‘all X and Y.’

Question 22

Prejudice Definition

Answer 22

Attitude, belief or feeling about a group that directly or indirectly implies negativity or hostility (e.g. sexism). Unlike ignorance, prejudice is resistant to information that disputes the attitudes one holds.
prejudice can be on the surface or unconscious
prejudices serve functions in the social world.

Question 23

discrimination definition

Answer 23

” any restrictive act, whether deliberate or not, that has the intent or the effect of adversely affecting others on ground other than merit or ability”

Question 24

CRT: Historical Circumstances

Answer 24

Civil Rights Movement
Civil Rights Act (1964)
Brown vs Board of Education

Question 25

6 CRT Basic Assumptions

Answer 25

1) Racism is embedded in society; therefore society operates in racist ways. Yet racism isn't always recognized or addressed. 2) Whites tend to be hegemonic over people of colour and try to use the law to advance their own interests 3) Race is a social construction which can be used or mobilized 4) Different group are racialized at different times according to shifting needs 5) No one can be summarized according to a single identity or generalized about 6) Voice of Colour Thesis: Because of their different histories and experiences with oppression, black, American Indian, Asian, and Latino writers and thinkers may be able to communicate to their White counterparts about matters that the Whites are unlikely to know.

Question 26

Idealists vs Realists/Materialists

Answer 26

Idealists: We need to change our thoughts. Realists/Materialists: One needs to look at hoe society allocates privilege and status. - focus on economic impacts - change happens because of self-interest - this conception better reflects the views of minorities - attitudes follow from changes on the ground - first the material circumstances need to change.

Question 27

3 Liberal Ideologies CRT theorists find problematic

Answer 27

Neutrality Equality Colour Blindness

Question 28

3 ideologies and actions critical race theorists support

Answer 28

- affirmative action - examining the issues on the basis of concrete equality of outcomes not just polices which promote equality or equality of opportunities. - they prefer substantive rights (food, housing) over procedural rights (access to the courts).

Question 29

Intersectionality Defintion

Answer 29

the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

Question 30

What does single axis mean in regards to intersectionality?

Answer 30

race and gender were viewed as self-contained - each with their own specific experiences of privilege or disadvantage.

Question 31

3 Intersectionality legal cases

Answer 31

1) DeGraffenreid v General Motors. 2) Moore v Hughes Helicopters, Inc. 3) Payne v Travel

Question 32

What was DeGraffenreid v General Motors

Answer 32

Threw out race argument, Forced them relate to white women, Then case was dismissed because white women were hired).

Question 33

What was Moore v Hughes Helicopters

Answer 33

Court refused to hear argument. Claimed discrimination on black woman rather than woman and based stats on all women (White). She brought stats on all women to court and the stats didn’t fit her argument.White female experience was used as the standard experience Creates conflicts between black and white women. Puts a wedge between women.

Question 34

What was Payne v Travenol

Answer 34

Black women wanted ruling to also be applied to black men, Their circumstances don’t represent black men experience, Black women are forced to choose an identity, black or women.

Question 35

Challenges for people with intersectional identities

Answer 35

- the way these individual identities are thought of reflect and are defined by the experiences of the more privileged or dominant groups in that category: race is defined by Black men or privileged Blacks and Women's rights are defined by White women. - discrimination can be expressed in different ways or have differential impacts -a single axis definition erases experiences which are specific to those holding both identities in law and generally.

Question 36

Challenges for Advocacy: Feminism

Answer 36

- established according to the needs of white women. - activists (white women) make claims to represent all women when they often don't. - black women may have to pick a side (identity) or be trapped between conflicting agendas.

Question 37

white privilege means...

Answer 37

- not having to think about race (being 'raceless' or 'normal') - being embedded in a system and a structure that privileges white people. - benefitting from the values, norms and structures of society. - that you success (or failure) is individual; it doesn't say anything about your entire group.

Question 37

What privilege definitions (white and privilege)

Answer 37

Privilege: a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit advantage, or favour. All privileges are relational, dependent and changeable: it depends social context. White: white people aren't a race in the biological sense but are a race if we think about race as a social construct and a process.

Question 38

Positionality Definition

Answer 38

Positionality is the social and political context that creates your identity and how your identity influences and biases your perception of, and outlook on, the world.

Question 39

What is a Diaspora? Early Definitions

Answer 39

- diaspora's future a connection to the homeland and a feeling of being distinct (socially, religiously or politically) even in exile. - they are often generated by violence, catastrophe, collective trauma and memories of dispersion. - 'classic' or prototypical diasporas were jews and armenians

Question 40

What is a Diaspora? Contemporary Diaspora

Answer 40

- Deterritorialized groups - groups whereby relations with other members cross borders and span the globe (e.g. transnational groups) - a de-emphasis on the nation-state as a maker or where the diaspora group is 'form'

Question 41

Diaspora identities

Answer 41

- dependent on context and location - time; the identities can change over time - mobilizable; not something you have, rather something you do or act on - not monolithic; they feature cross-citing identifications around class, gender and other internal divisions.

Question 42

Sociological Approaches to Inequality

Answer 42

Sociologists... - look for patterns in society and social structures; they emphasize group membership in predicting outcomes. - want to know if partners are persistent over time and hard to eradicate. - assess actual outcomes and how these affect societies as a whole. - assess mobility - how easy is it to move up or down the social ladder?

Question 43

Equality vs Equity

Answer 43

Equality = everyone by virtue of being human is treated the same. Supporters of equality emphasize merit and competition. Equity = one needs to take into account group based differences due to historical or persistent inequality. They assume that supposedly neutral rules may produce adverse outcomes and unequal results and that continuation of the status quote privileges certain groups.

Question 44

Formal vs Substantive Equality

Answer 44

Formal Equality = Is individualistic and focuses on ensuring individuals have equal opportunities. They believe that social hierarchies are natural and normative. They advocate for removal of discriminatory Barries on the individual level. Substantive Equality/Equity: Privileges collectives and prioritizes outcomes. They believe that individuals from historically and contextually disadvantages groups have a right to a fair and equitable share of goods and services. they advocate for active social intervention.

Question 45

Why is researching race hard?

Answer 45

- it is easier to study immigrants but not all immigrants are racialized. - race is hard to define and many people are more than one 'race' - there has been a general reluctance to use 'race' as a category and therefore, policy tools are not designed to address 'race'.

Question 46

The Vertical Mosaic: Then and Now

Answer 46

Income differences between English and French speaking Canada have almost disappeared, and a number of other white ethnic groups now earn more on average than British-origin workers. However, racialized minorities have not achieved the same gains. The number of immigrants from non-white countries increased significantly from 1980, and simultaneously, have experienced more acute and persistent poverty despite higher education levels, on average.

Question 47

legal framework for hate

Answer 47

the crimes in Canada in the Criminal code are crimes committed to intimidate, harm or terrify not only a person but an entire group of people to which the victim belongs. It is also a criminal offence to incite hatred against a group of people based on their 'race', religion, colour, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.