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Chapter 10

Race and Ethnicity

Book Version 4
By Boundless
Boundless Sociology
Sociology
by Boundless
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Section 1
Race
Race

The idea of race refers to superficial physical differences that a particular society considers significant.

Race and Genetics

Racial groups are sociologically, rather than biologically, different; that is to say, there is no "race" gene or set of genes.

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Legal Definition of Race

Many governments provide legal definitions of race for purposes of census-taking and calculating budgets for governmental programs.

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Social Definition of Race

Most social scientists and biologists believe race is a social construct affecting sociopolitical, legal, and economic contexts.

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Racism

Racism is the belief that different traits of racial groups are inherent and justify discrimination.

Section 2
Ethnicity
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Ethnicity

An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with one another through a common cultural heritage.

Section 3
Minorities
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Minority Groups

The term "minority" is applied to various groups who hold few or no positions of power in a given society.

Section 4
Prejudice and Discrimination
Prejudice

Prejudice refers to a positive or negative evaluation of another person based on their perceived group membership (e.g., race, class, or gender).

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Discrimination Against Individuals

Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on his or her membership (or perceived membership) in a certain group.

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Institutional Prejudice or Discrimination

Institutionalized discrimination refers to discrimination embedded in the procedures, policies or objectives of large organizations.

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Assimilation

Assimilation describes the process of social, cultural, and political integration of a minority into a dominant culture and society.

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Pluralism

Multiculturalism is an ideology that promotes the institutionalization of communities containing multiple cultures.

Segregation

Segregation is the division of human beings into separate groups based on any number of criteria, such as race, ethnicity, or nationality.

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Population Transfer

Population transfer is the movement of a large group of people from one region to another by state policy or international authority.

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Genocide

Genocide is "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group".

Section 5
Sociological Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity
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The Functionalist Perspective

According to the functionalist perspective, race and ethnicity are two of the various parts of a cohesive society.

The Conflict Perspective

For Karl Marx, class conflict was most prominent; other theorists saw racial and ethnic conflict as more significant.

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The Interactionist Perspective

Race and ethnicity affect the meaning we attach to each other's actions.

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The Psychological Perspective

One crucial psychological finding is that members of stereotyped groups internalize those stereotypes and may suffer as a result.

Section 6
Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.
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Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.

The U.S. has a diverse society, and its history is marked by attempts to concentrate power, wealth, and privilege into the hands of whites.

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Racial Groups

The United States is a diverse country, racially and ethnically.

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Ethnic Groups

An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common heritage, culture, and/or language; in the U.S., ethnicity often refers to race.

Immigration and Illegal Immigration

Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence.

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Affirmative Action

Affirmative action refers refers to policies that take factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion into consideration.

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A Multicultural Society

Multiculturalism is an ideology that promotes the institutionalization of communities containing multiple cultures.

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Chapter 9
Stratification, Inequality, and Social Class in the U.S.
  • Social Class
  • Social Class in the U.S.
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Chapter 10
Race and Ethnicity
  • Race
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  • Prejudice and Discrimination
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Gender Stratification and Inequality
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