Ethnic & Racial Stratification

Dividing population in hierarchy based on race & ethnicity

Stratification
Disproportionate distribution of life chances
Class (rich vs. poor)class stratification Race & Ethnicity (Blacks vs. whites; Irish vs. Hispanics)race & ethic stratification) Gender (males vs. females)gender stratification) Age (young vs. old)age stratification

Discussions!!!!
Does the society truly distribute opportunities (life chances) disproportionately? Do unemployment rates vary between races and ethnic groups? Do people of one race live longer (in general) than others? Are the high school drop out rates vary among ethnic groups?

Social stratification
Dividing population into hierarchy based on resources (wealth, power, prestige) Life chancedisproportionate distribution of opportunity Life chances disproportionately along the line of race & ethnicity

Racial Stratification
Dividing population into categories based on physical/physiological traits Do we divide people based on blood type? We divide based on visible differences.

Why do we divide based on visible traits?

Can we really divide population based on strict distinctive traits? Is there a group who has a distinctive physiological traits? A group with pure quality not shared by others!

Ethnic Stratification
Dividing population based on ethnic background What makes up ethnic background? National origin, religion, language, etc.

Ethnicity
Categorizing people based on
Common heritage/national origin Common culture Language

Examples
Italian Americans Irish Americans Polish Americans African Americans Native Americans Asian Americans Hispanic Americans

Minority Group
Group distinctive features (ascribed) quality Because of distinctive (1)ascribed quality, is (2)disadvantaged (does not have equal access to life chances) It is not the number (fewer than other groups!)

ethnic/race stratification & life chance

Stereotypegeneralization about a group Prejudicenegative attitude towards a group based stereotype Discriminationdenying life chances based on prejudice Institutional discriminationsociety Self-fulfilling prophecyprejudice becoming part of groups behavior

Ethnic & Racial Stratification

Functionalismwhat good does ethnic/racial stratification do for society? Conflictit is a source of tension and conflictHow?

Ethnic & Racial Stratification

Interaction: contact hypothesis increase interaction among groups How do we solve race/ethnic conflicts?

Inter ethnic relations

AmalgamationA+B+C = D AssimilationA+B+C = A Segregationphysical isolation/ separation Pluralism A+B+C = A=B=C GenocideElimination/cleansing

Ethnic/Race Groups in USA

WASP White Ethnics African Americans Hispanic Americans Native Americans Asian Americans

WASP
England & Western Europe Set the foundation of our societylaw, politics, religion, morality Dominant group (?)

White Ethnics
Eastern Europe (primarily) Prejudice & discrimination Greater assimilation with the dominant population (WASP)

African American
Jim Craw lawseparation justified 1953 Brown V. BOE 1960s civil rights movement Rosa Parks Boycott Dr. Martin Luther King & Malcolm X Disproportion life chances among the African Americans (middle class growth)

Hispanic American/Latino
Diverse groupMexican, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, etc. Fastest growing minority group Life chancespoverty rate, unemployment, high school drop, etc

Asian American
Diverse groupChinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. Indentured labor (Chinese) to Vietnam war influx Prejudice & discrimination

Model Minority?
Minority group who has realized American dream? Despite all prejudice & discrimination, the group is a success story! Can model minority characteristics hurt a group?