sociology learning objectives - miterm 1

Confirmation bias: our tendency to ignore evidence/observations that contradict our beliefs (ex: climate change)

Attribution error: our tendency to attribute people's behavior/life outcomes to innate character or personality traits rather than to external.situational factors (ex:homeless people/external - dont value working/situational - mental health)

Implicit bias: subconscious biases toward outside groups (and subconscious preferences towards one's own group)

We live in a very individualists society However our individual lives are deeply entangled with and shaped by our social environments Our social environments greatly influence our identities, beliefs, values and behavior Our social environments also greatly influence our experiences, opportunities and life outcomes

Structural level of society (macro) EX: our culture, health care systems, uw madison, legal system Symbolic level of society (micro) Ex: Individual interactions, thoughts. Perceptions, etc

Social structure: a system of organized activity, durable relationships, and routine practices (ex: economic, educational, legal, family, media, religion etc)

• There is an organized, durable race/ethnic hierarchy in our society

• race/ethnic groups at the top of the hierarchy (on average) have greater access to values resources than those at the bottom

• race/ethnic groups at the top of the hierarchy (on average) have greater access to values resources than those at the bottom ---Ex: Schools often put such students on the academic or AP “track”; blacks and hispanics more likely to be put on a lower vocational “track” (structural practice) ---Ex: This contributes to the achievement gap (structural outcome)

• racial groups are typically defined according to arbitrary physical (external) traits (why did we choose to differentiate among racial groups? Why skin color? Why not eyes, height, feet? It was a social decision) ---Ex: Common stereotype: white and asian-american students are more academically skilled (symbolic) ---Ex: Reinforced and reproduced the stereotype (symbolic)

Ex: standardized testing, charter/private schools chose who attends to school, biases in tests, AP/non AP

• here is no biological reality to racial groupings ---Genetically, all human being are 99.9% identical to each other ---There is as much genetic diversity WITHIN race/ethinic groups as ACROSS race/ethinc groups ---There can be meaningful genetic differences between some geographic populations (ex: basketball and football mostly black but its not from a genetic advantage) (runners from western africa dominating a certain race) ---Populations are often (mistakenly) equated with racial groups

• So race is not a biological category of people (not objectively real or “natural”)

• Race: a socially constructed category of people who share arbitrarily selected physical traits

• Ethnicity: a socially constructed category of people who share a common identity based on culture, language, and (typically) nationality (Ex: irish: Kenyan; Vietnamese; brazilian; seminole; etc)

Definition: Some racial/ethinic categories encompass numerous distinct ethnic groups/nationalities examples: Latin americans (geography) and hispanic (language): Mexico; cuba; puerto rico; honduras; panama; guatemala; venezuela; argentina; chile, etc Asian american and pacific islander: China; india; korea; philippines; syria; iraq; indonesia; vietnam; japan; hmong; samoan; etc Native americans: Encompasses many distinct tribes/nations

census?

Definition of Racial formation: the historical processes by which social, economic, and political forces determine the content and meaning of racial [and ethnic] categories Racialization: process by which a group is assigned a racial identity and place within a social hierarchy

Slavery war/conquest Demand for cheap labor

Scientific racism (early 1900s): Darwin's theory of evolution used to “prove” that some racial groups were genetically superior Salvery and the invention of “white” and “black” U.S. conquest of native americans and mexico Chinese immigration and demand for cheap labor

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A race/ethnic group that receives (on average) significantly less of society's values resources and outcomes

definition: Negative feelings/attitudes towards other groups

Examples Group threat hypothesis of prejudice: prejudice derives from the relative position of different racial groups in society (dominant groups feel entitled to social advantage and fear losing that advantage to “outsiders”) {ex: group prejudice toward immigrants - taking our jobs}

Contact hypothesis: more proximity between race/ethnic groups reduces prejudice (key argument of cultural diversity)

Cultural and behavioral generalizations (positive or negative, but typically incorrect) about an entire group of people Minority groups are likely to be perceived according to negative generalizations Prejudice and stereotypes align with the symbolic dimension of race/ethnicity

Definition: Unequal treatment of an individual or group because of race/ethnicity

Discriminatory INTENT Discrimination occurs when an individual or institution PURPOSELY treat members of one group different from those of another

Discriminatory OUTCOMES or CONSEQUENCES Discrimination is defines not by its motivation but by the RESULTS of normal routine social practices (republican doesnt mean racsit reading) Formally neutral (or “color-blind”) practices can reinforce stable patterns of race/ethnic inequality (Ex: property taxes to fund schools)

An organized social system of practices, relationships, and ideas in which some groups are systematically advantages or disadvantages on account of race/ethnic characteristics (Has both STRUCTURAL and SYMBOLIC components )

traditional/hard racism color blind/soft racism

Ex: Dislike, hate, prejudice towards another group White supremacy (kkk) racial/ethnic violence/hate crimes; racial/ethnic slurs Slavery; segregation; lynchings Employer refusing to hire; landlord refusing to rent Store employee calling security; police harassment

Things in common: 1. Racism is overt, intentional 2. Racism is rooted in “bad” or mean beliefs/attitudes 3. Bad beliefs/ attitudes lead to bad/discriminatory behavior

Color blindness is the dominant racial project of the past 50 years Racial preferences for any group is wrong and should be prohibited We should just stop talking about race

The UNEARNED and UNACKNOWLEDGED advantages that came from being a member of the dominant racial/ethnic group (colorblind ideology)

Reverse racism Answer: the equivalency of power, hierarchy and inequality Minority groups are structurally located at lower positions in the race/ethnic hierarchy These practices do not systematically oppress/disadvateg whites (sociologically speaking)

Economic restructuring and demographic changes Political changes Legal reforms Cold war politics (non shooting war with soviet union) THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

non violent direct action as the main tactic NAACP; SNCC;SCLC American Indian activism

Key protest events (several discussed in lecture; rely on textbook for further details) Montgomery bus boycott (1955) Student sit ins (1960) Freedom rights (1961) Burgingham campaign (1963) March on washington (1964) March on selma for voting rights (1965)

civil rights act of 1964 voting rights act of 1965 fair housing act of 1968

Illegal to discriminate in public accommodations (title 2) Federal fund cut off for discrimination (title VI) Illegal to discriminate in employment (title VII)

Eliminated barriers to black registration and voting No more poll taxes; literacy tests, etc

Illegal to discriminate in the sale or rental of housing

Coincided with the civil rights movement Far less popular (particularly among whites) then the civil rights movement (Malcolm X vs MLK Jr) Seen as threatening to white society --Emphasis on racial difference: black pride and culture --Militancy vs. conciliation --Willingness to use violence in self defense --Rhetoric of separation rather than integration

Grievances, tactics, objectives (Notes from video that I took - might need to add more) What were some of the tactics/forms of activism that AIM used? Press release Taking over national monument “Sue indian power” on george washington's head Taking over bureau Protests

What were some of their major grievances? Someone mudered and tortured by red necks Gov didn't take them seriously Man not charged for murder Getting hunted

What were some of their demands? Strive to correct and change to control their own community and contribute to city planning Hire people of indian descent 20 point program (established within the law based on treaties and agreements

Black slavery War and conquer (manifest destiny) Exploration of cheap labor Melting pot But can also be positive (civil rights movement, Asian American and American Indian separatist movements)

○ Several foundational principles: ■ Racism is built into race/ethnic hierarchies ■ Racism plays out at the individual and institutional levels ■ Racism can exist even in the absence of hatred and intentional acts of discrimination (exists along a continuum) ■ The ideology of “color blindness” is NOT racially neutral ● Absence of overt discrimination but still not racially neutral

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White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander