Download Chapter 10: Racial and Ethnic Relations

Chapter 10: Racial and Ethnic Relations
Obj: Summarize how sociologists define the terms _________, ethnicity, and
___________ group; identify the characteristics that distinguish minority groups from
one ______________.
Race
Race and ______________ are two of the most prominently ascribed statuses that
societies use to distinguish one group of people from another.
Since ancient times, people have attempted to group human beings into racial
categories based on _______________ characteristics, such as skin color, hair
texture, and body structure. These attempts have produced a number of
classification systems ranging in size from 2 to nearly 200 racial _______________.
Historically ______________ have placed people into three racial groups-Caucasoids,
Mongoloids, and Negroids. According to the system, Caucasoids-or whites- are
characterized by fair skin and straight or wavy hair. Mongoloids-or Asians-are
identified by yellowish or brownish skin and by distinctive folds on the eyelids.
Negroids-or blacks-are distinguished by dark skin and lightly curled hair. However, in
reality, people who are recognized as belonging to each of these racial categories
exhibit a wide range of __________ colors and __________ textures.
However, this well known classification system has difficulty describing the
_________________ of race. For example, how should the people of southern India,
with their Caucasoid-like facial features, dark skin color, and straight hair he
_______________? In what group should the Ainu people of Japan, who have
Mongoloid-like features but have light skin, be placed? How should Australian
________________, many of whom have dark skin and blond tightly curled hair, be
categorized?
As these examples indicate, it is difficult to classify people into clear-cut __________
categories because people often possess the traits of more than one race. There are
no biologically “___________” races. For this reason, race as a biological
classification is of little use to _____________________.
Almost every sociologist looks at race from a social perspective. In sociological terms,
a ___________ is a category of people who share inherited physical characteristics
and whom others see as being a distinct group. For sociologists, the important
___________ is not that a person has a specific color of skin or hair of a certain
texture. Rather, sociologists are concerned with how people _____________ to
these physical characteristics and how these reactions affect individuals in society.
Ethnicity
Like most other societies, American society consists of people of different cultural
backgrounds. The set of cultural characteristics that distinguishes one group from
another group is called __________________. People who share a common cultural
background and a common sense of identity are known as an ethnic
____________. Ethnicity is generally based on such __________________
characteristics as national origin, religion, language, customs, and values.
If an ethnic group is to survive over time, its cultural _____________ and
__________________ must be passed from generation to generation. Some ethnic
groups in the US have been more successful than others in keeping their
_______________ alive. For example, Asian Americans and Hispanics tend to have
strong ethnic roots. Unlike recent immigrants, many generations of German
Americans who were raised in the US no longer feel deep ties to their ancestral
homeland or its cultural traditions. Consequently, they share few cultural
characteristics with people in Germany.
In some cases, ethnic ______________ over steps racial or ______________
boundaries. ______________ people worldwide are thought to form an ethnic group.
Their ethnic-group status is based on their religious and cultural heritage. Even
Jewish people who no longer firmly hold to the religious beliefs of Judaism are linked
by factors such as a common history.
Ethnicity and race refer to two separate sets of characteristics. Ethnicity is based on
cultural _____________________. On the other hand, race is based on
____________________ considerations. Nevertheless, some ethnic groups are also
racially ____________. Nevertheless, some ethnic groups are also racially distinct.
For example, African Americans are viewed as a racially distinct group in the US.
Many African Americans also share a common ethnic heritage that includes
particular foods, types of music, forms of speech, and cultural traits. Similarly, groups
such as Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, and Korean Americans can be
classified both ethnically and racially.
Minority Groups
No particular skin color, physical feature, or ethnic background is superior or inferior by
nature. However, many sociologists recognize that those who hold power in a
society may place an arbitrary value on specific _________________. By
establishing the ___________ and ____________ of society, dominant-group
members consciously and unconsciously create a social structure that operates in
their favor.
Speaking the _________________ most common in a society is one position of power
held by the dominant group. Using a _____________ theory perspective, many
sociologists have concluded that a dominant group’s position of power allows them
to enjoy certain privileges, such as better ______________, better schools, and
higher incomes.
The ________________ and _______________ found in society are limited.
Consequently, the privileged position of the dominant group is often gained at the
expense of minority groups within the society. Sociologist Louis Wirth identified a
minority group as a group of people who-because of their physical characteristics or
cultural practices-are singled out and unequally _______________. As a result,
group members view themselves as objects of collective discrimination. You should
be aware that the term minority has nothing to do with group size.
For example, in South _______________ white people made up about _______
percent of the population during the second half of the 1900s. Yet, for much of that
time, they dominated the lives of the other racial groups in the country.
_________________ status, then, is not related to group size but to the group’s
unequal standing in their society.
Certain characteristics distinguish ____________ groups from other groups in society.
• The group possesses identifiable physical or cultural characteristics that differ from
those of the dominant group.
• Group members are the victims of _______________ treatment at the hands of the
dominant group.
• Membership in the group is an ascribed status.
• Group members share a strong bond and a sense of group loyalty.
• Members tend to practice ________________-marriage within the group.
To be considered a minority group, a group must exhibit ______ of the above
characteristics. Exhibiting only _______ or __________ of the characteristics is not
enough. For example, blue eyes are an identifiable physical characteristic, and
having blue eyes is an ascribed status. However, blue-eyed people do not face
challenges because of their eye color. Consequently, they are not considered a
minority group. Haitians in the US or Aborigines in Australia, on the other hand, are
often treated differently because of their ethnic and racial backgrounds. Therefore,
they are considered to be minority groups.