Race and Inequality

Soc102

Within Group variation vs. between group variation (genetically)

nIf racial categories reflected biological differences:

n1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n Whites Blacks

nBiological evidence suggests for inward genetics (e.g., intelligence) and outward genetics (e.g., skin color):

n1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n 2=White; 3=black 8=white; 9=Black

nThe biological expectations for race do not hold up in reality—only for “perceived” reality (social constructionism)—making race a social construct.

nRace: “a socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that a society defines as important.”

nEthnicity: “a shared cultural heritage”

nOptional ethnicities for whites?

nRacial and ethnic Categories in the U.S., 2000 (U.S. Census)

nNon-Hispanic, European decent 70.9%

nHispanic decent 12.5%

nAfrican decent 12.3%

nAsian/Pacific Island decent 3.8%

nNative American decent 0.9%

Perceptions of Group Sizes

n2000 General Social Survey

n %Whites %Blacks %Hispanic %Asian % American

Indian

nWhite 58.8 29.1 22.3 15.7 12.2

nBlack 56.4 37.8 27.1 20.3 16.0

nHispanic 56.6 34.8 39.3 26.8 20.3

nAveraging btwn 2/3 to 1 million immigrants a year.

nIn the year 2050—whites a minority?

nMinority: “any category of people, identified by physical or cultural traits, that a society subjects to disadvantages.”

Median Household Income Poverty College

Grad.

nEntire U.S. population $56,194 12.6% 27.7%

nHispanic decent $37,867 21.8% 12.0%

nAfrican decent $35,464 24.9% 17.6%

nNative American decent $33,144 25.7% 11.5%

nAsian/Pacific Island decent $68,957 11.1% 50.2%

nNon-Hispanic, European decent $49,956 7.4% 27.2%

n(U.S. Census, 2000)

n Median Net Worth

nWhites $88,651

nLatinos $7,932

nAfrican Americans $5,988

n

Own Homes

nWhites 74.3%

nLatinos 47.3%

nAfrican Americans 47.7%

n(Pew Hispanic Center, 2002)

n“Objective Conditions”:

nRacial groups are not equal in terms of wealth, education, and home ownership (i.e., racial inequality exists).

nWhites unlikely to be a “minority”

Causes of Racial/ethnic inequality

n1) History

n“It is important to know something of the history of the largest minorities in order to understand today’s racial and ethnic inequality”

nPast discrimination has current consequences.

Blacks and Racial Residential Segregation

nIndustrial revolution (1800s)

n1915-1929: “The Great Migration” (Hundreds of thousands of Blacks move from the South to the North)

nWhites forced Blacks to live in specific neighborhoods by physical violence and by city policies (e.g., Pullman)

n1929 Stock Market crash

nReal Estate (thru 80s)

nBank loans (thru 90s)

nWhite Flight: 30% Black neighbors (current)

nWeakens social institutions in these communities

nLimits political power

nResult: Difficult to gain higher education, find jobs, have a political voice, and forced to deal with poverty, crime, unemployment, and basic psychological frustration

2) Current Prejudice and Discrimination

nPrejudice: “any rigid and unfounded generalization about an entire category of people.”

nSubtle Prejudice

nSymbolic racism

nLaissez-faire racism: stereotypes, blame blacks, resist policy

nDiscrimination: “the unequal treatment of various categories of people”

n“Prejudice is a matter of attitudes, but discrimination is a matter of actions.”

nRacism = racial prejudice and discrimination

nDoes racism against minorities negatively affect whites?

3) Group Threat

n1) create in-groups/out-groups

n2) feel ownership of resources

n3) feel threatened if minority group desires those resources

n4) act to block minority group from gaining resources