Sociology 100: Lecture 2 - Racism, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Definitions

• Racism

  • Textbook: Beliefs, ideologies, or practices claiming one racial group is inferior to another.
  • Critique: Overemphasizes internal beliefs rather than structural inequalities that benefit certain racial groups.
  • Desmond & Emir's Definition: Arrangement of racial life benefiting certain groups over others without requiring individual prejudice or discrimination.

• Prejudice

  • Holding preconceived, often unchangeable ideas about an individual or group.
  • Example: Believing all people on welfare are lazy.

• Discrimination

  • Behavior denying resources or rewards to a group based on prejudices.
  • Example: Hiring policies requiring unnecessary qualifications disadvantaging certain racial groups.

Differences and Relationships

• Prejudice vs. Discrimination

  • Prejudice involves beliefs, whereas discrimination involves actions.
  • Can exist independently: Prejudice without discrimination and vice versa.

• Racism vs. Prejudice/Discrimination

  • Racism is structural, focusing on societal arrangements benefitting particular racial groups.

Stereotypes

• Definition: Shared perceptions or characteristics of a group.
• Examples: Stereotypes about race and family size.
• Sources:
  • Group Threat Theory: Stereotypes develop from perceived threats from other groups.
  • Ultimate Attribution Error: Belief that outgroup characteristics are innate, while ingroup characteristics are situational.

Bias

• Types: Implicit (subconscious) and explicit (conscious) biases.
• Effects: Influence behavior often unnoticed, e.g., Trayvon Martin's case.

Reducing Prejudice

• Contact Theory: Contact between groups can reduce prejudice under specific conditions:
  1. Equal status in the contact situation.
  2. Common goals.
  3. Intergroup cooperation.
  4. Support from authorities or societal norms.
  5. Opportunity to form friendships.

Institutional Racism

• Definition: Structures and rules in institutions perpetuating racial inequalities.

• Examples:

  • Racial segregation in housing.
  • Disenfranchisement of felons affecting minorities.
  • Disparate law enforcement tactics.

• Types of Power in Institutional Racism:

  1. Symbolic Power: Defining groups as normal/abnormal.
  2. Political Power: Withholding rights, e.g., voter suppression.
  3. Social Power: Excluding from social groups, e.g., clubs.
  4. Economic Power: Disadvantaging in wealth/property accumulation.

Reflection and Preparation

• Consider previously discussed racial inequalities.
• Ponder explanations for inequalities without relying on individual actions.
• Identify power imbalances (social, economic, political, symbolic) underlying these inequalities.

Note: Reflect on these concepts for the upcoming in-class exercise.