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Chapter 10: Race and Ethnicity

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Notes:

racea socially constructed category of people based on real or perceived physical differences.

Ethnicity, social and cultural characteristics that set apart one group of people from another,

origin, the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or their ancestors before their arrival in the United States. 

 stereotypes, generalized opinions, and impressions of individuals, groups, or social classes 

cultural appropriation, when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in stereotypical, exploitative, or disrespectful ways,

 stereotype threat, a concern experienced when one feels at risk of confirming the inferiority or negative characteristics of one’s group 

prejudice, a preconceived judgment or opinion of other people and races that leads to preferring one kind of person over another 

 discrimination, unfair or differential treatment of individuals and groups. 

redlining, the practice of arbitrarily denying, limiting, or charging more for financial services, insurance, or access to healthcare to specific neighborhoods, based on racial and economic issues.

microaggressions, words, and deeds that negatively impact marginalized individuals, groups, or communities.

Racism, the belief that one race is superior to others resulting in unequal or demoralizing treatment of other races

 institutional racism, societal patterns that produce negative treatment against groups of people based on their race.

 racial colorblindness, the idea that ignoring or overlooking racial and ethnic differences promotes racial harmony 

diversity, the recognition and respect of the different attributes of races and ethnicities

pluralism, maintaining social equality and distinct cultural characteristics within and among races and ethnicities.

assimilation, the process in which minority groups lose their distinct cultural characteristics and are absorbed into the dominant group.

majority group, a group that controls the economic, social, and political power and resources

minority group, a disadvantaged group with significantly less economic, social, and political power and resources

majority-minority, when a population or district consists of over 50 percent minorities

white privilege, an invisible package of unearned assets held by Whites 

segregation, the separation of groups based on differences such as ethnicity, gender, race, social class or religion

desegregation, the elimination of the policy of segregation by legal and social means,

affirmative action, policies designed to promote educational and job opportunities for minorities and women,

de facto segregation, segregation that happens “by fact,” rather than a requirement, remains. In other words, even though there are laws prohibiting segregation,

model (or ideal) minority group, an ethnic group that is more academically, economically, and socially successful than other racial minority groups,

institutional discrimination, the use of social institutions to deny minority group members access to the benefits of society.

racial profiling, action taken against members of a minority group based on things other than personal behavior 

internal colonialism, the exploitation of a society’s minority group by its dominant group 

apartheid, policies, regulations, and laws implemented by a government to keep racial and ethnic groups separate

Population transfer (HP), the involuntary relocation of a minority group by a dominant group,

indirect population transfer, when the minority group population chooses to leave a location

direct population transfer, when the dominant group makes a minority group population leave a location by force.

genocide, the systematic killing of one group based on differences in race, ethnicity, religion, etc.

hate crime, criminal behavior directed at individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religion

implicit bias, unconsciously held attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes about others.

 glass ceiling, social and legal barriers designed to prevent minorities and women from advancing in the workplace 

split-labor market, a byproduct of the capitalist system that splits workers along racial and ethnic lines to weaken worker solidarity.

amalgamation, the creation of a new group due to the combination of a minority and a majority group.

contact hypothesis, the idea that prejudice decreases when two groups of equal status come into contact