This document discusses the differences between race and ethnicity. Race is based on biological characteristics like skin color and hair, while ethnicity is based on cultural characteristics like shared ancestry, culture, and place of origin. It also discusses myths about race, such as the idea that any race is superior. Minority groups experience unequal treatment compared to dominant groups. Prejudice is an attitude while discrimination is an action. Theories of prejudice include frustration-aggression and the authoritarian personality. Global patterns of intergroup relations include segregation, assimilation, and multiculturalism. The document then discusses race and ethnic relations in the US for various groups such as Europeans, Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.

1. Race versus Ethnicity
• Race is based on Biological Characteristics
▫ Based on Skin color, eye color, hair, sizes/shapes
▫ Categories seem natural, but vary by culture
▫ Originally divided into Caucasians, Mongoloids, and
Negroids
• Ethnicity is based on Cultural Characteristics
▫ Based on Common Ancestry, Cultural Heritage, and
common Nations of Origin
▫ Examples in the US are Jews, Asian Americas,
Italians, Irish Americans, Native Americans, etc
1

2. Myths about Race
• Myth 1 = the Idea That Any Race is
Superior
▫ Actually, All Races Have both Geniuses and Idiots
• Myth 2 = Idea that Any Race is Pure
▫ Actually, Human Characteristics Flow Endlessly
Together on a continuum
▫ over 99.9% of biology is the same between races
▫ There is more physiological difference within races
than between races
▫ Some researchers claim there are 2 races, some claim
there are 2,000 races
▫ Whites in South India often have darker skin than
many Australian aborigines who are classified as
black, so race varies by culture
...Hence, Race is a social construction 2

3. Minority versus
Dominant Groups
• Minority Group = People Singled Out for
Unequal Treatment
• Not Necessarily the Numerical Minority
• Dominant Group = Does the
Discriminating to minority groups
▫ Has the most power, privileges, & highest
social status
3

4. Constructing Racial-Ethnic
Identity
• One's Sense of Ethnicity is based on:
▫ Relative Size of the ethnic group
▫ Power of the ethnic group
▫ Appearance of the ethnic group
▫ Discrimination enacted towards the
ethnic group
• Ethnic Work = activities to discover,
enhance, or maintain ethnic identity
4

5. 5

6. Prejudice vs Discrimination
• Prejudice is an Attitude
▫ It is Learned, not inherent
▫ Internalizing dominant norms occurs
when one is prejudiced against their
own group, usually unconsciously
• Discrimination is an Action or behavior
▫ Institutional Discrimination is rooted
in societal structures, not on an
individual basis
6

7. Institutional Discrimination
(this is only one example):
7

8. Theories of Prejudice
Psychological Perspectives:
• Frustration & Scapegoats
• The Authoritarian Personality
Sociological Perspectives:
• Functionalism argues that prejudice occurs in
situations that encourage it through the structure
• Conflict Theory argues that the races are pitted
against each other (and that minority groups stay
complacent due to a fear of non-physical punishment)
• Symbolic Interactionism argues that derogatory
slang labels and stereotypes produce prejudice and a
self-fulfilling prophecy
8

9. Global Patterns of
Intergroup Relations
(Assimilation is also known as the “melting pot,” while
multiculturalism is known as the “salad bowl”)
• Segregation
• Assimilation
• Multiculturalism (Pluralism)
9

10. Race and Ethnic Relations in
the United States: Europeans Americans
• Nation’s Founders Included Only
Those from England (WASPs: White
Anglo-Saxon Protestants)
• Other “White” Europeans were
originally considered Inferior
10

11. Race and Ethnic Relations in
the United States: Latinos (Hispanics)
• Latinos are an Ethnic group, not a race
• Largest minority group in US
• US has many Latino undocumented
immigrants, but most Latino
immigrants are legal
• Not a homogenous group; instead, are a very
diverse group with widely varying customs based on
their many countries of origin
11

12. 12

13. Race and Ethnic Relations in
the United States: African-Americans
• Struggle for Civil Rights
• Continued Gains, but still not equal
• Racism in everyday life (such as the resume
study where employers were more likely to call back
“normal” named applicants, rather than racially-charged
applicant names, while the rest of the resumes were
identical)
▫ Overt (obvious, blatant, used more in past generations) versus
Covert (subtle, disguised, used more today) Discrimination
▫ Myth of post-race society perpetuates the idea that race is
not important in our society, despite research which
suggests otherwise
• Racial differences persist even when
controlling for social class 13

14. 14

15. Race and Ethnic Relations in
the United States: Asian-Americans
• History of Discrimination
▫ Especially during railroad expansion
• Reasons for Success Now:
▫ Family life and culture that emphasize
Educational achievement, Discipline, and
community
▫ Assimilation
• Not a homogenous group; Diverse
depending on country of origin and
culture
15

16. 16

17. Race and Ethnic Relations in
the United States: Native Americans
• From Treaties to Genocide, Population
Transfer
• The Invisible Minority (small population,
sometimes physically separated on reservations)
• Not a homogenous group; Diverse
• Pan-Indianism focuses on common
themes between various groups and
aims to promote the status of all
Native Americans, despite differences
17