Race, ethnicity, and minority groups
Race and ethnicity feel like natural categories, but sociologists show they are social creations with very real consequences.
Race as a social construction
Biologically, humans are one species with no clear genetic boundaries between 'races'. Racial categories are socially constructed: they were created and changed by societies, often to justify unequal treatment. Who counted as 'white' in the United States, for example, has shifted over time to include groups once excluded.
Ethnicity and minority groups
Ethnicity refers to shared culture: language, ancestry, religion, and traditions. A minority group, sociologically, is defined not by size but by having less power and facing unequal treatment. A numerical majority can be a sociological minority, as Black South Africans were under apartheid.
Prejudice, discrimination, and racism
Prejudice is a biased attitude about a group; discrimination is unequal action toward people because of their group. Stereotypes are oversimplified generalisations. Racism is the belief that one race is superior, combined with power that shapes policies. Institutional racism is built into the normal workings of organisations, such as lending or school funding rules, even without individual intent.
Flashcard
Racial categories are created by societies, not biology
Check your understanding
A bank's long-standing policy denies loans in certain neighbourhoods, which mostly affects Black families, even though no current employee intends to discriminate. This is: