Racism, Ethnocentrism, and Strategies for Advancing and Economic
Justice
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
2:27 PM

1. Definitions
a. Oppression - unjust use of power against non-dominant groups by the dominant group to exploit those groups to its advantage
b. Population at risk - groups that experience prejudice, discrimination, and persistent oppression from the dominant group
c. Ethnic Group - distinct group of people who share a common language, set of customs, culture, race, religion or origin
d. Ethnocentrism - Orientation/set of beliefs that holds one's own culture, ethnic or racial group is superior to others (the best, should exclude others, others are uncultured, etc…)
e. (Belief that)… the social/ political domination of one's group is natural, morally right
f. Race - "A common set of physical characteristics"
i. Not necessarily hold solidarity (White American, White Russian, Black American,
Caribbean)
g. Racism - Stereotyping and generalizing, usually negative; also frequently a basis of discrimination against racial minority groups
i. A systematic use of power against a targeted group of people due to race
h. Prejudice- apply racial stereotypes to all or nearly all members of a racial group according to preconceived notions (belief)
i. Can include idea that innate differences in behavior, value, intellectual function, attitude exists
i. Discrimination - negative treatment based on prejudice
i. Inequality stems from discrimination
j. What is race?
i. A socially defined group focusing on the basis of physical criteria
1) Includes skin color, physical features such as hair texture, hair type, nose, eyes, lips, etc...
k. What is ethnicity?
i. Shares genealogy, but also includes cultural, linguistic, or religious traits. ii. Black/ African American
1) Racial is opposed to ethnic designation iii. Latino/Hispanic: Ethnic designation
1) Can be any race iv. Some ethnic groups have history of receiving racist mistreatment
l. What is culture?
i. Patterns of behavior and thinking that groups learn, create, and share. ii. Also distinguishes one group from others. iii. Includes beliefs, rules of behavior, language, accent, way of speaking/dialect, artistic tradition, style of dress, way of accessing, producing and cooking food, religion, politics economic systems. iv. Lots of interesting aspects of culture that serve to obscure relational dynamics in this country v. "We all have a culture" (I like corn beef and cabbage, you like….) vi. How does culture produce and maintain social inequality?
1)
vii. Do shifting social class norms and priorities tie to maintaining inequality? (one-up) viii. Resistance cultures (internalized oppression?)
2. Race as a Social Concept
a. Social consensus and ideas surrounding race create definitions, expectations
b. This is a global phenomenon (aboriginal people)
Racism, Ethnocentrism, and Strategies for Advancing and Economic Justice Page 1

b. This is a global phenomenon (aboriginal people)
3. Race
a. From the early history of our nation, as far back as Jamestown - rave was socially constructed to ascribe symbolic meaning to Black/Brown peoples
b. Strong narratives or scripts were needed to dehumanize and socially justify treating human beings 4. Symbols
a. We all learn and remember by making associations/ generalizations…
b. Some associations are strong
c. While 'times have changed', our socialization still allows rooms for insidious distinctions and challenges (or "unchallenged") ideas about different groups of people (psychological
'baggage')
5. Types of discriminators
a. Unprejudiced non-discriminator
b. Unprejudiced discriminator
i. Reluctant, poss. Convenience, personal advantage
c. Prejudiced non- discriminator
1) Reluctantly doesn’t turn thoughts into action
d. Prejudiced discriminator
6. Stereotypes
a. Overgeneralization of traits observed in some members of a group
b.