8: To Live in a World With Earned Privilege, Oh What a Day That Would Be

1. How is racial privilege different from other forms of  privilege? Where have you felt that you were privileged? For what  reason were you privileged, do you think: your race, gender,  sexuality, age, or being an American? If more than one social  category played a role, then how did they interact?

Racial privilege is different from other forms of privilege because we live in North America, where people hold the belief that racism isn’t as prevalent in modern society as it was ten years ago. Some people believe that racism doesn’t exist, that it isn’t an important issue to discuss anymore because we have made strides as a society. Racial privilege is an issue more so than any of privilege because it is based on some asinine idea that races have biological differences that make them undeserving of the same rights and opportunities. I have never felt in any moment that I was privileged because of my race; however, in saying that I don’t mean that I wasn’t experiencing white privilege. What I am saying is that I didn’t feel that, in the moment, I wasn’t achieving something based solely on my merits. The unfortunate truth is that there have been times where I have experienced white privilege and not known it. There are also times where I have benefitted from gender privilege, such as when I get out of a speeding ticket because I am a woman, or when I make more money off a table I have served than a man would have simply because I am a woman. I have also benefitted from my father being a banker, which allowed me to obtain a bank loan for school. I have had opportunities in sports and arts which I wouldn’t have had if my parents were lower class. The simple truth is that I have most definitely benefitted from being white and upper-middle class.

2. What role does class play in racial privilege, and how much?  Some argue that class is the most important social category, do  you agree or disagree?

Class plays a role in racial privilege because there is a hierarchy within the hierarchy. Upper class white men are more privileged than lower class white men, upper class black men are more privileged than lower class black men. Upper classes, even in the same race, have better opportunities and advantages than lower classes do because of their status in society and their ability to pay for the better opportunity. They are awarded with better contacts, live within better neighborhoods, drive better cars, and have better jobs. I do not agree with the idea that class is the most important social category because it is ever-changing. Class is not static, you can work your way out of lower class or you can fall from a higher class into a lower one. It is impossible to change your race, which is the most important social category.

3. Do you think things have changed from the time that McIntosh  wrote the article assigned? Is so, how? If not, why not?

I do think times have changed from the time that McIntosh wrote the article, however I would argue that most of the change has been made in Canada. We are more open to affirmative action polices in universities for historically disadvantaged minorities, we have laws in place that attempt to combat hate crimes, and we allow all people with different sexual orientations to get married. This isn’t to say that we are anywhere near where we should be as a country, because we are not. We are far away from having equality for everyone regardless of race, class or gender; however, we are making changes to get to that point. The US, in my opinion, has not made as many strides as Canada. There are still many states that do not allow gay marriage, that support the death penalty (which is unfavourable to black men), and that do not support or even recognize that affirmative action is a necessary component in order to combat institutional racism.

4. Discuss your experiences at Robben Island. Explain the role of  racial privilege in South African history and currently.

White privilege is extremely prevalent in South African history and currently. in 1950, the Population Registration Act established criteria to classify everyone as either “White, Coloured, or Black” (Posel, 2001). Racial privilege was forced by law through this act as well as others all the way through until the 1990′s. Currently, social advantages are still rampant for White people through social status and guaranteed advantages. Matthews, 2011, states that there is currently a difference of five times in average per-capita income between White people and Black people.

 

References:

Jensen, Robert (1998) “White privilege shapes the U.S.   http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/whiteprivilege.htm  Retrieved11/09/12

McIntosh, Peggy (1988) http://www.amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html

Deborah Posel, “Race as Common Sense: Racial Classification in Twentieth-     Century South Africa”, African Studies Review 44 (2), September 2001

Sally Matthews, “Inherited or earned advantage?“, Mail & Guardian, 12 September 2011.

7: My racial and Ethnic Identity in an Ever Changing World

1. Compare and contrast your racial and ethnic identity with the  racial and ethnic identity in one of the countries you have  visited.

I haven’t done a lot of travelling in my life, the farthest I have gone is Los Angeles in California, USA. While I was there, however, I did notice a vastly different racial and ethnic identity from Canada. I was visiting LA to watch a hockey game on New Years Eve between the Vancouver Canucks and the LA Kings, and in order to get to the Kings practice arena you had to go through one of the worst parts of LA. Being a young woman, I was well aware of my surroundings at all times and would notice the changes that happened as we took a bus to the arena. The majority of White people were located in the wealthier neighborhoods of LA and the majority of Black people were located in the more impoverished neighborhoods. While travelling through the rougher neighborhoods we encountered many stares and curious people wondering why we would be in that area. Statistically, more gang activity takes place in these neighborhoods than anywhere else in LA. I would have to say, that although the neighborhoods looked like a rough place to be, they weren’t unsafe in any way. It is because of this that I would argue that the racial identity is much different from Canada and not the ethnic identity. It wasn’t the impoverished neighborhoods that were taking on an ethnic identity themselves, it was the majority White population that was giving the neighborhood an inappropriate and inaccurate reputation.

2. How are racial and ethnicity identities shaped by modernity,  postmodernism, and multiplicity?

Modernity “embraces a set of processes that are inherently globalising” which include the growth and reach of the capitalist economy, the global expansion of state power, and the development of mass media and communications systems that are global in their reach (Cornwall and Hartmann, pg.248). Modernity means that local issues are not local anymore, shaping racial and ethnic identities through political and economic events. It can connect people to their original ethnic backgrounds through the internet or through family histories, it can make racism a public affair where nothing about the accuser is private, it can stop people from shaping others through their own racial biases. The influence from Western culture have reached worldwide, but it is not just Western influence anymore. Canada has a wide array of multicultural foods, ethnicities, and villages that promote tolerance and acceptance.

Multiplicity in Western cultures generally takes the idea that you have one identity or racial heritage. Recently, however, “a growing number of Americans who carry more than one ethnic or racial ancestry have become reluctant to choose among them (Cornwell and Hartmann, pg. 252)”, allowing themselves to celebrate their multi-ethnic identities.

3. Has your racial and ethnic identity shifted as a result of  this voyage of discovery?

My racial and ethnic identity hasn’t had much of a shift as a result of this voyage of discovery as I didn’t have an ethnic identity before this class, nor do I have an ethnic identity after the readings and interesting lectures. I will say, however, that my view of others racial and ethnic identities has shifted significantly. I now view ethnic identity as an extremely important part of other’s lives and understand that it is not my place to push racial identities upon others.

Readings: Cornell and Hartmann, chapter 8: “Making  sense and making selves in a changing world”

6: Circumstances define who we are

1. Give good examples of circumstance affects racial and ethnic identity construction.

One example straight from the book is how African Americans and American Indians had “similarly lengthy and oppressive interactions with European Americans, however, a comprehensive group consciousness took far longer to emerge among American Indians as a common, prominent basis of identity and action, not appearing on a similar scale until nearly the middle of the 20th century (Cornell and Hartmann, pg. 108).” The different circumstances the two groups had made for vastly different experiences and racial constructions. The ways in which they were brought into depressed status was different as well, Africans were brought over for the purpose of slavery, while American Indians were already in America.

2. What is the difference between assertion and assignment of  racial and ethnic identity?

The difference between assertion and assignment of racial and ethnic identity is that a majority assigns you your place in society and your racial identity, while assertion is an ethnic identity that you have asserted yourself, or essentially taken on yourself. The example in the chapter is the way the Chinese went from being assigned a racial identity that aligned them with black people in American society to asserting a new place in society for themselves to be regarded as lower than Whites, but higher than Blacks. They didn’t argue against racial segregation itself, they argued that they were not on the same level that they had been assigned. They were successful in asserting a new ethnic identity.

3. Is your ethnic identity more thick or thin? What differences  does that make?

My identity is more on the thin side than the thick side. It makes a large difference in regards to my heritage because even though technically I am German, British, and Irish, I do not feel an attachment to any of them. I am Canadian, but in regards to society and culture, I do not feel a thick attachment to Canadian culture either. I do not find that my Canadian identity runs my thought process or patterns, or even comes into contact with my decisions in my daily life. Canadians are a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities and it makes Canada a beautiful country, but Canadian culture does not identify me.

References: Cornell and Hartmann, chapter 5: “Case studies in identity construction,” pp. 107-134

5: Immigration and Ethnic Heritage

1. What are the differences between immigration and emigration?  What are the everyday life experiences of those who migrate?

Emigration and immigration have the same act behind them, of moving from one country to another country. Where they differ, however, is the emigration is from the perspective of the initial country or homeland, and immigration is from the receiving country, or new home. The everyday life experiences of those who migrate can be very difficult, especially if a new language is to be learned. Language barriers can cause a whole host of problems for both the immigrate and those who call that country their birth land. They can also experience racial issues or cultural issues if their culture is significantly (or insignificantly) different from the new one they have encountered.

2. Think about your ethnic heritage. What stories have you heard  about when your ancestors immigrated to the U.S? How are they  different or the same than the stories of other migrants?

My ethnic heritage is Canadian and British. My parents are both from Canada, and my mother’s parents are from Britain. Their stories are not filled with hardship or difficulty, most likely due to the lack of a language barrier and the fact that they are both white. There would be little difference between them and a Canadian upon first glance. They are very different from the stories I have heard from other migrants because they were already very integrated with Western Cultures and the language, where as other migrants might not be so lucky.

3. Who are the Dalits? Why have they been discriminated against?  What kinds of social movements have begun to redress their  political and social grievances?

Dalit is a term that encompasses numerous class groups from South Asia that speak multiple languages and are a mixed population. They are typically regarded as untouchable and practice a variety of religions (Webster, J. 1999). They are often considered to be the outcasts of society and are looked at as a pollution to society, causing their isolation, both socially and physically, from society. Politically, discrimination based on castes has been prohibited and abolished under the Constitution of India (Ghosh, P. 1997). India implemented an affirmative action policy in order to combat discrimination against Dalits to provide and set aside jobs and educational opportunities (Ghosh, P. 1997).

References: John Webster (1999). Untouchable, Dalits in Modern India (Ed: S. M. Michael). pp. 11–19.

Partha Ghosh (July 1997). “Positive Discrimination in India: A Political Analysis”. Ethnic Studies Report XV. http://www.ices.lk/publications/esr/articles_jul97/Esr-Ghosh.PDF

4: Stereotyping and Discriminating

1 Define prejudice, discrimination, and institutionalized  inequality and give good examples from your everyday life of  each.

prejudice: A preconceived, unfavourable judgement towards any person based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, language, nationality, ethnicity, etc. These beliefs and judgements are generally unfounded and untrue about the population as whole. An example of prejudice in my everyday life would be that because I am a woman, I am incapable of thinking critically or logically devoid of all emotion.

Discrimination: The preferential treatment of a person based on their perceived or real membership within a certain group or category. This could involve gender, sexual preference, or racial discrimination. An example from my everyday life would be the inability to join a bantam football team in my hometown because I was a girl and “wasn’t able to play with the big boys”.

Institutionalized inequality: Occurs in public institutions such as government agencies, schools, churches, hospitals, etc and can affect a persons abilities to access these institutions based on preconceived biases by those employed or in power at these agencies. An example, that doesn’t affect my daily life but does affect the lives of others, would be the inability for women to become priests in some churches, or the low percentage of Aboriginal people in educational institutions.

2. Are positive stereotypes, like all Asians are good at math,  all blacks can jump, ever be negative? Why or why not?

Positive stereotypes can never attribute to the greater good of the stereotyped group. All stereotypes are negative because they are simply not true in all cases. These stereotypes set unrealistically high expectations for the stereotyped group and can leave the ones who don’t fit the stereotype feeling inadequate and alone. It can make the stereotyped person feeling that, not only do they not fit the “typical” mold of society in regards to colour, but they are now not even fitting in the “typical” stereotype of their own race. Further, research has shown that when bringing stereotypes to the forefront of a person’s mind, they can actually perform to a lesser ability when under pressure (Bodenhausen and Cheryan, 2000). Finally, these “positive” stereotypes can alienate those who do not posses the stereotype. The stereotypes of racial minorities are typically grown and shown by people who have grown up in societal subgroups who perpetuate these stereotypes and have passed them down through generations. For example, black men listening to rap music. There is no biological difference between black and white men that make black men like rap music more than white men, however it is possible that this has been socially constructed and passed down through generations, making black men more likely to grow up listening to rap music than white men. The black men who do not live in predominantly black neighborhoods may not grow up listening to rap music and will therefore not develop a taste for it. This stereotype could leave that man longing to be part of his “race” subculture, because while his skin doesn’t allow him to fit in with white men, his likes and dislikes don’t allow him to fit in with other black men who have grown up in these subcultures that enjoy the “stereotypical” black music.

3. Does prejudice exist in every racial grouping? Why or why not?

I believe that prejudice does exist in every racial grouping because they are preconceived notions that are passed down from generation to generation. What is experience by one generation may not be true to this day, but the idea will continue to be passed down and reign true for that group. Further, it is nearly impossible for all people in a society to have a developed sociological imagination that enables them to understand how different societies around the world are affected by their actions.

4. Does every racial group discriminate? Why or why not?

Yes, every racial group discriminates. Discrimination does not simply involve the concept surrounding race, it involves discrimination against gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Every racial group has people in their group that will discriminate against others based on one of these social subgroups . It is impossible for an entire racial group to be completely open and understanding to the plight of all minorities.

5. When are racial groups racist?

Racial minorities can never be racist, only a majority, dominant group (Whites) can be racist by the dictionary definition. Thus, racial groups are never racist. They can be prejudice, or discriminatory, but never racist.

References: CQA, Chapters 1 and 4, Bodenhausen and Cheryan, 2000

3: Race: A socially constructed idea?

1.  Is race socially constructed? Before you read the assigned article, did you believe that biological races are real?  Did the article change your opinion about the biological basis of  race?

Race is most definitely a socially construced term created by those people in society who believe that there are inherent differences between different skin colours. Before I read the assigned article, I did not believe that biological differences between races were real; however, I will state that I did believe it to be true a few years ago. The article did not change my mind because it had been previously changed in a different class. It is difficult for the general population to understand that race is a socially constructed term because all of the information that they have readily available to them states otherwise. It is easy to look at a person of different colour and say that they have biological differences between them because they look different from themselves. It is difficult for people to understand that people of the same colour have more differences between them than those of different colours. It is also difficult to comprehend that this is true based on the inhumane treatment of those of different colours; if there are no biological differences between them, how can you justify the treatment?

2. If race is socially constructed, why do most people in the US  believe it is biological and act accordingly?

As explained in my previous answer, I believe that most people in the United States have a tendency to believe the dribble they read or see in the newspapers which are readily available to them. It is easier to see the variances between races, such as “different hair texture, skin colours, body forms, or blood types” (pg. 23) than the differences between people of the same race. It is also easier to justify the racist tendancies of the Federal and State governemnt, the court systems, and the general US society when there are biological differences between races. US history (as well as Canadian history) is wrought with racial biases which continue on a daily basis today. These racist policies and ideas would not be able to exist or be justified without a biological difference between races.  Unfortunately, “biologically distinct races remains a fixture in the popular mind, a basis of social action, a foundation of government policy, and often a justification for distinctive treatment of one group by another. Even some academics and intellectuals still acept racial categories as naturally given and delineated” (pg. 24).

3. Is there a race gene? Has science proven the biological  components of race?

There is no race gene as science has proven that there are no significant biological differences between races. As Cornell and Hartmann state on page 24, “variations within racial groups tend to outweigh – in both number and significance – those that supposedly distinguish one racial group from another.”

References: Cornell and Hartmann, chapter 2: “Mapping the  terrain: definitions”

2: Qualitative and Quantitaive Research: Which is Better?

1. How are qualitative and quantitative research different? What  different purposes do they serve and what is the value and  limitations of each?

Qualitative and quantitative research differs quite significantly. Quantitative research is based on numbers and statistical analysis of those numbers, where as qualitative research is based on a broad, more general idea of a correlation between two variables. Quantitative research has a specific idea in mind of how two variables relate to each other and uses statistical data in order to come to a decisive conclusion. Quantitative research uses data in the form of pictures, words, or objects, but generally not numbers. Qualitative research is very subjective and uses observations, while quantitative research is objective and uses numbers. They serve very different purposes as qualitative data is used more in the social sciences for how societies work and public opinions, while quantitative research is frequently used in the social sciences for crime rates or trends. They both have values and limitations, but generally these include the objectiveness of quantitative data and the subjectiveness of qualitative data. These can be both limitations as well as values, however it simply means they both serve different purposes. Quantitative data may produce more statistically relevant information in terms of numbers and hypothesis testing, however it can be a detriment because it may miss contextual detail. It may also miss how significantly other variables (especially in the social sciences) play a factor in a certain relationship. Qualitative research, however, is less generalized, more time-consuming, and more thorough; unfortunately, it will be subject to researcher biases though.

2. Why are we using qualitative research to study race and ethnicity?

We are using qualitative research to study race and ethnicity because it is a more thorough view of societal relationships. We can use real people with interviews, personal experiences, images, words, and objects to analyse how society reacts to the discussion of race and ethnicity without having to analyse the data and numbers behind it. Qualitative research is better used in this situation because it is subjective, as are the definitions surrounding race and ethnicity.

3. Why is informed consent important?

Informed consent is important because it gives the subject an accurate picture of how the study is going to be researched and how their information will be used. This allows researchers to be sure that the subject is fully aware of of their participation requirements and limitations. It makes the research valid because it ensures the subject has participated voluntarily and eliminates further risk of legal action.

References: Cornell and Hartmann, chapter 1: “The puzzles of  ethnicity and race”

1: Race and Ethnicity: Understanding the Myths

1. How does sociology understand race and ethnicity?

Sociology dictates that race is a social construct based upon societal stereotypes and myths, while ethnicity relies on ones own opinion of their cultural background and activities. Race is a term based in biology, however sociology has found little to no proof that there are any significant differences between races that would allow for the preservation of the belief that one race is vastly different from another. Ethnicity, however, is derived from the idea that one can view themselves to be a part of multiple ethnicities and still be a part of the greater society. Ethnicity is a personal view of yourself and your culture, no one else’s. This is why the terms race and ethnicity are so different: race is a social construct of someone else’s description and beliefs, where as ethnicity is simply your own.

2. How does a sociological imagination help in understanding race  and ethnicity?

A sociological imagination helps when trying to understand both race and ethnicity because it opens up the brain to worldwide issues outside of your immediate society. It is difficult for some people to not generalize races based on how they act in their immediate presence. Using the ideas based in sociological imagination, we are able to see how our actions, thoughts, ideas, words, and opinions can affect those not just in our society, but those across the world as well. The sociological imagination helps us to remember that we have been shaped by our immediate surroundings and our society, and while this is important, it is not the end all or be all to how people act in the world as a whole.

Biographical Sketch

Hey everyone, Sarah here. I am a fourth year (it is my last semester) Criminology major that will be getting my B Ed next year so that I can become a teacher. I work part-time in a restaurant in Chilliwack where I live, and go to school full time at Kwantlen. I have taken a few courses in the Sociology field so I am very excited about this class and learning as much as I can about racial inequalities; however, how much can you really learn about this issue? It will never be enough..

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