Race And Racial Inequality

1136 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Racial and ethnic inequality

The purpose of my paper is to examine race and find out the role it play in social inequality. In my paper, I will be talking about race as a social construct of reality as it pertains to the analysis of Omi and Winant interpretation of racial inequality in modern societies. The objective of my paper is to define race as a concept by looking at various racial groups in society and see how differently they are treated. This paper will be looking at how racial categories are assigned to an individual and investigate the reasons associated with racial identities. I will further argue how race is constructed in terms of slavery and the role colonialism play during this time. In the last part of my paper, I will be talking about how race is being …show more content…

Omi and Winant (1986) argues that “race lies in the terrain of innate characteristics of which skin colour and other physical attributes correlate with the racial identity of a group of people” (pg.59). This is saying the physical characteristics of a person skin colour along with his or her body features is a basis on which society construct racial identities. Omi and Winant emphasize how black is referred to as non-white. The appearance of a person who belong to a particular racial group can have a positive or a negative impact on how people in society see other …show more content…

Brown (2003) argues how whiteness is a dominant race (pg.37). The dominant race was white while excluding non-whites from certain class privileges such as the right to have better health care similar to someone of a white ethnic background. It led to emergence of racial formation aim at dividing the white from the black’s base on their racial identity .A person of non-white racial identity is sometimes referred to as “others” meaning he or she does not belong, but of a different racial category {grouping of people base on racial identity and ethnicity}. The grouping of people into different racial categories is reinforcing racism in relation to keeping the white race dominant and powerful over

Show More
Related

  • Subordinate Group Paper

    497 Words  | 1 Pages

    Many minority groups describe racism and other forms of discrimination as being more than just prejudiced towards people based on certain characteristics. Prejudice plays a large role in what is considered to be racism, but it also consists of having a dominant position in society and power to institute and take advantage of their racism. This dominant group of people have the most power, the greatest privileges, and what’s considered to be the highest social status. They use their power to provide themselves with (easier) access to resources like housing, education, jobs, food, health, legal protection, and et cetera. On the other hand, the subordinate group of people are singled out for unequal treatment and are regarded as “objects” of collective discrimination. They are provided with inferior education, food, jobs, healthcare and et cetera.

    Read More

  • The Threat of the Mulatto in The Birth of a Nation

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    dominance by not acknowledging the blacks. In his essay, “Race Prejudice as a Sense of Group Position,” Herbert Blumer asserts “race prejudice is a protective device. It functions, however short-sightedly, to preserve the integrity and the position of the dominant group” (172). For the whites to protect their social status they must place the blacks into a subordinate position and revolve their interactions with them around that group disposition. The disposition, or prejudice includes “a fear or apprehension that the subordinate racial group is threatening, or will threaten, the position of the dominant group” (Blumer 171).

    Read More

  • Microaggression in The United States

    1995 Words  | 4 Pages

    Winant, Howard. 2000 "Race and race theory." Annual review of sociology ():-. Retrieved from http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/faculty/winant/Race_and_Race_Theory.html on Mar 17, 1980

    Read More

  • Racial Inequality Essay

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    1. What is the difference between a. and a. Inequality became instrumental in privileging white society early in the creation of American society. The white society disadvantaged American Indians by taking their land and established a system of rights fixed in the principle that equality in society depended on the inequality of the Indians. This means that for white society to become privileged, they must deprive the American Indians of what was theirs to begin with. Different institutions such as the social institution, political, economical, and education have all been affected by race.

    Read More

  • Racial Inequality in America

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s world, the American still has barriers to overcome in the matter of racial equality. Whether it is being passed over for a promotion at the job or being underpaid, some people have to deal with unfair practice that would prevent someone of color or the opposite sex from having equal opportunity at the job. In 2004, Dukes vs. Wal-Mart Stores Incorporation was a civil rights class-action suite that ruled in favor of the women who worked and did not received promotions, pay and certain job assignments. This proves that some corporations ignore the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which protects workers from discrimination based on sex, race, religion or national origin.

    Read More

  • The Myth Of White Privilege

    1845 Words  | 4 Pages

    With all of these facts, the author tries to prove that racial differences and privileges appear exaggerated and unrealistic. The privileged and less privileged exist at all levels of society. Duke wants white people to understand that they are in the same position as all other races. The awareness of “white privilege” is only a fallacy that causes feel of guilt without foundation.

    Read More

  • Critical Race Theory Essay

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    In relation to the Critical Race Theory, the idea of the “gap between law, politics, economics, and sociological reality of racialized lives” (Critical Race Theory slides). The critical race theory gives us a guide to analyze privileges and hardships that comes across different races and gender. For example, analyzing how and why a “black” or “indigenous” woman may experience more hardships versus not only a “white” man, but a “white”

    Read More

  • The Role of Social Movements in Fighting Racism

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some people define race as if it is something solid or concrete, but what they don’t see is that it is a “social fabrication”(Mathew Desmond, Mustafa Emibayer,2009;2). Race is based on the difference in physical appearance which is determined, for example, by the most apparent trait; skin color. Inequality emerges when people living, whether on the same sovereign terrain or across continents, are not treated with the same amount of respect and not given the chance to engage their rights in a free and fair manner. Race and inequality are often linked together because of the “issues that began in the 1800s”(NFB;Journey to Justice;2000) such as racial segregation. Over the years issues of race and inequality have decreased dramatically. How did racial inequality decrease and through what? To study this case, two theories need to be put in practice, “resource mobilisation theory and new social movement”(Tremblay;2013).

    Read More

  • Racial Formation Essay

    1303 Words  | 3 Pages

    Race, as a general understanding is classifying someone based on how they look rather than who they are. It is based on a number of things but more than anything else it’s based on skin's melanin content. A “race” is a social construction which alters over the course of time due to historical and social pressures. Racial formation is defined as how race shapes and is shaped by social structure, and how racial categories are represented and given meaning in media, language and everyday life. Racial formation is something that we see changing overtime because it is rooted in our history. Racial formation also comes with other factors below it like racial projects. Racial projects seek

    Read More

  • Racism In Slumdog Millionaire

    1532 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to Omi and Winant, “race is a concept which signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests by referring to

    Read More

  • Racism and The Latino Community

    1381 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this world we are constantly being categorized by our race and ethnicity, and for many people it’s hard to look beyond that. Even though in the past many stood up for equality and to stop racism and discrimination, it still occurs. In this nation of freedom and equality, there are still many people who believe that their race is superior to others. These beliefs are the ones that destroy our nation and affect the lives of many. The people affected are not limited by their age group, sex, social status, or by their education level. Their beliefs can cause them to attack other groups verbally or in silence and even reaching to the point of violence. All of this occurs because we can’t be seen as a “people”, but rather like “species” that need to be classified. An example of racism due to race and ethnicity as categories of identity is seen in the article written by Daphne Eviatar entitled “Report Finds Widespread Discrimination against Latino Immigrants in the South.” In this particular case white supremacy groups discriminate Hispanics that are both legal and illegal in the southern states of America, portraying several theoretical concepts.

    Read More

  • Race And Ethnicity Essay

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    Therefore it has become a source of division within the working class that only works in favor for the bourgeois and capitalist. On the there hand, Ethnicity has a wider concept than race but still can be useful and counterproductive. To begin, one obvious reason why ethnicity is useful because it allows for other cultures, customs to express themselves. Secondly, promotes multiculturalism and diversity. Be that as it may, it is counterproductive and overlapping because the systematic distinctions within ethnicity lead to equality and inequality in society Therefore resulting to racial supremacy and privilege. Given these points, in this paper, I will discuss in details the ways in which the concepts of race and ethnicity are useful and how they are counterproductive with regards to different authors; Peter Wade, Robert Milles, Etienne Balibar, David Nirebeng, Roman Grosfoguel and Joan

    Read More

  • Social Conflict Theory: Racial Inequality Within Society

    347 Words  | 1 Pages

    As racial inequality within society embodies the superiority and power of whites over blacks, it effectively correlates with the elements of the social conflict theory. According to this theory, society remains in a state of continual conflict due to the established social division between two races. The theory implicitly identifies the cause of social conflict between diverse races and ethnicities as a result of limited wealth and resources. The social conflict theory evidently expresses the idea that social order within society is sustained by the power and domination of one particular race or group rather than unity and harmony. The theory focuses on the distribution of wealth and resources among a race or ethnicity and the manner through

    Read More

  • Racial Inequality In Society Today

    597 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over the years, people have been discriminated by not agreeing with something, or not believing that everyone should be equal. Our constitution states that all people are equal. In contrast, discrimination is the main reason racial inequality is still apparent in today’s society. This discrimination and fight for equality began during slavery and continued through the Civil Rights Movement.

    Read More

  • Racism And Inequality

    298 Words  | 1 Pages

    The two minority groups are looking for integration and equality. The Koreans wants to retain their culture while the Japanese are saying that they should assimilate for they are the dominant group of the society. The Koreans feels as resident they should not be oppressed and are resisting the Japanese who feels that they should be subjected to their rules. The blacks are fighting the Vietnamese for they feel that they don't belong in America, and that they are here to take jobs, lands, neighborhoods, and resources that they not entitled to acquire. The two groups are Americans and the community they built and live in deserve integration, protection and equality under the law. At the end of the day racism and discrimination patterns are the

    Read More

More about Race And Racial Inequality

Open Document