Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups

We live in a culturally diverse society where there are many differences among various racial and ethnic groups. When these different groups come into contact with one another they interact in many different ways. Prejudice and discrimination are key factors in understanding intergroup relationships. Competition, religious ideas, fear of strangers and nationalism are elements that contribute to prejudice. Many expressions of negative prejudicial attitudes, stereotyping and discriminatory behavior can have negative impact on the social relationships between dominant and minority groups. Many prejudices are passed along from child to parent and the influence of television and movies perpetuate demeaning portrayals about specific groups. Although prejudice continues to flourish, education plays an import role in combating prejudice and racism by providing courses and programs that help to recognize the distinction between various ethnic groups and develop an appreciation of these cultural differences.

The word prejudice is derived from the Latin word " praejudicium" and refers to prejudging without any factual evidence. Being prejudiced usually means having preconceived beliefs about groups of people or cultural practices. Discrimination is the "differential and unequal treatment of other groups of people, usually along racial, religious or ethnic lines." The distinction is that prejudice then refers to people's attitudes and beliefs, and discrimination to their overt behavior directed at another group. (Parrillo 76)

Prejudices shape our perceptions of various people and influence our attitudes and actions toward particular groups and prejudicial attitudes that are negative often lead to hostile relations between domi...

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...and appreciate the cultural values and be tolerant of diversity. Changes in the law have also helped to alter some prejudicial attitudes.

REFERENCES

>>Chang, Mitchell. "Measuring the Impact of a Diversity Requirement on Students' Level of Racial Prejudice" Retrieved September 19, 2014 (http://www.diversityweb.org/Digest/W00/research2.html)

>>Dugan, Maire A. "Prejudice" (Retrieved September 15, 2014 (http://www.beyondintractability.org/m/prejudice.jsp)

>>Parrillo, Vincent J. 2003. Strangers to These Shores. New York: Allyn and Bacon.

>>Sandhu, Daya Singh and Sherlton Pack Brown. 1996. " Empowering ethnically and racially diverse clients through prejudice reduction." Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development"