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In Sociological Terms: Members of a Minority Group
Understanding the complexities of minority groups requires moving beyond simple numerical definitions. This post delves into the sociological perspective, exploring the multifaceted nature of minority group membership, moving beyond simple population counts to encompass power dynamics, social structures, and the lived experiences of individuals. We'll unpack the key characteristics, examining how sociologists define and analyze these groups, and consider the implications of minority status within society.
Beyond Numbers: Defining Minority Groups Sociologically
While the term "minority group" might initially suggest a numerical minority, sociology employs a more nuanced definition. A sociological minority group isn't necessarily defined by its size, but rather by its relative power and status within a larger social structure. Key characteristics that define a minority group from a sociological perspective include:
Shared Physical or Cultural Traits: These traits, whether visible (like race) or less apparent (like religion or language), serve as markers of group identity and often lead to social differentiation.
Subordination and Inequality: Minority groups experience systematic disadvantages in access to resources, opportunities, and social power compared to the dominant group. This inequality can manifest across various spheres, including economic, political, and social life. This subordination isn't simply a matter of individual prejudice, but rather a consequence of deeply embedded social structures.
Group Awareness: Members of a minority group typically possess a shared sense of identity, solidarity, and collective consciousness rooted in their shared experience of subordination. This awareness can foster social movements and collective action aimed at challenging inequality.
Ascribed Status: Membership in a minority group is typically an ascribed status, meaning it's assigned at birth and largely involuntary. This contrasts with achieved status, which is earned through individual effort.
The Dynamics of Power and Prejudice
The relationship between minority and majority groups is often characterized by power imbalances. The dominant group holds disproportionate control over resources and institutions, allowing them to shape social norms and perpetuate systems of inequality. Prejudice and discrimination, both individual and systemic, are often key mechanisms used to maintain this power imbalance.
Prejudice vs. Discrimination
It's crucial to distinguish between prejudice (negative attitudes and beliefs about a group) and discrimination (the unequal treatment of a group based on those prejudices). While often intertwined, they are distinct concepts. Prejudice can exist without overt discrimination, and discrimination can occur even in the absence of conscious prejudice, through systemic biases embedded in social structures.
Exploring Different Forms of Minority Group Experiences
The experiences of minority groups are far from homogenous. Factors like race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and socioeconomic status intersect to create unique challenges and vulnerabilities.
Intersectionality: Understanding Overlapping Identities
The concept of intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, emphasizes how various social categories (e.g., race, gender, class) interact to create unique forms of oppression and privilege. A Black woman, for example, faces different forms of discrimination than a White woman or a Black man. Understanding intersectionality is essential for comprehending the diversity of experiences within any given minority group.
Minority Group Responses to Inequality
Minority groups often develop strategies to cope with and resist social inequality. These can range from individual adaptations (assimilation, passing) to collective actions (social movements, activism).
Forms of Resistance
Assimilation: Adopting the dominant culture's norms and values.
Pluralism: Maintaining distinct cultural identities while participating fully in society.
Accommodation: Adjusting to the dominant culture while retaining some aspects of one's own cultural heritage.
Social Movements: Organized collective action aimed at challenging inequalities and achieving social change.
Conclusion
Sociological understanding of minority groups moves beyond simple numerical definitions to encompass power dynamics, social structures, and lived experiences. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of minority group membership, including the interplay of prejudice, discrimination, and intersectionality, is vital for fostering a more equitable and just society. Understanding these complexities allows us to move beyond simplistic narratives and engage in more informed and constructive conversations about social justice and equality.
FAQs
1. Is a numerical minority always a sociological minority? No, a group can be numerically larger yet still be considered a sociological minority if it experiences systematic subordination and inequality.
2. How does prejudice differ from discrimination? Prejudice is a negative attitude, while discrimination is the unequal treatment stemming from that attitude or systemic biases.
3. What is the role of intersectionality in understanding minority group experiences? Intersectionality highlights how different social categories combine to create unique experiences of oppression and privilege.
4. What are some examples of collective action by minority groups? Civil rights movements, LGBTQ+ rights movements, and women's suffrage movements are prime examples.
5. How can we move towards a more equitable society? Addressing systemic inequalities, promoting inclusivity, and fostering intergroup dialogue are essential steps.
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology Thomas Teo, 2014-01-31 Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology is a comprehensive reference work and is the first reference work in English that comprehensively looks at psychological topics from critical as well as international points of view. Thus, it will appeal to all committed to a critical approach across the Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology, for alternative analyses of psychological events, processes, and practices. The Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology provides commentary from expert critical psychologists from around the globe who will compose the entries. The Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology will feature approximately 1,000 invited entries, organized in an easy to use A-Z format. The encyclopedia will be compiled under the direction of the editor who has published widely in the field of critical psychology and due to his international involvements is knowledgeable about the status of critical psychology around the world. The expert contributors will summarize current critical-psychological knowledge and discuss significant topics from a global perspective. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Understanding Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Committee on Population, Panel on Race, Ethnicity, and Health in Later Life, 2004-09-08 As the population of older Americans grows, it is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Differences in health by racial and ethnic status could be increasingly consequential for health policy and programs. Such differences are not simply a matter of education or ability to pay for health care. For instance, Asian Americans and Hispanics appear to be in better health, on a number of indicators, than White Americans, despite, on average, lower socioeconomic status. The reasons are complex, including possible roles for such factors as selective migration, risk behaviors, exposure to various stressors, patient attitudes, and geographic variation in health care. This volume, produced by a multidisciplinary panel, considers such possible explanations for racial and ethnic health differentials within an integrated framework. It provides a concise summary of available research and lays out a research agenda to address the many uncertainties in current knowledge. It recommends, for instance, looking at health differentials across the life course and deciphering the links between factors presumably producing differentials and biopsychosocial mechanisms that lead to impaired health. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: White Fragility Dr. Robin DiAngelo, 2018-06-26 The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Communities in Action National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, Committee on Community-Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the United States, 2017-04-27 In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Multiple Identities Paul Spickard, 2013-04-12 In recent years, Europeans have engaged in sharp debates about migrants and minority groups as social problems. The discussions usually neglect who these people are, how they live their lives, and how they identify themselves. Multiple Identities describes how migrants and minorities of all age groups experience their lives and manage complex, often multiple, identities, which alter with time and changing circumstances. The contributors consider minorities who have received a lot of attention, such as Turkish Germans, and some who have received little, such as Kashubians and Tartars in Poland and Chinese in Switzerland. They also examine international adoption and cross-cultural relationships and discuss some models for multicultural success. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Measuring Racial Discrimination National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Committee on National Statistics, Panel on Methods for Assessing Discrimination, 2004-07-24 Many racial and ethnic groups in the United States, including blacks, Hispanics, Asians, American Indians, and others, have historically faced severe discriminationâ€pervasive and open denial of civil, social, political, educational, and economic opportunities. Today, large differences among racial and ethnic groups continue to exist in employment, income and wealth, housing, education, criminal justice, health, and other areas. While many factors may contribute to such differences, their size and extent suggest that various forms of discriminatory treatment persist in U.S. society and serve to undercut the achievement of equal opportunity. Measuring Racial Discrimination considers the definition of race and racial discrimination, reviews the existing techniques used to measure racial discrimination, and identifies new tools and areas for future research. The book conducts a thorough evaluation of current methodologies for a wide range of circumstances in which racial discrimination may occur, and makes recommendations on how to better assess the presence and effects of discrimination. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: The Problem of Minority Groups Louis Wirth, 1993-08-01 |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Introduction to Sociology 2e Nathan J. Keirns, Heather Griffiths, Eric Strayer, Susan Cody-Rydzewski, Gail Scaramuzzo, Sally Vyain, Tommy Sadler, Jeff D. Bry, Faye Jones, 2015-03-17 This text is intended for a one-semester introductory course.--Page 1. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Critical Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Committee on Population, Panel on Race, Ethnicity, and Health in Later Life, 2004-10-16 In their later years, Americans of different racial and ethnic backgrounds are not in equally good-or equally poor-health. There is wide variation, but on average older Whites are healthier than older Blacks and tend to outlive them. But Whites tend to be in poorer health than Hispanics and Asian Americans. This volume documents the differentials and considers possible explanations. Selection processes play a role: selective migration, for instance, or selective survival to advanced ages. Health differentials originate early in life, possibly even before birth, and are affected by events and experiences throughout the life course. Differences in socioeconomic status, risk behavior, social relations, and health care all play a role. Separate chapters consider the contribution of such factors and the biopsychosocial mechanisms that link them to health. This volume provides the empirical evidence for the research agenda provided in the separate report of the Panel on Race, Ethnicity, and Health in Later Life. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Processes of Prejudice Dominic Abrams, Great Britain. Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2010 |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: American Apartheid Douglas S. Massey, Nancy A. Denton, 1993 This powerful and disturbing book clearly links persistent poverty among blacks in the United States to the unparalleled degree of deliberate segregation they experience in American cities. American Apartheid shows how the black ghetto was created by whites during the first half of the twentieth century in order to isolate growing urban black populations. It goes on to show that, despite the Fair Housing Act of 1968, segregation is perpetuated today through an interlocking set of individual actions, institutional practices, and governmental policies. In some urban areas the degree of black segregation is so intense and occurs in so many dimensions simultaneously that it amounts to hypersegregation. The authors demonstrate that this systematic segregation of African Americans leads inexorably to the creation of underclass communities during periods of economic downturn. Under conditions of extreme segregation, any increase in the overall rate of black poverty yields a marked increase in the geographic concentration of indigence and the deterioration of social and economic conditions in black communities. As ghetto residents adapt to this increasingly harsh environment under a climate of racial isolation, they evolve attitudes, behaviors, and practices that further marginalize their neighborhoods and undermine their chances of success in mainstream American society. This book is a sober challenge to those who argue that race is of declining significance in the United States today. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: The Oxford Handbook of Multicultural Identity Veronica Benet-Martinez, Ying-Yi Hong, 2015-08-01 Multiculturalism is a prevalent worldwide societal phenomenon. Aspects of our modern life, such as migration, economic globalization, multicultural policies, and cross-border travel and communication have made intercultural contacts inevitable. High numbers of multicultural individuals (23-43% of the population by some estimates) can be found in many nations where migration has been strong (e.g., Australia, U.S., Western Europe, Singapore) or where there is a history of colonization (e.g., Hong Kong). Many multicultural individuals are also ethnic and cultural minorities who are descendants of immigrants, majority individuals with extensive multicultural experiences, or people with culturally mixed families; all people for whom identification and/or involvement with multiple cultures is the norm. Despite the prevalence of multicultural identity and experiences, until the publication of this volume, there has not yet been a comprehensive review of scholarly research on the psychological underpinning of multiculturalism. The Oxford Handbook of Multicultural Identity fills this void. It reviews cutting-edge empirical and theoretical work on the psychology of multicultural identities and experiences. As a whole, the volume addresses some important basic issues, such as measurement of multicultural identity, links between multilingualism and multiculturalism, the social psychology of multiculturalism and globalization, as well as applied issues such as multiculturalism in counseling, education, policy, marketing and organizational science, to mention a few. This handbook will be useful for students, researchers, and teachers in cultural, social, personality, developmental, acculturation, and ethnic psychology. It can also be used as a source book in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on identity and multiculturalism, and a reference for applied psychologists and researchers in the domains of education, management, and marketing. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Women As a Minority Group Helen M. Hacker, 1993-08-01 |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Mental Health , 2001 |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Cycle of Segregation Maria Krysan, Kyle Crowder, 2017-12-13 The Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed housing discrimination by race and provided an important tool for dismantling legal segregation. But almost fifty years later, residential segregation remains virtually unchanged in many metropolitan areas, particularly where large groups of racial and ethnic minorities live. Why does segregation persist at such high rates and what makes it so difficult to combat? In Cycle of Segregation, sociologists Maria Krysan and Kyle Crowder examine how everyday social processes shape residential stratification. Past neighborhood experiences, social networks, and daily activities all affect the mobility patterns of different racial groups in ways that have cemented segregation as a self-perpetuating cycle in the twenty-first century. Through original analyses of national-level surveys and in-depth interviews with residents of Chicago, Krysan and Crowder find that residential stratification is reinforced through the biases and blind spots that individuals exhibit in their searches for housing. People rely heavily on information from friends, family, and coworkers when choosing where to live. Because these social networks tend to be racially homogenous, people are likely to receive information primarily from members of their own racial group and move to neighborhoods that are also dominated by their group. Similarly, home-seekers who report wanting to stay close to family members can end up in segregated destinations because their relatives live in those neighborhoods. The authors suggest that even absent of family ties, people gravitate toward neighborhoods that are familiar to them through their past experiences, including where they have previously lived, and where they work, shop, and spend time. Because historical segregation has shaped so many of these experiences, even these seemingly race-neutral decisions help reinforce the cycle of residential stratification. As a result, segregation has declined much more slowly than many social scientists have expected. To overcome this cycle, Krysan and Crowder advocate multi-level policy solutions that pair inclusionary zoning and affordable housing with education and public relations campaigns that emphasize neighborhood diversity and high-opportunity areas. They argue that together, such programs can expand the number of destinations available to low-income residents and help offset the negative images many people hold about certain neighborhoods or help introduce them to places they had never considered. Cycle of Segregation demonstrates why a nuanced understanding of everyday social processes is critical for interrupting entrenched patterns of residential segregation. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Human Nature and the Social Order Charles Horton Cooley, 1983 This work remains a pioneer sociological treatise on American culture. By understanding the individual not as the product of society but as its mirror image, Cooley concludes that the social order cannot be imposed from outside human nature but that it arises from the self. Cooley stimulated pedagogical inquiry into the dynamics of society with the publication of Human Nature and the Social Order in 1902. Human Nature and the Social Order is something more than an admirable ethical treatise. It is also a classic work on the process of social communication as the very stuff of which the self is made. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Theories of Race and Ethnicity Karim Murji, John Solomos, 2015-01-08 An authoritative and cutting-edge collection of theoretically grounded and empirically informed essays exploring the contemporary terrain of race and racism. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Chronic Kidney Disease in Disadvantaged Populations Guillermo Garcia-Garcia, Lawrence Agodoa, Keith C. Norris, 2017-07-08 Chronic Kidney Disease in Disadvantaged Populations investigates the increased incidence and prevalence of kidney disease in vulnerable populations world-wide. The volume explores the complex interactions of genetic, biologic, cultural and socioeconomic factors such as the environment, and specific health behaviors that seem to be responsible for a significant proportion of the health disparities in these communities. Each chapter is written by leading experts in the field and analyzes the prevalence and incidence of pre-dialysis kidney disease in disadvantaged populations across both developed and developing countries. In addition, each contribution analyzes differentiated risk factors and compares the disparities in access to screening, prevention strategies, treatment protocols and renal replacement therapies. Chronic Kidney Disease in Disadvantaged Populations is essential reading for residents, fellows, clinicians and biomedical researchers working in nephrology, internal medicine, and epidemiology, especially those working in areas with high concentrations of disadvantaged populations. - Presents a comprehensive account of both traditional and non-traditional risk factors for kidney disease - Explores the mechanisms by which poverty increases the burden of kidney disease in these populations, barriers to access to renal health care, including renal replacement therapies, organ donation, and organ commercialization - Offers the latest perspectives on outcomes in renal replacement therapies as well as prevention strategies |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences, Committee on the Science of Changing Behavioral Health Social Norms, 2016-09-03 Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Microaggressions in Everyday Life Derald Wing Sue, Lisa Spanierman, 2020-04-21 The essential, authoritative guide to microaggressions, revised and updated The revised and updated second edition of Microaggressions in Everyday Life presents an introduction to the concept of microaggressions, classifies the various types of microaggressions, and offers solutions for ending microaggressions at the individual, group, and community levels. The authors—noted experts on the topic—explore the psychological effects of microaggressions on both perpetrators and targets. Subtle racism, sexism, and heterosexism remain relatively invisible and potentially harmful to the wellbeing, self-esteem, and standard of living of many marginalized groups in society. The book examines the manifestations of various forms of microaggressions and explores their impact. The text covers: researching microaggressions, exploring microaggressions in education, identifying best practices teaching about microaggressions, understanding microaggressions in the counseling setting, as well as guidelines for combating microaggressions. Each chapter concludes with a section called The Way Forward that provides guidelines, strategies, and interventions designed to help make our society free of microaggressions. This important book: Offers an updated edition of the seminal work on microaggressions Distinguishes between microaggressions and macroaggressions Includes new information on social media as a key site where microaggressions occur Presents updated qualitative and quantitative findings Introduces the concept of microinterventions Contains new coverage throughout the text with fresh examples and new research findings from a wide range of studies Written for students, faculty, and practitioners of psychology, education, social work, and related disciplines, the revised edition of Microaggressions in Everyday Life illustrates the impact microaggressions have on both targets and perpetrators and offers suggestions to eradicate microaggressions. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Migration and Discrimination Rosita Fibbi, Arnfinn H. Midtbøen, Patrick Simon, 2021-04-08 This open access short reader provides a state of the art overview of the discrimination research field, with particular focus on discrimination against immigrants and their descendants. It covers the ways in which discrimination is defined and conceptualized, how it is measured, how it may be theorized and explained, and how it might be combated by legal and policy means. The book also presents empirical results from studies of discrimination across the world to show the magnitude of the problem and the difficulties of comparison across national borders. The concluding chapter engages in a critical discussion of the relationship between discrimination and integration as well as pointing out promising directions for future studies. As such this short reader is a valuable read to undergraduate students, as well as graduate students, scholars, policy makers and the general public. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Racial Formation in the United States Michael Omi, Howard Winant, 1994 Discusses racial formation theory, the idea that race is a constructed identity dependent upon social, economic, and political factors. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Be Antiracist Ibram X. Kendi, 2020-10-06 Reflect on your understanding of race and discover ways to work toward an antiracist future with this guided journal from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and Stamped from the Beginning. Antiracism is not a destination but a journey--one that takes deliberate, consistent work. Ibram X. Kendi's concept of antiracism has reenergized and reshaped the conversation about racial justice in America and pointed us toward new ways of thinking about ourselves and our society. Whether or not you've read How to Be an Antiracist, this stunning paperback journal offers the opportunity to reflect on your personal commitment to antiracism. Be Antiracist is both a confessional and a log of your journey toward a more equitable and just society. Be Antiracist helps you reflect on topics such as body, power, class, gender, and policy, as well as specific questions like, Who or what scares you the most when you think about race? and How can we go about disconnecting Blackness from criminality? and What constitutes an American to you? Kendi's multipronged approach to self-reflection will challenge you to make change in yourself and your community, and contribute to an antiracist future. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Multicultural Citizenship Will Kymlicka, 1996-09-19 The increasingly multicultural fabric of modern societies has given rise to many new issues and conflicts, as ethnic and national minorities demand recognition and support for their cultural identity. This book presents a new conception of the rights and status of minority cultures. It argues that certain sorts of `collective rights' for minority cultures are consistent with liberal democratic principles, and that standard liberal objections to recognizing such rights on grounds of individual freedom, social justice, and national unity, can be answered. However, Professor Kymlicka emphasises that no single formula can be applied to all groups and that the needs and aspirations of immigrants are very different from those of indigenous peoples and national minorities. The book discusses issues such as language rights, group representation, religious education, federalism, and secession - issues which are central to understanding multicultural politics, but which have been surprisingly neglected in contemporary liberal theory. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Mapping the Language of Racism Margaret Wetherell, Jonathan Potter, 1992 Divided into two parts, this book reviews and criticizes sociological and psychological theoretical approaches to the topic of racism and introduces the challenges to them posed by discourse analysis. It examines how white New Zealanders make sense of their own history and actions towards the Maori minority. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Racism without Racists Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, 2006-08-03 In this book, Bonilla-Silva explores with systematic interview data the nature and components of post-civil rights racial ideology. Specifically, he documents the existence of a new suave and apparently non-racial racial ideology he labels color-blind racism. He suggests this ideology, anchored on the decontextualized, ahistorical, and abstract extension of liberalism to racial matters, has become the organizational matrix whites use to explain and account for racial matters in America. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Unequal Treatment Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Sciences Policy, Committee on Understanding and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, 2009-02-06 Racial and ethnic disparities in health care are known to reflect access to care and other issues that arise from differing socioeconomic conditions. There is, however, increasing evidence that even after such differences are accounted for, race and ethnicity remain significant predictors of the quality of health care received. In Unequal Treatment, a panel of experts documents this evidence and explores how persons of color experience the health care environment. The book examines how disparities in treatment may arise in health care systems and looks at aspects of the clinical encounter that may contribute to such disparities. Patients' and providers' attitudes, expectations, and behavior are analyzed. How to intervene? Unequal Treatment offers recommendations for improvements in medical care financing, allocation of care, availability of language translation, community-based care, and other arenas. The committee highlights the potential of cross-cultural education to improve provider-patient communication and offers a detailed look at how to integrate cross-cultural learning within the health professions. The book concludes with recommendations for data collection and research initiatives. Unequal Treatment will be vitally important to health care policymakers, administrators, providers, educators, and students as well as advocates for people of color. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: The Science of Man in the World Crisis Ralph Linton, 2007-03 PREFACE. THE Author of this very practical treatise on Scotch Loch - Fishing desires clearly that it may be of use to all who had it. He does not pretend to have written anything new, but to have attempted to put what he has to say in as readable a form as possible. Everything in the way of the history and habits of fish has been studiously avoided, and technicalities have been used as sparingly as possible. The writing of this book has afforded him pleasure in his leisure moments, and that pleasure would be much increased if he knew that the perusal of it would create any bond of sympathy between himself and the angling community in general. This section is interleaved with blank shects for the readers notes. The Author need hardly say that any suggestions addressed to the case of the publishers, will meet with consideration in a future edition. We do not pretend to write or enlarge upon a new subject. Much has been said and written-and well said and written too on the art of fishing but loch-fishing has been rather looked upon as a second-rate performance, and to dispel this idea is one of the objects for which this present treatise has been written. Far be it from us to say anything against fishing, lawfully practised in any form but many pent up in our large towns will bear us out when me say that, on the whole, a days loch-fishing is the most convenient. One great matter is, that the loch-fisher is depend- ent on nothing but enough wind to curl the water, -and on a large loch it is very seldom that a dead calm prevails all day, -and can make his arrangements for a day, weeks beforehand whereas the stream- fisher is dependent for a good take on the state of the water and however pleasant and easy it may be for one living near the banks of a good trout stream or river, it is quite another matter to arrange for a days river-fishing, if one is looking forward to a holiday at a date some weeks ahead. Providence may favour the expectant angler with a good day, and the water in order but experience has taught most of us that the good days are in the minority, and that, as is the case with our rapid running streams, -such as many of our northern streams are, -the water is either too large or too small, unless, as previously remarked, you live near at hand, and can catch it at its best. A common belief in regard to loch-fishing is, that the tyro and the experienced angler have nearly the same chance in fishing, -the one from the stern and the other from the bow of the same boat. Of all the absurd beliefs as to loch-fishing, this is one of the most absurd. Try it. Give the tyro either end of the boat he likes give him a cast of ally flies he may fancy, or even a cast similar to those which a crack may be using and if he catches one for every three the other has, he may consider himself very lucky. Of course there are lochs where the fish are not abundant, and a beginner may come across as many as an older fisher but we speak of lochs where there are fish to be caught, and where each has a fair chance. Again, it is said that the boatman has as much to do with catching trout in a loch as the angler. Well, we dont deny that. In an untried loch it is necessary to have the guidance of a good boatman but the same argument holds good as to stream-fishing... |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: The Cambridge Handbook of Sociology Kathleen Odell Korgen, 2021-03-11 The Cambridge Handbook of Sociology gives an overview of the field that is both comprehensive and up to date. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Race and Social Equity Susan T Gooden, 2015-01-28 In this compelling book the author contends that social equity--specifically racial equity--is a nervous area of government. Over the course of history, this nervousness has stifled many individuals and organizations, thus leading to an inability to seriously advance the reduction of racial inequities in government. The author asserts that until this nervousness is effectively managed, public administration social equity efforts designed to reduce racial inequities cannot realize their full potential. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Encyclopedia of Adolescence B. Bradford Brown, Mitchell J. Prinstein, 2011-06-06 The period of adolescence involves growth, adaptation, and dramatic reorganization in almost every aspect of social and psychological development. The Encyclopedia of Adolescence, Three Volume Set offers an exhaustive and comprehensive review of current theory and research findings pertaining to this critical decade of life. Leading scientists offer accessible and easily readable reviews of biological, social, educational, occupational, and cultural factors that shape adolescent development. Issues in normative development, individual differences, and psychopathology/maladjustment are reviewed. Over 130 chapters are included, each covering a specific aspect or issue of adolescence. The chapters trace differences in the course of adolescence in different nations and among youth with different backgrounds.The encyclopedia brings together cross-disciplinary contributors, including academic researchers, biologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists and public policy experts, and will include authors from around the world. Each article features an in-depth analysis of current information on the topic, along with a glossary, suggested readings for further information, and cross-references to related encyclopedia articles. The volumes offer an unprecedented resource for all audiences, providing a more comprehensive understanding of general topics compared to other reference works on the subject.Available both in print and online via SciVerse Science Direct. Winner of the 2011 PROSE Award for Multivolume Reference in Humanities & Social Science from the Association of American Publishers; and named a 2012 Outstanding Academic Title by the American Library Association's Choice publication Brings together cross-disciplinary contributors, including developmental psychologists, educational psychologists, clinical psychologists, biologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists and public policy experts Published both in print and via Elsevier's ScienceDirectTM online platform |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Introducing Sociology Using the Stuff of Everyday Life Josee Johnston, Kate Cairns, Shyon Baumann, 2017-01-06 The challenges of teaching a successful introductory sociology course today demand materials from a publisher very different from the norm. Texts that are organized the way the discipline structures itself intellectually no longer connect with the majority of student learners. This is not an issue of pandering to students or otherwise seeking the lowest common denominator. On the contrary, it is a question of again making the practice of sociological thinking meaningful, rigorous, and relevant to today’s world of undergraduates. This comparatively concise, highly visual, and affordable book offers a refreshingly new way forward to reach students, using one of the most powerful tools in a sociologist’s teaching arsenal—the familiar stuff in students’ everyday lives throughout the world: the jeans they wear to class, the coffee they drink each morning, or the phones their professors tell them to put away during lectures. A focus on consumer culture, seeing the strange in the familiar, is not only interesting for students; it is also (the authors suggest) pedagogically superior to more traditional approaches. By engaging students through their stuff, this book moves beyond teaching about sociology to helping instructors teach the practice of sociological thinking. It moves beyond describing what sociology is, so that students can practice what sociological thinking can do. This pedagogy also posits a relationship between teacher and learner that is bi-directional. Many students feel a sense of authority in various areas of consumer culture, and they often enjoy sharing their knowledge with fellow students and with their instructor. Opening up the sociology classroom to discussion of these topics validates students’ expertise on their own life-worlds. Teachers, in turn, gain insight from the goods, services, and cultural expectations that shape students’ lives. While innovative, the book has been carefully crafted to make it as useful and flexible as possible for instructors aiming to build core sociological foundations in a single semester. A map on pages ii–iii identifies core sociological concepts covered so that a traditional syllabus as well as individual lectures can easily be maintained. Theory, method, and active learning exercises in every chapter constantly encourage the sociological imagination as well as the doing of sociology. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Speaking of Diversity Philip Gleason, 2019-12-01 Originally published in 1992. In this collection of essays, Philip Gleason explores the different linguistic tools that American scholars have used to write about ethnicity in the United States and analyzes how various vocabularies have played out in the political sphere. In doing this, he reveals tensions between terms used by academic groups and those preferred by the people whom the academics discuss. Gleason unpacks words and phrases—such as melting pot and plurality—used to visualize the multitude of ethnicities in the United States. And he examines debates over concepts such as assimilation, national character, oppressed group, and people of color. Gleason advocates for greater clarity of these concepts when discussed in America's national political arena. Gleason's essays are grouped into three parts. Part 1 focuses on linguistic analyses of specific terms. Part 2 examines the effect of World War II on national identity and American thought about diversity and intergroup relations. Part 3 discusses discourse on the diversity of religions. This collection of eleven essays sharpens our historical understanding of the evolution of language used to define diversity in twentieth-century America. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Vascular Disease in Women Caitlin Hicks, Linda Harris, 2021-07-16 Vascular Disease in Women highlights the epidemiology, natural history and treatment of vascular disease, specifically as it pertains to women. The book provides a thorough overview of what is known and waht is now known about vascular disease in women and highlights opportunities for further education and research on this topic. The book will serve as an essential reference for both clinicians and researchers, discussing the disease prevalence, treatment options, and treatment outcomes for vascular disease in women and explores the need for future research in vascular disease specifically as it pertains to women. - Provides a comprehensive overview of vascular disease as it affects women - Includes contributions from world-renowned vascular surgeons of both genders, who have a vested interest in women's vascular health - Covers what is known and not known about vascular disease in women, prompting further research in the area for what is still unknown |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Toward a Theory of Minority-group Relations Hubert M. Blalock, 1970 |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: On Intersectionality Kimberle Crenshaw, 2019-09-03 A major publishing event, the collected writings of the groundbreaking scholar who first coined intersectionality as a political framework (Salon) For more than twenty years, scholars, activists, educators, and lawyers--inside and outside of the United States--have employed the concept of intersectionality both to describe problems of inequality and to fashion concrete solutions. In particular, as the Washington Post reported recently, the term has been used by social activists as both a rallying cry for more expansive progressive movements and a chastisement for their limitations. Drawing on black feminist and critical legal theory, Kimberlé Crenshaw developed the concept of intersectionality, a term she coined to speak to the multiple social forces, social identities, and ideological instruments through which power and disadvantage are expressed and legitimized. In this comprehensive and accessible introduction to Crenshaw's work, readers will find key essays and articles that have defined the concept of intersectionality, collected together for the first time. The book includes a sweeping new introduction by Crenshaw as well as prefaces that contextualize each of the chapters. For anyone interested in movement politics and advocacy, or in racial justice and gender equity, On Intersectionality will be compulsory reading from one of the most brilliant theorists of our time. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Poverty Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree, 1901 |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Child Development at the Intersection of Race and SES , 2019-07-02 Child Development at the intersection of Race and SES, Volume 57 in the Advances in Child Development and Behavior series, presents theoretical and empirical scholarship illuminating how race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status intersect to shape children's development and developmental contexts. Important chapters in this new release include the Implications of Intersecting Socioeconomic and Racial Identities for Academic Achievement and Well-being, The home environment of low-income Latino children: Challenges and opportunities, Profiles of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status: Implications for ethnic/racial identity, discrimination and sleep, Youths' sociopolitical perceptions and mental health: Intersections between race, class, and gender, and much more. Rather than focusing on the additive effects of race/ethnicity and SES, which is typical (and a limitation) in the developmental literature, the scholarship in this book considers how the factors and processes shaping the development of children of color can differ markedly across the socioeconomic continuum. This collection illustrates how applying an intersectional lens to developmental science can yield unique insights into the challenges confronting, and assets buoying, both minority and majority children's healthy development. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: Critical Race Theory Norma M. Riccucci, 2022-03-17 This Element explores Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its potential application to the field of public administration. It proposes specific areas within the field where a CRT framework would help to uncover and rectify structural and institutional racism. This is paramount given the high priority that the field places on social equity, the third pillar of public administration. If there is a desire to achieve social equity and justice, systematic, structural racism needs to be addressed and confronted directly. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is one example of the urgency and significance of applying theories from a variety of disciplines to the study of racism in public administration. |
| in sociological terms members of a minority group: What We Now Know About Race and Ethnicity Michael Banton, 2015-10 Introduction : the paradox -- The scientific sources of the paradox -- The political sources of the paradox -- International pragmatism -- Sociological knowledge -- Conceptions of racism -- Ethnic origin and ethnicity -- Collective action -- Conclusion : the paradox resolved. |
In Sociological Terms Members Of A Minority Group
sociological minority group isn't necessarily defined by its size, but rather by its relative power and status within a larger social structure. Key characteristics that define a minority group from a …
How Do Sociologists Define A Minority Group (PDF)
Edition retains the same use of sociological theory to tell the story of race and other socially constructed inequalities in the U S and for examining the variety of experiences within each …
1 Exploring Race and Ethnicity - Pearson
A minority is defined not by being outnumbered but by five characteristics: unequal treatment, distinguishing physical or cultural traits, involuntary membership, awareness of subordination, …
approached. It might be added that the sociological literature …
The sociological study of majority-minority relations has been handicapped by the lack of models which stress the elements of power and conflict. The model presented in this paper begins …
How Do Sociologists Define A Minority Group (PDF)
Sociologists define a minority group not by its size, but by its relative powerlessness within a larger society. This powerlessness is multifaceted, encompassing political, economic, and …
An Introduction to the Study of Minority Groups in the United …
1.1 Explain the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of the United States. 1.2 Understand the concept of a minority group. 1.3 Explain the sociological perspectives that will guide this text, …
M INORITY GROUPS ARE SUBORDINATED IN TERMS OF …
Summary. When sociologists define a minority group, they are concerned primarily with the economic and political power, or powerlessness, of the group. A racial group is set apart from …
Minority Groups--A Revision of Concepts - JSTOR
ground is what defines a minority group".2 The general confusion in our terminology seems to indicate that the concepts through which we are trying to understand this complex of socio …
Minority Group as Sociological Euphemism - JSTOR
Instead, the term "minority group," a social scientific euphemism for the victims of widespread exploitation, injustice and incalculable hardship and suffering, garnered widespread acceptance.
The Catholic Family as a Minority Group - Cambridge …
three propositions: (I) the members of the minority group should be aware of their position and should be educated in terms of it; (2) the minority, as a group, should take steps to support its …
Industrialization and Dominant-Minority Relations - SAGE …
Industrialization and Dominant-Minority Relations. From Slavery to Segregation and the Coming of Postindustrial Society. One theme stated at the beginning of Chapter 3 was that a society’s …
SYD 4700: RACE AND MINORITY GROUP RELATIONS
This course will provide a sociological introduction to understanding the construction of race and racism in the United States, focusing in particular on the dynamics between people of various …
In Sociological Terms Members Of A Minority Group Gordon …
instructors teach the practice of sociological thinking. It moves beyond describing what sociology is, so that students can practice what sociological thinking can do. This pedagogy also posits a …
Chapter1 Minority Identity Development - Springer
We may define a minority as a group of people who, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the society in which they live for differ- ential …
Prejudice as Group Position: Microfoundations of a …
The group position model of racial prejudice can effectively blend core ideas from orthodox prejudice models with a sociological understanding of group rela-tions. The former directs …
Minority Group: An Ideological Formulation - JSTOR
This paper traces the process by which the term minority group was derived from its predecessor, national minority, and came to be used as a general term for all groups subjected to prejudice …
'Diversity in Groups' in: Emerging Trends in the Social and …
gender, race, and nationality, for example, and work groups in organizations were typically composed of people with similar training and backgrounds. Several forces have combined to …
Variables in the Formation of So-Called 'Minority Groups'
functioning social system. Four different species of primary and two species of derivative minority groups are described. This paper is concerned with the con-ceptualization of social …
Attitudes toward Immigration as a Sense of Group Position
minority-group members significantly reduces prejudice and conflict. Group conflict theory, by contrast, posits that increased intergroup contact leads to increased prejudice and conflict.
Making Minorities: Cultural Space, Stigma Transformation …
claimants generally use the terms interchangeably, presenting "racial" and "ethnic" groups as a subset of "minority" groups; that is, "racial" and "ethnic" spaces are usually nested within …
In Sociological Terms Members Of A Minority Group
sociological minority group isn't necessarily defined by its size, but rather by its relative power and status within a larger social structure. Key characteristics that define a minority group from a …
How Do Sociologists Define A Minority Group (PDF)
Edition retains the same use of sociological theory to tell the story of race and other socially constructed inequalities in the U S and for examining the variety of experiences within each …
1 Exploring Race and Ethnicity - Pearson
A minority is defined not by being outnumbered but by five characteristics: unequal treatment, distinguishing physical or cultural traits, involuntary membership, awareness of subordination, …
approached. It might be added that the sociological …
The sociological study of majority-minority relations has been handicapped by the lack of models which stress the elements of power and conflict. The model presented in this paper begins …
How Do Sociologists Define A Minority Group (PDF)
Sociologists define a minority group not by its size, but by its relative powerlessness within a larger society. This powerlessness is multifaceted, encompassing political, economic, and …
An Introduction to the Study of Minority Groups in the …
1.1 Explain the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of the United States. 1.2 Understand the concept of a minority group. 1.3 Explain the sociological perspectives that will guide this text, …
M INORITY GROUPS ARE SUBORDINATED IN TERMS OF …
Summary. When sociologists define a minority group, they are concerned primarily with the economic and political power, or powerlessness, of the group. A racial group is set apart from …
Minority Groups--A Revision of Concepts - JSTOR
ground is what defines a minority group".2 The general confusion in our terminology seems to indicate that the concepts through which we are trying to understand this complex of socio …
Minority Group as Sociological Euphemism - JSTOR
Instead, the term "minority group," a social scientific euphemism for the victims of widespread exploitation, injustice and incalculable hardship and suffering, garnered widespread acceptance.
The Catholic Family as a Minority Group - Cambridge …
three propositions: (I) the members of the minority group should be aware of their position and should be educated in terms of it; (2) the minority, as a group, should take steps to support its …
Industrialization and Dominant-Minority Relations - SAGE …
Industrialization and Dominant-Minority Relations. From Slavery to Segregation and the Coming of Postindustrial Society. One theme stated at the beginning of Chapter 3 was that a society’s …
SYD 4700: RACE AND MINORITY GROUP RELATIONS
This course will provide a sociological introduction to understanding the construction of race and racism in the United States, focusing in particular on the dynamics between people of various …
In Sociological Terms Members Of A Minority Group …
instructors teach the practice of sociological thinking. It moves beyond describing what sociology is, so that students can practice what sociological thinking can do. This pedagogy also posits a …
Chapter1 Minority Identity Development - Springer
We may define a minority as a group of people who, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the society in which they live for differ- ential …
Prejudice as Group Position: Microfoundations of a …
The group position model of racial prejudice can effectively blend core ideas from orthodox prejudice models with a sociological understanding of group rela-tions. The former directs …
Minority Group: An Ideological Formulation - JSTOR
This paper traces the process by which the term minority group was derived from its predecessor, national minority, and came to be used as a general term for all groups subjected to prejudice …
'Diversity in Groups' in: Emerging Trends in the Social and …
gender, race, and nationality, for example, and work groups in organizations were typically composed of people with similar training and backgrounds. Several forces have combined to …
Variables in the Formation of So-Called 'Minority Groups'
functioning social system. Four different species of primary and two species of derivative minority groups are described. This paper is concerned with the con-ceptualization of social …
Attitudes toward Immigration as a Sense of Group Position
minority-group members significantly reduces prejudice and conflict. Group conflict theory, by contrast, posits that increased intergroup contact leads to increased prejudice and conflict.
Making Minorities: Cultural Space, Stigma Transformation …
claimants generally use the terms interchangeably, presenting "racial" and "ethnic" groups as a subset of "minority" groups; that is, "racial" and "ethnic" spaces are usually nested within …
