Unit 10 Introduction
Reading: Chapter 11 in Macionis, pp. 299 - 331
Unit 10 expands on the topic of stratification, focusing on race and ethnicity as ascribed characteristics that are the basis of stratification in many societies. In societies that are organized as meritocracies, characteristics such as one's race or ethnicity should not matter. One should be judged by one's knowledge, creativity and capacity. Nevertheless, we see patterns of discrimination in such societies that indicate that race and ethnicity do matter. Some races systematically receive more of what society values, while other races receive less.
 Fig. 10-1: Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site, Atlanta, Georgia |
In addition to the concepts of race and ethnicity, we examine the meaning of "minority group," and contrast it to both "majority group" and "dominant group." We study the nature of prejudice and discrimination, ways in which minority groups interact with dominant groups, and cultural characteristics of various racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
Unit 10 also presents approaches to addressing inequalities by race and ethnicity. Some of these include pluralism (sometimes called multiculturalism), assimilation (sometimes called integration), segregation and genocide. All of these strategies have been used at different times in the United States.
In Unit 10, you will learn how discrimination occurs and how discrimination is perpetuated. You will be presented with examples that illustrate how society sometimes operates independently of its members, as discrimination becomes embedded in institutions and is perpetuated, even if individuals are not discriminating against minority groups.
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