The Hierarchy Of Race And Ethnic Groups - 1351 Words

When it comes down to it, different racial and ethnic groups are unequal in power. The basic reason is power. Power is derived from the vast majority, and it takes advantage of technology, weapons, property, or economic resources. The majority group vs the minority group goes way back to the early ages of America. The hierarchy of race started with the whites at the top of the pyramid, and because there is such a majority-minority relationship among us as a whole, there will always be potential conflict among the masses. There are a couple of differing theories on the role of education in our society. The Functionalist Theory focuses on the ways that universal education serves the needs of society. Functionalists like to view society in, well, â€Å"functions.† Functionalist think everything serves some type of purpose or function. â€Å"They perceive five different functions to be: the economic role: teaching skills work, the selective role: choosing the most able people f or the most important jobs, the secondary socialization role: teaching norms and values, social control: teaching acceptance of rules and authority, and social cohesion: learning about other cultures.† Functionalists tend to think we all have the same opportunities from the start of school, and that it is up to the individual on what he or she decides to with those opportunities. Thus, in a functionalist perspective, inequality is not an issue; a functionalist would say you have the same opportunities whereasShow MoreRelatedModels of American Ethnicities Essay640 Words   |  3 PagesModels Of American Ethnic Relations: A Historical Perspective How does Fredrickson distinguish between race and ethnicity? How and under what circumstances can ethnicity become racialized’ (para.2)? Fredrickson says that â€Å"It can be misleading to make a sharp distinction between race and ethnicity when considering intergroup relations in American history† He means that these terms do not have clear distinctions and have evolved over time. In paragraph 2, he writes that ethnicity can become racializedRead MoreAll Men Are Created Equal1103 Words   |  5 Pagesissue of race continues to strain our country as we pursue to achieve ultimate tolerance for all. To combat inequalities, we must identify the obstacles that refrain us from establishing complete equality. In Models of American Ethnic Relations: A Historical Perspective, historian George M. Fredrickson writes extensively about the ethnic relations between different races and religions throughout American history. Frederickson analyzes four models of ethnic relations, which include hierarchy, assimilationRead MoreCorrelation between Social Strata and Levels of Stress1614 Words   |  6 PagesThere is empirical validity to the hierarchy and stress approach; Marmot et al. (1991) explore the relationship between social hierarchy and health the seminal Whitehall civil servant study. Marmot et al. (1991) found that those who held higher occupational prestige had better health outcomes and lower risk of mortality than peers in lower occupational strata. One explanation was that those in lower social strata experienced greater daily stress than their peers (Marmot, 2004). This has been extendedRead MoreSsci 316 Study Guide Answers Essay978 Words   |  4 Pagesacknowledging differences in groups or assigning a hierarchy to different groups? Assigning a hierarchy to different groups is more problematic. For example if our society were to simply note that different groups are different, without an overt or implied status hierarchy, the issues of inequality would not be as important as they are today 2. Are race and ethnicity the only types of inequality in the US today? diversity in US today is not limited to ethnicity, race – other factors: social classRead MoreThe Myth of the Melting Pot1454 Words   |  6 Pagesmelting pot, in which a variety of races, cultures, or individuals gather into a unified whole. The ideas of being a new American for people who have migrated from their homeland to America are to leave behind all their past cultures and practices and embrace their new American ways. Is that what really happens? If it was, would there be still racism in America? The number of people immigrating to America has risen over the years, but so has the number of active hate groups. The idea of unity in the meltingRead MoreRace, Racial And Ethnic Relations1631 Words   |  7 Pages Final Paper: What Is Race? Every day in our society, people continue to be discriminated against because of the color of their skin. We, as a society, like to believe that oppression and discrimination ended long ago, thanks to the Civil Rights movement. However, there continues to be a misunderstanding about the differences we possess in our skin color and, unfortunately, the belief that we are separated by race, continues to stratify mankind. The term â€Å"race† has been given different meaningsRead MorePersonal Narrative : My American Experience1750 Words   |  7 PagesSocial, political and economic values and aspects are usually different from one region to another. Therefore, through studying abroad one is able to learn different issues about another society such as gender and sexuality issues, social class and race/ethnicity issues. Having come from a developing country studying in the U.S.A has been a great experience personally. This paper will attempt to provide a reflection of my personal experience on studying in the U.S by comparing the history of AngolaRead MoreAn Interview For The Univision Media Network960 Words   |  4 PagesThis is one of the many results that come from of a complex reality of identity. Individuality is controlled by a social structure that labels a person based on similarities to a particular ethnic group. Society has the need to shape the ethnic identity of a person. They ar e categorized into a homogenized group defined by resemblances of their nationality and culture. This results in discrimination and oppression. The fact of a person’s identity has never been neutral. The way a person is treatedRead MoreThe National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People1425 Words   |  6 Pagescommunity faces. A main issue facing the black community throughout the United States is police brutality and the exploitations of the innocent young, black men with the use of violence. I will be observing how they interact with one another. This group of people rely on each other to brainstorm ideas and to participate in order to receive the best possible solution to problems at hand. This is known as interdependence, or a mutual dependence between people. This organization consists of various typesRead MoreThe American Dream : Who Are You?1396 Words   |  6 Pagesindividual will be treated due to public perception. For example, America is a growing world power that has strong social, economic and political influence on the world stage. It is this status symbol that many Americans identify with, irrespective of race, gender or sexual orientation. Identifying as American citizen creates an image of perceived wealth, power and intelligence perpetuated by media and misleading myths of the â€Å"American dream†. The American dream is an idealistic notion of freedom and