ETHNIC INEQUALITIES

G674

Activity

Study the handout and answer the questions provided.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAWn4FO1MOw

Ethnicity in Britain

Acknowledged as a source of inequality and difference – but our society’s way of managing this has changed over the past 30 years...

We used to promote the view that everyone should be treated equally regardless of ethnicity...

...Now, the view is more that we should recognise difference and celebrate it.

What concept fits this view?

Multiculturalism in Britain Multiculturalism is about celebrating

difference, not promoting equality.

“Every individual must be treated with respect. ‘Colour-blind’ policing must be outlawed. The

police must deliver a service which recognises the different experiences, perceptions and needs of a

diverse society.”- The 2005 Foster Report into the impact of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry.

Recap

What do we mean by ‘ethnicity’?

How does this differ from race and nationality?

Race, Ethnicity & NationalityConcept Meaning

Race Biological differences, linked to phenotypes (physical characteristics) and genotypes (underlying genetic differences).

Ethnicity Groups within society that share things like culture, traditions, language, religion, race, ancestry etc.

Nationality A sense of ‘belonging’ to a particular nation through origin, birth or naturalisation.

Ethnicity(Modood;

2005)

Culture

Descent &Geographical

Origin

Sense of IdentityLanguage

Clothes, religious values, food,

tradition

Race or Ethnicity?

Race is often regarded as an outdated concept and sociologists prefer the broader concept of ethnicity...

However, some argue that race is a better term for explaining the position of ethnicities at the bottom of the social stratification system – because sociologists like Miles (1989) have identified racism as the main cause...

Racism

3 Elements of Racism

Cultural Attitudes / Prejudice

Racial Discrimination

Institutional Discrimination

Cultural Attitudes/Prejudice Racism is a way of thinking, often reliant

on factually incorrect or exaggerated stereotypes.

Cultural Attitudes/Prejudice Prejudice is part of a society’s culture

and is passed from generation-to-generation through the agents of socialisation.

Cultural Attitudes/Prejudice Barker (1982) notes that the New Right

focused on cultural differences to exploit fears about unemployment in the 80s/90s.

Cultural Attitudes/Prejudice

The mass media often portray ethnic minorities as a problem/threat. They do this by:

1. Offering an over-simplified view of traditional British culture

2. Exaggerating the strangeness of other cultures

3. Playing down the problem of racism (or making it seem like the fault of minorities for not fitting in)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MYHBrJIIFU

Racial Discrimination

Acting on prejudice; treating people differently because of features of their ethnicity.

This can take the form of racist attacks (e.g. The Stephen Lawrence murder).

(Clickview: Panorama: Hate on

the doorstep).

Institutional Racism

Where racism is a basic feature of the rules and routines of Britain’s social institutions (e.g. the police/courts, the education system, the housing markets...).

Not usually conscious or intentional (e.g. schools are committed to equality but still expel four times as many black children as white).

Evidence for Ethnic Inequalities

Are some ethnic minority groups more disadvantaged than others in the UK today?

How is this changing?

Labour Force Survey (1998-2000)

41% of white men in the highest two social class groups, compared to:

47% of Indian men 44% of Chinese men 33% of black men 31% of Pakistan men 23% of Bagladeshi men and…

Labour Force Survey (1998-2000) 41% of Chinese women 34% of white women 34% of black women 33% of Indian women 29% of Pakistani/Bangladeshi women

Workplace

Heath & Li Cheung (2006) Statistical analysis of the ethnic

penalty (the disadvantage faced by minorities in the labour market).

Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Caribbean people more likely to experience the ethnic penalty.

First generation migrants faced a greater ethnic penalty than subsequent generations.

Workplace These disadvantages could not be

explained by age, education or birthplace. Evidence suggests the key factor is

workplace discrimination. The attitude of employers seems to be the

biggest contributor to the disadvantage faced by ethnic minorities in the workplace (Mason; 2003)

Workplace

Iganski & Payne (1999) 1st generation immigrants disadvantaged

by decline of UK manufacturing; 2nd generation benefited from move to service-sector.

Ginn & Arber (2001) Ethnic minority women disproportionately

dependent on state pensions (due to earning less throughout life).

Education

Education

Some blame cultural factors e.g High rate of male desertion in Afro-Caribbean

families... ...this creates a lack of role models, leading to

peer pressure that draws young males into an aggressive masculinity (Sewell; 1997)

Lack of linguistic skills Culture of return (Bolognani; 2007) – ethnic

groups are attached to their country of origin and believe they will return - intensified due to Islamophobia.

Education

However, Briggs et al (2006) argues that ethnic groups improve more at school that white pupils; this is hidden by GCSE results.

Some argue the culture of schools in more to blame (e.g. Ethnocentric curriculum; racism of teachers etc.)

The impact of poverty

Mass Media

Moore et al (2005) identified five media stereotypes of black people:

Criminals A threat Abnormal Unimportant Dependent

Mass Media

Van Dijk (1991) found evidence of unconscious racism in media reporting of minority ethnic groups.

He argued that negative language and lack of reference of quotes from minorities demonstrated a white perspective on news stories.

Mass Media

The contemporary media do not reflect the ethnic reality of the UK (Malik; 2002)

Programmes like Eastenders try to be representative of multi-ethnic communities, but repeatedly rely on stereotypes (Asian doctors and shopkeepers etc). Black and Asian characters also take a more marginal place in the programme (Barker; 1999)

Research

Identify the characters in Eastenders who are from a minority ethnic background.

To what extent do they conform to ethnic stereotypes?

Are they central characters in the programme?

Are issues of ethnicity and racism considered? If so, how are they dealt with?

Mass Media

“Reality TV has done more for racial understanding than any other media creation...shows like Big Brother gave people a more varied view of what Asian and Black people could be like.”

- Trevor Phillips (Commission for Racial Equality)

Politics

27 out of 650 MPs are from ethnic minority backgrounds (around 4%)...

...Ethnic minorities make up around 9% of the overall

UK population.

Crime

Which studies/theories from the Crime & Deviance unit provide evidence for ethnic minority disadvantage in the contemporary UK?

Ethnic Inequality: Sociological Explanations

G674

1: Functionalism

Common Value System

Explain ethnic equalities in relation to common value system. Differences and inequalities are temporary.

Parsons (1966)

Argued that the “American Negro” was a second class citizen, as skin-colour symbolised status – but over time, this common value would change and minority ethnic groups able to play full role in the meritocratic society.

Discuss

To what extent was Parsons right? Is skin colour a barrier to success and opportunities in the USA today?

Host-Immigrant Model (Park) Cultural difference ( language, qualifications,

customs) disadvantages the immigrant group in a host society

The disadvantage will disappear as the immigrant group is assimilated into the host society

Patterson (1965) – ‘Host-Immigrant Model’

Described a culture clash between W. Indians (boisterous, noisy, no queuing at bus stops) and English ‘hosts’ (private, quiet).

The hosts were not racist- just unsure/suspicious about how to act towards the newcomers.

This uncertainty led to conflict over jobs/housing etc....but Patterson was convinced that harmony would follow.

VS

Host-Immigrant Model: Evaluation

Accused of ‘victim blaming’ (e.g. It is the culture of immigrants that attracts conflict)...

Racial hostility does not always decline...the same tensions/conflicts over housing, jobs etc still exist in the contemporary UK...

Research

Use the internet to research attitudes to recent immigrant groups into the UK (e.g. Eastern European; the predicted Romanian/Bulgarian wave).

To what extent were/are concerns about these immigrants:

a) Cultural (e.g. Different norms/values)

b) Practical (e.g. Employment, housing)

Discuss

In small groups, summarise a viewpoint to present to the class:

To what extent is the contemporary UK effective in assimilating immigrant

groups?

Evaluation

What is the common value system? Ignores persistence of racism Assumes immigrants will want to

assimilate; limited evidence that they actually do in the UK.

Ethnic inequality can be specific to particular areas/regions, rather than entire societies.

Evaluation

The perspective also assumes that subsequent generations will experience fewer problems...

...But Heath & Li Cheung found that the ethnic penalty does not just apply to first generation immigrants...

New Right Realism

Closely linked to functionalist views

Believe in encouraging/enforcing assimilation of ethnic minority groups e.g. legislation to make learning the English language compulsory for minority groups.

NEW RIGHT: ‘Losing Ground’ Charles Murray (1984)

African-Americans constitute a black underclass defined by their cultural attitudes e.g.Unwillingness to workCriminalityIrresponsible parenting

These sorts of views remain popular among

the right wing but are accused

of creating conflict...

2: Marxism

Cox (1948)

Racial differences – and racism itself – are the creation of the economic system (capitalism).

It creates divisions and

justifies paying/treating

some groups less well

than others.

Slavery is the ultimate example of how racism andracial divisions can serve capitalism – by justifying the provision of free labour!

Castles & Kosack (1973)

Ethnic minorities are part of the reserve army of labour.

They are also used to ‘divide’ the working classes. For example...

I think immigration is a good thing...

I’m not being racist, but you know that immigrants are taking your jobs, right?

What? Really?

Yep. And they’re doing the same jobs for half the price...

That doesn’t seem fair on them...

It is, because they’re lazy, and criminal, and don’t raise their kids very well, and they look and speak and act a bit differently to us...

Right, well let us do those jobs instead, then...

I’d love to, but you see, these immigrants are so much cheaper...

I now hate all immigrants...

Castles & Kosack (1973) Also believed that ethnic minorities

provided a convenient scapegoat for the problems of capitalism...

(Which study best demonstrates this?)

Miles (1980)(Neo-Marxist)

Ethnic minorities are part of racialized class fractions.

This means that they occupy the same class structure as everyone else...but are treated differently because of their ethnicity.

Miles argues that racism prevents them being fully accepted by the white middle classes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA8Y_kGx7Ls

Gilroy (1987)

“There ain’t no Black in the Union Jack”

Black people, even if born in Britain, are seen as culturally different and as undermining the cultural unity that had made Britain strong in the past.

Evaluation Recognises the persistence of racism in

society

Assumes the reason for racism is economic (economic determinism/reductionism)

Assumes racism will disappear with communism?

3: Weberianism

Parkin (1968)

Ethnic groups are negatively privileged status groups:

The lower status of ethnic minorities affects their market situation or class. Social closure keeps minority groups out of authority positions.

A glass ceiling…

...or a concrete ceiling?

Dual Labour Market theory (Barron & Norris; 1967)

Minority groups placed in the Secondary Labour market; life chances and market position weaker than their white colleagues.

Rex & Tomlinson (1979)

Racism places ethnic minorities in a separate class position under the working class (Rex calls this a ‘black underclass’): Economically disadvantaged in employment,

housing and education Marginalised and lacking in power

Evaluation

The Weberian view does not differentiate between different ethnic groups...

...It also overlaps with Marxist ideas, though with big differences in terms of the class position of ethnic minorities.

Postmodernism Super-diversity Not all ethnic groups – or individuals

within ethnic groups – experience the same advantages and disadvantages.

Modood is critical of the portrayal of ethnic minority groups as victims.

Hybrid identities Code-switching

Assessment

Outline and assess the view that ethnic minorities constitute a black underclass in contemporary Britain (44 marks)