III. Prejudice and Discrimination

• What’s the difference?

Prejudice

• Prejudice: “pre-judge”

– Attitudes of aversion and hostility towards the members of a group simply because they belong to it and are presumed to have negative qualities attached to group membership

• A subjective phenomenon: A State of mind

– Stereotypes-Unreliable generalizations about all members of a group

• How do people become prejudiced?

Theories of Prejudice

• Frustration-aggression theory– Scapegoating that results from displaced aggression

• No jobs available? Who’s to blame?

• Socialization theories– Prejudice is learned and supported by the cultural environment

• Socialization agents and culture

• Structural Theories– Prejudice emerges out of competition between groups who struggle

over scarce resources such as jobs, property, and political power.• The capitalist environment

Discrimination • The acts that arise from prejudices– Members of a group are denied the privileges, prestige,

power, legal rights, equal protection under law, and other societal benefits available to members of dominant group

– 2 main levels• 1. Individual discrimination

– i.e. Not inviting a co-worker to lunch based on their race-subtle– i.e. hate crimes-blatant and dangerous

• 2. Institutional discrimination

Institutionalized discriminationInstitutionalized

discrimination: how discrimination is woven into the fabric of societyLooks at a culture of racismDoes not look at individuals as

racists

The Denial of opportunities and equal rights that result from the normal operations of society and institutions– Edu, CJS, HCS, economy,

politics, etc

I.e.: Discrimination in the economy

• Studies show that discrimination on the job market continues at institutional level

– Can your name affect the possibility of a call back for an interview?

– Who is more likely to get a call back on a resume?• A white male who has served jail time or a black male

who has served no jail time?

Institutional Discrimination ExamplesHousing: Home mortgage and car loans

Thomas and Passell found that controlling for income and credit scores, Latinos and African Americans were 60% more likely to be rejected for loans than whites or receive higher interest rates

The Criminal Justice SystemDifferential Sentencing and drug policiesDeath penaltyRacial Profiling

The Education systemRacial Minorities are disproportionately represented in low-income neighborhoods, where schools and teachers are underfunded.

Institutionalized discrimination

• Environmental racism:– Low income communities and areas with significant

minority populations are more likely to be located near hazardous waste sites, dumps, and have higher air pollution which results in higher levels of health issues and related deaths

• I.e.: Location of toxic waste sites on native American reservations

Institutionalized discrimination

• One mechanism of institutional discrimination is gatekeeping: – decisions upon which people are admitted to

offices and positions of privilege, prestige, and power within society and are treated fairly• Who are gatekeepers?

– Individuals in personnel, HR, managers in the workplace, landlords, loan officers, police officers, teachers

– When enough individuals, gatekeepers, act in a way that is discriminatory, individualized racism can become institutionalized