Social Problems in Canada, Chapter 13:

Prejudice, Discrimination, Racism

Presenters: Jenelle Rouse and Carlos Torres

Outline

• Explaining the framing problem of racism in Canada

• Definition of Racism

• The Faces of Racism

• Discussion Questions

From afar, look at a picture of Canada’s multiculturalism society; you may think it as an openness, compassion, social justice, equality, and meritocracy society.

Explaining the framing problem of racism

However, when you look closer at the picture, the image of Canada’s ideology would be blurred, which represents Canada’s conflicts within society. Canada’s reality conflicts are discrimination, prejudice, and racism. 

Definitions of Racism

Racism as biology (or race) can be used in three ways

1. A belief that genes or biology determines people’s behaviour.

2. Racism may be defined as the use of race as a basis for entitlement or evaluation of others

3. Racism as biology refers to the process of attaching an evaluative and moral quality to perceived biological differences

Ideology

Racism as ideology transforms race-based differences into a hierarchy that justifies the dominance of one group over another. Racism as race begins with the ideological belief that people can be divided into ‘races’ and assessed or treated accordingly.

Under the human differences: certain types of behaviour (i.e. intelligence) and a moral value of inferiority or superiority.

Culture

The new racism is rooted in a dislike toward the ‘other’, not only because of who they are (biology) but also because of what they do (culture). In the other words, minorities are denied or excluded by racializing cultural differences as a basis for denial or dislike. This cultural racism prevails when people of one culture assume their way of doing things is normal and important, together with the power to impose these ideologies and practices on others.

Power

Racism is approached as virtually any type of exploitation or process of exclusion by which the dominant group institutionalizes its privilege and power at expense of others.

The Faces of Racism

•Interpersonal Racism

•Institutional Racism

•Ideological Racism

•Cultural Racism

Interpersonal Racism

Hate racism is an action among of reactionary, ignorant, or defiant individuals. Hate racism occurs through physical or verbal abuse, which consists of highly personal attacks on others perceived as culturally or biologically inferior.

Polite racism: at risk of social or legal consequences due to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Human Rights Code that has banished hate racism from public discourse, people would attempt to disguise a dislike of others behind a mask.

Institutional Racism

Systematic racism involves organizational rules and procedures that directly and deliberately prevent minorities from achieving full and equal institutional involvement.

Systemic racism comes across as impersonal and unconscious. It is the name given to this subtle yet powerful form of discrimination that reflects the normal functioning of the institution. (i.e. Occupationrequirements for job applicants such as weight, height, and education)

Ideological Racism Everyday racism is racist

practices that infiltrate everyday life and become part of what is accepted as normal by the dominant group. Everyday racism is created and reconstructed through daily actions that are repetitive, systematic, familiar, and routine. Language is one of the examples of everyday racism because language itself may used to degrade or ridicule minorities.

Prejudice refers to negative, often unconscious, and preconceived notions about others. (i.e. Ethnocentrism and stereotypes)

Discrimination refers to the process by which these prejudgements are pout into practice. It also involves treating people differently and negatively without a good reason. (i.e. Harassment)

Cultural Racism

The mainstream cultural values are defined as the unquestioned norm and neutral standard by which others are judged—regardless of their impact on others. Cultural racism within a cultural values set can be defined or called subliminal racism, democratic racism, non-racist racism, or aversive racism. For instance, Canadians would express sympathy toward those less fortunate than themselves; however, Canadians continue to have negative and prejudicial attitude anyway.

Discussion Questions

• How do the concepts of race, prejudice and discrimination fit in relation to course material?

*Hint: Consider the role of power in relation to the dissemination of ideologies about a particular group*

• Using sociological theories (consensus, conflict, symbolic interactionism and Feminism) frame and problematize race, prejudice and discrimination.

Suggestions for eradicating racism?