Variation among families race and ethnicity Structural problems influencing ethnic minority families in u s Institutionalized racism o Prejudice power Historical legal limitations on o Access to education Brown v board of education o Housing racial segregation of neighborhoods o Employment o Health racial health disparities How immigrants come to the us has just a profound impact on their ability to adjust to the US o By force o By political or personal safety o By choice Skin color plays a role in whether how families blend in African American families 1965 came to the attention of social scientists and popular press o 25 of black families single parent o dysfunctional families remedy government needs to step in and fix these broken families sparked debate was this difference in structure equivalent with the difference in function African American families historical trends Black middle class increased substantially from mid 1950s to 70s o Leveled off after 1970s Why o Civil rights movement Affirmative action policies o Many policies intended to remedy longstanding injustices rolled back in the 1980s Large number of female headed households Increase in females headed families due to o Increase in divorce o Decrease in remarriage o Descrease delay in marriage o Less likely to marry than any other racial ethnic group 66 of AA women marry today 92 for whites high 90s for asian and Latina patterns of out of wedlock births whats happening Increased among blacks and whites however o Greater number for black families o Greater rate of increase for whites 1970to 2006 black 38 to 69 white 6 to 27 Hispanic 38 Out of wedlock births dysfunctional or practical Negative cultural assumptions o Marriage not valued o actually marriage is highly valued among many African Americans harder for black couples to meet traditional American gender standards for marriage historical factors affecting the viability of the breadwinner role for black men other explanations independence of black women o black women have a longstanding history of working outside the home before it became a national trend o gender roles are less traditionally adhered to in black families traditional gender roles unrealistic for all black women to aspire to Hispanic latino families Fastest growing ethnic racial group Has increased 58 between 1990 and 2000 Great variation in characteristics based oncountry of origin Largest group in the US is Mexican Americans In DC the largest groups are central Americans and south Americans o Differences in terms of economic status of these 2 groups south Americans are wealthier Relatively young group The diversity of experiences is reflective o Immigration status o Economic capital o Social capital networks of support Familism familismo extended living arrangements and Marry younger than either blacks or whites Divorce rates the same as for whites 25 30 of families are female headed high fertility particularly in marriage higher rate of consensual unions common law marriages o varies by class and country of origin more likely to have traditional sex role practices and separate decision making by gender
View Full Document
Unlocking...