Chapter 9 Race and Ethnicity Race in the US Census White Black African American Asian American Indian Alaska Native Native Hawaiian Other Pacific Islander 97 of the US Population reported only one race on the US Census 2010 Hispanic is not considered a race Race vs Ethnicity Race is a system of classifying people who are believed to share common descent based on perceived innate physical similarities Ethnicity is a system of classifying people are believed to share common descent based on perceived cultural similarities Both race and ethnicity are socially constructed If something is defined as real it s real in its consequences Race is Socially constructed Surface physical differences exist but the way that we assign people to racial groups is learned by socialization we learn which characteristics go with which categories Context Matters 1 Place Culture 2 Time In the US categories align with ancestry In Brazil race is about color branco white pardo brown preto black amarelo yellow and indigenous 1870 Consensus White Black Mulatto Chinese Indian 1950 Consensus White Negro American Indian Japanese Chines Filipino Other 2000 Consensus White Black African American Asian American Indian Alaska Native Native Hawaiian Other Pacific Islander Racial Minority groups in the US Though socially constructed race matters in contemporary US society A specific culture dominant group decides who is a minority Ex Prior to 1970 Census takers visited HHs and determined race via observation Now race is self reported but the primary system for classifying race is still determined by the government Minority vs Dominant Groups Minority Groups Are singled out for unequal treatment Regard selves as objects of collective group discrimination Dominant Groups have The most power greatest privileges and highest social status Not always the statistical majority Characteristics of a Minority Group 1 Members receive unequal treatment from the dominant group 2 Members have physical or cultural characteristics that distinguish them from the dominant group 3 Membership is usually not voluntary Members awareness of subordinate status leads to group solidarity Types of Minority Groups Racial Nationality Ethnicity based Religious groups Sexual Gender groups Racial Minority Groups in the US 2010 50 4 of children under age 1 were racial minorities Hawaii New Mexico California Texas and Washington DC have minority populations that exceed 50 Chapter 11 Politics and the Economy Politics Use of power to determine who gets what in society perceived as either legitimate or illegitimate Power Coercion exercise of power through force or threat of force IRS put in jail if you don t pay taxes illegitimate power that people do not accept as just Authority power supported by norms and values that legitimate use Max Weber has 3 types Traditional time honored routines Charismatic 0 perceived extraordinary characteristics Rational legal basis of rationally established rules electing a president Influence Lobbyists are paid to influence legislation on behalf of their clients The historical growth of the US labor force in the last four decades is linked to two main factors Economy Labor Force Growth in population size Education There are more men back then but now women make up nearly half of today s labor force Factors affecting the rise in women s employment Manual labor required for many jobs decreased and more white collar jobs were created Increasing rates of divorce and separation Greater opportunity to pursue an education than in the past More gender equality Chapter 12 Marriage and Family Marriage is a socially recognized union The wedding is what makes it socially recognized Between a man and a woman Economic cooperation share resources Legitimate sexual interactions and reproduction take place Involves rights and obligations only have sex with him her emotionally supportive Assume it to be more or less permanent Who can you marry Depends on Age men average 2 years older Social class family background money education Religion people tend to marry someone of the same religion Race Opposite Sex Attractiveness Proximity propinquity geographical closeness Incest taboo Institutionalized in prison Marital status People are waiting longer nowadays to get married Mate Selection concepts Endogamy marrying within a group similar age similar social class In US we are mostly endogamous Exogamy marrying outside a group opposite sex outside your family Homogamy selecting mate with personal characteristics similar to one s own A bulk of people that are unmarried claim that they are unable to find the right spouse Marital Naming 92 of women change their last names to that of their husband s when they marry Previously women were considered to be men s property which is why they changed their name Some keep birth surname as their middle name and change their last name to that of their Factors influencing making a nontraditional last name choice keeping your last hyphenating etc husband Very few hyphenate both last names Few females retain birth surname at marriage 1 Higher levels of education 2 Getting married at an older age 3 Being established in an occupation Lower levels of religiosity Naming children when women made a nontraditional last name choice Majority of these women gave their children their spouse s last name Almost half gave their children their last name as a middle name Ex Laurie s husband s last name is Johnson Laurie s last name is Scheuble Her daughter s middle and last name is Scheuble Johnson Marital name choice and divorce THERE ARE NO CONNECTIONS Benefits of Marriage 1 Greater Wealth and higher incomes Effect is that married men make more than unmarried men 2 Better physical health Less likely to get cancer pneumonia dementia 3 Less unlikely to die a violent death car accident homicide They are less likely to risky behaviors 4 Better psychological health Less depression Mental health Greater happiness Married women have less job stress environmental stress child stress relationship and financial stress 5 Fewer drug alcohol issues 6 Live longer 7 More engaged citizens More likely to volunteer be politically engaged more active in churches 8 Greater sexual satisfaction More frequently Better sex because it s a stable relationship They are able to express wants needs Happy couples married for 15 years 1 Think of their spouses as their best friend 2 Like their spouses as a person 3 Think of marriage as a long term