Sociology 1027A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: African Literature, Human Capital, In-Group Favoritism

• School: Western University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: Sociology 1027A/B
• Professor: Wolfgang Lehmann

Document Summary

Race and ethnicity: the words race and ethnicity are often used interchangeably. Race is a social distinction based on perceived physical or biological differences such as hair texture, eye colour, and nose shape. Ethnicity is rooted in cultural differences such as a language, religion, and the shared history among people in a group. Is race biology or culture: biological essentialism. Race and ethnicity are fixed, permanent and inherited. O(cid:373)e (cid:862)esse(cid:374)tial(cid:863) or i(cid:374)here(cid:374)t ele(cid:373)e(cid:374)t (cid:373)akes a perso(cid:374) part of a specific race or ethnic group: sociological and cultural explanations. Too much genetic variation within races and too much overlap in genetics between races. Cultural conditions, discrimination and social-structural factors explain differences in social outcomes by race: social constructivism. When we interact with people, we reinforce our common knowledge of reality. Through social interaction, we shape the definition of a situation. Differences in race/ethnicity is socially constructed in this way.