...Institutional Racism Abstract Many people associate racism with bigoted individuals and radical groups on the borders of society. Shirley Better argues that racism is much larger than negative attitudes and that it touches the very core of our lives as Americans. In this paper we will discuss the model of institutional racism and different aspects of it. Introduction Institutional racism is a special form of racism. It received its name because it occurs in institutions, such as governmental and public organizations, commercial companies, educational establishments, etc. As opposed to individual racism, or some other forms of racism, institutional racism is unique in terms of being more open to the public. While other forms of racism occur between individuals or groups of individuals outside workplace or another institution, people involved in institutional racism express their discriminatory attitudes literally in front of the eyes of the public or members of the institution, although they might try doing it secretly. “Racism persists because dominant groups are unwilling to acknowledge, let alone give up, the benefits of whiteness. Through numerous examples, Institutional Racism demonstrates how inequality and racial exclusion are embedded within the fabric of American society. Better explores how racism has restricted equal access to educational opportunities, employment, and housing, and she considers the influence of racism in the criminal justice...
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...For many years, American society enslaved African-Americans, considering them to be absolute property. After their emancipation, they still did not possess the right to freely vote in numerous states. The lasting effects of this racially-marked history manifest themselves today in a wide variety of mediums, including television, music, police brutality protests, and in a controversy surrounding a two-syllable word—the “n-word.” With a major spike in American progressivism, a heated debate has ignited over the appropriateness of the n-word in literature, including its usage in Mark Twain’s world-acclaimed classic, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Centered around the journey of a young boy, Huckleberry Finn, and a slave, Jim, around the Mississippi river, Twain incorporates within it moral and anti-racial lessons through characters, events, and its unique regional...
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...Privilege and power are aspects of society that effects every individual who participates in the popular culture. These two aspects will either benefit an individual or group or cause an individual or group to undergo oppression. Privilege is defined as something an individual or group with power possesses that is denied to others simply based on groups individuals belong to (Johnson, 2006). Privilege has become a loaded word that often causes individuals or groups who belong to privileged groups to feel uncomfortable and defensive. It is common for privileged individuals and groups to deny the existence of privilege as long as the benefits of privilege continue (Johnson, 2006). By ignoring privilege, the denial protects the advantages privilege...
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...Ethnic groups and Discrimination Eth 125 This was a difficult choice for me since I belong to multiple ethnic groups. Since I have to choose one I have decided to pick the African American side to further discuss as a topic for this essay. After much research I was able to learn so much about my ethnic group, some of which I already was aware of and some information was enlightening. The history of what is now considered to be an African American goes back to that of the seventeenth century. Most African American lineage is traced back to various different parts of Africa thus helping with name title of African American. Africans’ at this time in history were brought over to America as slaves immigrated not colonized. Slavery brought many Africans’ to America not by choice. Once a slave arrived they were bought and sold to an owner or master with intentions to make profit for their owner most not seeing any profit of their own. Slavery went on to exist for many years until the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln. Even many years after the Emancipation Proclamation African Americans were still slaves. It was not until 1865 that congress took action and signed the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands to help the slaves totaling about four million at that time to learn how to transition from slavery into freedom. Although they were about to overcome being enslaved and now would have freedom the fight was just beginning...
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...Discrimination, racism, classism, prejudice and more plague today’s society. These horrible issues do not affect one race, sexes, class, ethnicity, or age group; these issues affect all races, both genders, all ethnicities, and all age groups. For this film analysis, I have chosen to discuss the racism portrayed throughout a three-time Oscar award winning movie called Crash. Summary Paul Haggis wrote, directed and produced the film Crash in 2004. The movie Crash interweaves several individuals in Los Angeles over a two-day period. The film shows how a variety of different ethnic characters crosses paths during this period, and it displays their personal experiences involving racism. The movie shows how some are victims of racism as well as how some are guilty of racism against others as well as themselves. ‘Some movies, though, are told very much from the protagonist’s point of view, and the audience needs to go inside of the character’s head, to see the world of the story as the character sees it and feel what they feel’ (Diamond, 2012). Crash will take you there. Characters The movie Crash does not have simply one or two main characters but several. The casting directors, Sarah Finn, and Randi Hiller, carefully selected a magnificent cast to portray the characters in this film. The main characters in this movie include; an African American detective named Graham Waters, his Hispanic partner (both professionally and personally) Ria, and his African American street criminal...
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...Soc 120 Niyogi Final Exam Study Questions 1. Discuss two aspects of the racial formation theory (Omi and Winant). Use examples to illustrate your answer. What role does the racial state play in racial formations? 2. In the movie, ‘Race: the Power of an Illusion’ (episode 2) how did expanding democracy intersect with American society becoming increasingly “race-based”? Why did race become one of the most important parts of national life? 3. According to Brodkin what was “the biggest and best affirmative action program”? Discuss two factors pointed out by her that contributed to the success of Jews. 4. John Smith a middle class white man, has lunch with Tatum (Defining Racism) and Lipsitz (Possessive Investment in Whiteness). Lipsitz says, “The U.S. is a racist society.” Tatum nods in agreement. John says, “I know what you mean. Yesterday, I got lost in a poor, black area of Washington D.C. I stopped for fast food and a black female server ignored my order and took the order of the black guy behind me. Role play Tatum and Lipsitz. How will you (as Tatum and Lipsitz respond to Smith’s remark? We have a white dominant society. Can refer Schwalbe’s idea. Using the terms carefully. Different ethnics groups can be prejudice against others but has to be rational thinking. Its prejudice, not racist. Encountering prejudice is not pleasant but it does not effect your life chances. Police system was created for slaves – aka slave control...
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...Customer Inserts His/her Name Customer Inserts Tutor’s Name Customer Inserts Grade Course (06, 07, 2012) Racism in criminal justice system Introduction Justice is a term that we hear a lot in our everyday life and also accept it although many of us might have a doubt as to what it truly means. Justice is the phenomenon through which we could achieve righteousness and equality. But unfortunately racism has been a common practice in the criminal justice system. Racism is actually discrimination against a group or individual based on color, social and financial status. It is something that occurs more than we notice. Many scholars believe that racism play a more important role in targeting and sentencing process in the criminal justice system and this is something which should not happen in any country no matter what. In order to understand the role that racism plays in the criminal justice system we must, first, look at the role that it plays before the criminal reaches the day of sentencing in the court. There are various publications that speak on profiling and actuarial methods which unwillingly get people into the system. Though these are two major components of the discriminatory acts that exist within the criminal justice system, it does not actually begin with these institutionalized methods. It is the laws and crime control policies that create discrimination in the system. It has been witnessed that in some instances these laws and policies are set in favor...
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...In this assignment gives three writers their vision of the African Americans situation today. I will explain what each author means about that. Finally, I would like to discuss their opinions on my own opinion. In text one Yolanda Young writes about the importance of the election of the first black president of the United States, Barack Obama. Her main point is that the view of the Africans Americans is better than before the election of Barack Obama. Personally, Young has got a better self-confidence. Before, she was invisible in the townscape, but now people compare her with Michelle Obama the first lady of the United States. General has Obama’s accessions a president positive effect on racism in the United States. In text two, Eric Holder...
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...Jeanette Maxey November 11, 2012 Theorists of Choice W.E.B Du Bois Sociology is the study of group behavior through the use of scientific investigation and research (Vissing, 2011). This class has shown so many different views on sociology. It explains how different people see society and how they live and interact with them. My theorist of choice is W.E.B Du Bois, because he laid down the foundation for the study of black sociology and the work of scholars such as E. Franklin Frazier (Vissing, 2011). In this paper I will discuss why I feel that W.E.B Du Bois views align with my personal views. W.E.B Du Bois real name is William Edwards Burghardt and was born February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Du bois was an American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author and editor. Du Bois grew up in a tolerant community and experienced little racism as a child. He was the first African American to earn a doctorate at Harvard University. Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim were widely recognized as the trinity of sociological theory. These three were trailblazing social theorists, who enhance the study of human behavior and its relationships to social institutions. There was one more scholar that they didn’t mention by the name W.E.B Du Bois. Du Bois was a political and literary giant of the 20th century. Du Bois also published over twenty books and thousands of essay and articles throughout his life. Phil Zuckerman...
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...Final Project Charlon L. Gibbs University of Scranton Final Project Outline I. Key Concepts Which Impacted Me – Page 3 II. Key Concepts Which Resonated With Me – Page 4 III. Five Page Paper on the Areas of Concern – Pages 5 – 8 IV. Reference Page – Page 9 V. Racist Poster (Unintentional) – Page 10 The key concept which impacted me the most was allowing students to discuss the diversity issues and not just ignore them; the topic for week five was Discussing Difficult Topics. While attending undergraduate school, I was taught to not address diversity issues unless the student/child brings up the issue in order not to disrespect diverse backgrounds. The first step in breaking down cultural barriers is to allow students to ask questions about the issues which concern them. This lesson also alerted me that when having a conversation in the classroom dealing with diversity and cultural backgrounds, there needs to be structure and rules about the expectations during the discussion. Dilg (2003) explained that ignoring sensitive topics bring about misunderstandings and denies guidance in dealing with certain subjects. Conversations across the classroom allow students to interact with the many different backgrounds of their classmates and to understand the cultural differences, just by dialogue. Ignoring a problem or situation does not help anyone and in order for students to become 21st Century Learners...
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...This week’s post was to discuss the relationship between ideas raised in this week's unit and a social justice issue that are prevalent today, or a social justice issue raised in the previous units. Pretty much all of my peers had a main focus on the social justice issue of racism. This has a lot to do with it being so prevalent today through the use of oppression and that it has led to many problematic situations for innocent people. In one example from the ColorLines video, Smooth (2016) did an interview with Arielle, who explained that not everyone’s oppression is the same since it is determined by many different factors and that people must keep in mind that some people are oppressed more than other people are. The class used a few different...
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...n: Social Issues Race and Ethnicity Defining Race and Ethnicity Robert Cogg * Race is a very real topic in American society. Although race is a subject that is not easily and very scarcely talked about, the conversation is much needed and should be addressed at a much more frequency. Race and ethnicity come up in some way, shape, fashion or form in our everyday lives whether we like it or not. I will define what both race and ethnicity mean to me and how these terms are important in our society. Defining Race and Ethnicity Being that I am an African American male, race and ethnicity are very relevant in my everyday life. I have been discriminated against, and hired, both because of my race. I have been denied and accepted on the basis of my race. Ethnicity is defined as an ethnic group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage that is real or assumed- sharing cultural characteristics. Race is defined as the categorization of humans into populations or ancestral groups on the basis of various sets of heritable characteristics. This being understood, systematically and historically my race is that of a discriminated one. History has shown that African Americans suffered slavery, and still suffer the effects of slavery to this day. This is what makes race and ethnicity relevant to me. In my everyday life I may have to list my race at any moment. If I fill out a job application I am asked my race and ethnicity. If race doesn’t...
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...In the case of Ms. E we learned that she was admitted into the hospital after a traumatic car accident, noticeably, she was given a CT scan for her abdominal pain and it was discovered that she has spots that may be cancerous. However, since she was coming in from an accident she was put in a trauma bay which may have furthered her growing agitation and need for attendance. Previously, we have learned about racism in the medical system and this may have attributed to her frustrations and fears of being in this situation. In a case we discussed called the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, we learned about the historical context that has to lead to a mistrust in the African-American community and the reception of poor medical treatment due to systemic...
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...Prison, Why So Many? Jennifer A. Spry ENG 122: English Composition II Ava Hardiek January 7, 2013 Minorities in Prison, Why So Many? Introduction Racism has been a part of history for many years and is a very real problem in the world, not just in the United States. For example, New England colonists fled to a new land, later to be known as America, for religious freedom from European dictators, early settlers of the United States enslaved African-Americans, Adolf Hitler murdered millions of Jewish people, and Middle Eastern Muslim terrorists destroyed the World Trade Towers killing thousands. In the United States, before the Civil rights movement, African-Americans were severely discriminated against. They were not allowed into certain restaurants, they were given restrooms and water fountains that were only used by “colored people”, and they were forced to sit in the back of the bus. Schools and neighborhoods were segregated and interracial relationships were forbidden. Racism was considered socially acceptable and the judicial system upheld arrests and convictions of those that did not conform to the laws. It was impossible for a person of color to receive a fair trial. Today the judicial system is designed to punish criminals for the crime not their minority status, but the truth can still be twisted by racism. Some people argue that the law is flawed and the courts are biased because we are judged by a group of people who are randomly selected to decide the accused...
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...that although some nationalities were indeed melting together, American’s that were of different races were being excluded. The physical differences in races, such as African Americans, had caused them to be excluded from reaping the benefits of all that America had to offer. The worst part about all of this is that the people being excluded from “The Melting Pot” were decedents of individuals who did not come to this country by choice. Instead they were brought to this country through kidnapping. Flash forward a hundred years to Nov. 24th, 2008. America elects its first African American president Barack Obama. Article after article published around this time had headlines reading, “Barack Obama: The End of Racism in America.” We finally did it! Racism in America was able to be totally eradicated through the election of an African American as our nation’s president. If only it was that easy. Now in 2014, eight years after the election of our nation’s first African American president, our country is experiencing one of the biggest racial unrests since the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. It has been 149 years since the end of slavery, 46 years since the end of the civil rights movement, and 8 years since America elected it’s first African American president. How can it be possible that Americans still face inequality due to their race? The reason is...
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