Page 167 - DSOC202_SOCIAL_STRATIFICATION_ENGLISH

Social Stratification

Notes Ethnicity connotes shared cultural Race presumes shared biological or

traits and a shared group history. genetic traits, whether actual or asserted.
Significance Some ethnic groups also share Racial genetic differences were
linguistic or religious traits, while previously assumed to have significance
others share a common group in the area of intelligence, but currently
history but not a common there is no evidence of that.
language or religion.
Ethnicity is defined in terms of Racial categories result from a shared
shared genealogy, whether actual genealogy due to geographical
Genealogy or presumed. Typically, if people isolation. In the modern world this
believe they descend from a isolation has been broken down and
particular group, and they want to racial groups have mixed.
be associated with that group, then
they are in fact members of that
group.
Ethnic groups distinguish Races are assumed to be distinguished by
Distinguishing themselves differently from one skin color, facial type, etc. However, the
Factors time period to another. They scientific basis of racial distinctions is
. typically seek to define themselves very weak. Scientific studies show that
but also are defined by the racial genetic differences are weak
stereotypes of dominant groups. except in skin color.
In 19th century, there was In 19th century, the concept of nationalism
development of the political was often used to justify the domination
Nationalism ideology of ethnic nationalism of one race over another within a specific
-- creating nations based on a nation.
presumed shared ethnic origins
(e.g. Germany, Italy, Sweden...)
In the last decades of the 20th In the last decades of the 20th century,the
century, in the U.S. and in legal system as well as the official
Legal System most nations, the legal system as ideology emphasized racial equality.
well as the official ideology
prohibited ethnic-based
discrimination.
Often brutal conflicts between Racial prejudice remains a continuing
ethnic groups have existed problem throughout the world.
Conflicts throughout history and across the However, there are fewer race-
world. But most ethnic groups in based conflicts in the 21st century than
fact get along peacefully within in the past.
one another in most nations most
of the time.

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