Social Problems in Canada, Chapter 13: Prejudice, Discrimination, Racism

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Social Problems in Canada, Chapter 13
Prejudice, Discrimination, Racism
Presenters Jenelle Rouse and Carlos Torres
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Outline

• Explaining the framing problem of racism in
  Canada
• Definition of Racism
• The Faces of Racism
• Discussion Questions

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Explaining the framing problem of racism

• From afar, look at a picture of Canadas
  multiculturalism society you may think it as an
  openness, compassion, social justice, equality,
  and meritocracy society.

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• However, when you look closer at the picture, the
  image of Canadas ideology would be blurred,
  which represents Canadas conflicts within
  society. Canadas reality conflicts are
  discrimination, prejudice, and racism. 

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Definitions of Racism
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Racism as biology (or race) can be used in three
ways

• A belief that genes or biology determines
  peoples behaviour.
• Racism may be defined as the use of race as a
  basis for entitlement or evaluation of others

• Racism as biology refers to the process of
  attaching an evaluative and moral quality to
  perceived biological differences

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Ideology

• Racism as ideology transforms race-based
  differences into a hierarchy that justifies the
  dominance of one group over another. Racism as
  race begins with the ideological belief that
  people can be divided into races and assessed
  or treated accordingly.
• Under the human differences certain types of
  behaviour (i.e. intelligence) and a moral value
  of inferiority or superiority.

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Culture

• The new racism is rooted in a dislike toward the
  other, not only because of who they are
  (biology) but also because of what they do
  (culture). In the other words, minorities are
  denied or excluded by racializing cultural
  differences as a basis for denial or dislike.
  This cultural racism prevails when people of one
  culture assume their way of doing things is
  normal and important, together with the power to
  impose these ideologies and practices on others.

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Power

• Racism is approached as virtually any type of
  exploitation or process of exclusion by which the
  dominant group institutionalizes its privilege
  and power at expense of others.

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The Faces of Racism

• Interpersonal Racism
• Institutional Racism
• Ideological Racism
• Cultural Racism

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Interpersonal Racism

• Hate racism is an action among of reactionary,
  ignorant, or defiant individuals. Hate racism
  occurs through physical or verbal abuse, which
  consists of highly personal attacks on others
  perceived as culturally or biologically inferior.
  
• Polite racism at risk of social or legal
  consequences due to the Charter of Rights and
  Freedoms and the Human Rights Code that has
  banished hate racism from public discourse,
  people would attempt to disguise a dislike of
  others behind a mask.

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Institutional Racism

• Systematic racism involves organizational rules
  and procedures that directly and deliberately
  prevent minorities from achieving full and equal
  institutional involvement.
• Systemic racism comes across as impersonal and
  unconscious. It is the name given to this subtle
  yet powerful form of discrimination that reflects
  the normal functioning of the institution. (i.e.
  Occupation?requirements for job applicants such
  as weight, height, and education)

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Ideological Racism

• Everyday racism is racist practices that
  infiltrate everyday life and become part of what
  is accepted as normal by the dominant group.
  Everyday racism is created and reconstructed
  through daily actions that are repetitive,
  systematic, familiar, and routine. Language is
  one of the examples of everyday racism because
  language itself may used to degrade or ridicule
  minorities.

• Prejudice refers to negative, often
  unconscious, and preconceived notions about
  others. (i.e. Ethnocentrism and stereotypes)
• Discrimination refers to the process by which
  these prejudgements are pout into practice. It
  also involves treating people differently and
  negatively without a good reason. (i.e.
  Harassment)

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Cultural Racism

• The mainstream cultural values are defined as the
  unquestioned norm and neutral standard by which
  others are judgedregardless of their impact on
  others. Cultural racism within a cultural values
  set can be defined or called subliminal racism,
  democratic racism, non-racist racism, or aversive
  racism. For instance, Canadians would express
  sympathy toward those less fortunate than
  themselves however, Canadians continue to have
  negative and prejudicial attitude anyway.

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Discussion Questions
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• How do the concepts of race, prejudice and
  discrimination fit in relation to course
  material?
• Hint Consider the role of power in relation to
  the dissemination of ideologies about a
  particular group

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• Using sociological theories (consensus, conflict,
  symbolic interactionism and Feminism) frame and
  problematize race, prejudice and discrimination.

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• Suggestions for eradicating racism?