Soc Study Guide Week 1

Front 1

How often is the U.S. Census administered to the American population?

Back 1

ten years

Front 2

b. Has the Census Bureau been consistent or inconsistent in labeling racial and ethnic groups since 1790?

Back 2

Inconsistent (never has been)

Front 3

How so (are they inconsistent)?

Back 3

They take some races out on different years and then add them the next. They are always changing the names of the races and how specific they are for each category.

Front 4

What do shifts in racial labeling tell us about the social construction of race?

Back 4

It shows that there is not just one answer or box to put a group of people in. also that racial labeling reflects what is going on in history at the time. There is no true definition (or way to classify) of what race is in society.

Front 5

e. When was the first year that a person was allowed to determine his or her own racial identity (rather than a Census taker determining race for the respondent)?

Back 5

1970

Front 6

f. Identify the first year that a respondent to the U.S. Census was allowed to select more than one race for his or her own classification

Back 6

2000

Front 7

In 2010, what percent of Americans self-identified as more than one race?

Back 7

1.9%

Front 8

Drawing on 2010 Census data, can you describe the racial and ethnic composition of the United States?

Back 8

63.7% white, 16.3 % Hispanic or latino, 12.2% African American, 4.7% Asian. Know that it has changed drastically over time : there are many different races now than in the past

Front 9

Whites currently make up what percentage of the population?

Back 9

63.7%

Front 10

Which group is currently the largest minority group in the U.S.?

Back 10

Hispanic and latino

Front 11

d. How do the racial/ethnic make-up of Fort Collins and Colorado State University compare to the nation as a whole?

Back 11

83 % white in fort Collins

Front 12

Are Hispanics considered a racial group or an ethnic group by the U.S. Census?

Back 12

Ethnic

Front 13

Is it true that Hispanics may identify with any race?

Back 13

NO

Front 14

What does Taylor mean when he says that race is “multiply defined” in this society?

Back 14

There is not just one way to define race or just one right answer. Society creates all the different definitions of race.

Front 15

Identify and briefly explain the different definitions of race that Taylor introduces.

Back 15

a. Biological*: scientific and based only on physical traits: skin color, hair texture and facial features.
b. Social construction: grows out of the process of human interaction. How your peers see you
c. Ethnic group*: united by common culture; religion, habits, music, language
d. As a social class or prestige rank: brazil example of the more money you have the more likely you are to be labeled “white” while a poor person is “black”
e. Racial formation: determined by government, education system, legal system.
f.Self-defined*: what the person says when asked “what are you?”

Front 16

How do these multiple definitions of race interact?

Back 16

They operate simultaneously in social, biological and self. * (know this)

Front 17

6. Do the different definitions ever “conflict” with one another (for example, do our “self definitions” of race always fit with “social” or “biological” definitions)?

Back 17

yes they conflict, they are based on all different perspectives and categories.

Front 18

7. Do other nations use the same racial categories and classifications as the United States?

Back 18

No, they usually use social class (how wealthy you are). Race is not as prominent there as it is in America. (matters the most in the US*)

Front 19

8. Can you give an example of another nation that may use a different racial classification schema than we use here?

Back 19

Brazil

Front 20

9. What “obvious physical differences” do Americans tend to use to categorize individuals into racial groups?

Back 20

Hair texture, skin color, facial features

Front 21

10. What position does the American Sociological Association (ASA) take on the question of whether social scientists should conduct research on race (i.e., is the ASA in favor of studying race or against it)?

Back 21

They are in favor of studying race, because race matters. The statistics matter.

Front 22

Why did the ASA issue this statement on studying and collecting data on race?

Back 22

The association aims to articulate policy and implement programs likely to have the broadest impact for sociology now and in the future. Race matters and there are gaps that they want to fill (education gaps, etc)

Front 23

12. Use the ASA reading to identify arguments against continuing to study race and arguments in favor of the ongoing collection of data on race and ethnicity. Against: for:

Back 23

look up

Front 24

13. The ASA reading also identifies four primary consequences of racial classification. Can you explain those consequences?

Back 24

a. A sorting mechanism for mating, marriage and adoption.
b. A stratifying practice for providing or denying access to resources.
c. An organizing device for mobilization to maintain or challenge systems of racial stratification.
d. A basis for scientifically investigating proximate causes.

Front 25

14. Can you explain the following statement? “From a sociological perspective, minority groups need not be a numerical minority to be considered a social minority.” What does this mean?

Back 25

They cannot be the new majority. Whites still have to out number them in a great amount. When you look around you should see more whites than anything other wise they are a minority.

Front 26

Broad ideas on the reading:

Back 26

- race matters more in the US than it does anywhere else (Zinn)
- how the color line began: and how the shift began: when people were bringing over slaves from Africa and those slaves were being put on different lists than other slaves (even Hispanic slaves and Caucasian americans) Africas received different punishments and treatments of housing and different treatment in how they were listed.