Research Article - Racial profiling as dressage: a social control regime
The article “racial profiling as dressage: a social control regime,” written by Laura J. Khoury, examines the strategy of racial profiling as a form of social control. The author starts with a n introduction to the topic, stating that racial profiling was first used in the 1970s, as a method to prohibit drug trafficking. She establishes that “racial profiling is the use of race in conjunction with space as key factors in police decisions to stop and search blacks” (Khoury, 2009, p. 56) and a social problem, in other words a form of social control that incorporates discrimination of a racial group (blacks). Khoury establishes that the method is linked to a myth that …show more content…
Soule and Nella van Dyke discusses the wave of black church arson (1989 – 1996) on the basis of the competition theory. The authors first mention several ideas that surfaced as an attempt to explain the phenomenon. Some scholars claim that the arson wave is a part of a conspiracy of hate groups to start a race war. Other scholars suggest that vandalism, insurance fraud and drunkenness explain the phenomenon of discussion. The third explanation refers to the idea that there was no racial motivation at all behind the arsons. Soule and Van Dyke conclude that all three explanations lack scientific evidence. They continue on with disussing four waves of church burnings since Reconstruction: The first wave surfaced with the birth of the Ku-Klux-Klan, the second wave occurred during the time when the KKK increased in size and membership. The third wave coincided with the Civil Rights Movement and the fourth wave began in the late 1980s. Soule and Van Dyke continue on with a discussion of the competition theory, which states that “ethnic group relations are profoundly affected by competition for limited or scarce resources in a common environment” (as qtd. in Soule & Van Dyke, 1999). In other words, the threat of potential competition alters individual and group behaviors, and increases ethnic violence, for example in the form of discrimination and intimidation. The authors used …show more content…
She asserts that female Muslims carry a greater risk of becoming the victim of hater crime. Perry starts her discussion by establishing that hate crimes in general increased to great extent after the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. She explains that this increase can be partly explained by the stereotypes that are attached to Muslims, which constitute the motivation for violent attacks. The negative construction of Islam is perpetuated in American society, and deep-seated in the minds of general public. The media plays a significant role in this context, as it shapes public perception and fuels suspicion. Perry asserts that anti-Muslim sentiment is not a new concept, but increased dramatically after the occurrences of 9/11. She also states that Muslim women are prone to become the victim of hate crime due to the intersection of gender and religious identity and their social position. The gender status, their status as immigrants, language barriers, cultural and religious identity as well as their Islamic dress code contributes to the fact that Muslim women are regarded as “the Other,” as a stereotyped outgroup that does not fit into major society. Their social position increases the risk of becoming victims of hate crimes. This hypothesis is supported by studies, reports as well as the media, all suggesting that
The article “racial profiling as dressage: a social control regime,” written by Laura J. Khoury, examines the strategy of racial profiling as a form of social control. The author starts with a n introduction to the topic, stating that racial profiling was first used in the 1970s, as a method to prohibit drug trafficking. She establishes that “racial profiling is the use of race in conjunction with space as key factors in police decisions to stop and search blacks” (Khoury, 2009, p. 56) and a social problem, in other words a form of social control that incorporates discrimination of a racial group (blacks). Khoury establishes that the method is linked to a myth that …show more content…
Soule and Nella van Dyke discusses the wave of black church arson (1989 – 1996) on the basis of the competition theory. The authors first mention several ideas that surfaced as an attempt to explain the phenomenon. Some scholars claim that the arson wave is a part of a conspiracy of hate groups to start a race war. Other scholars suggest that vandalism, insurance fraud and drunkenness explain the phenomenon of discussion. The third explanation refers to the idea that there was no racial motivation at all behind the arsons. Soule and Van Dyke conclude that all three explanations lack scientific evidence. They continue on with disussing four waves of church burnings since Reconstruction: The first wave surfaced with the birth of the Ku-Klux-Klan, the second wave occurred during the time when the KKK increased in size and membership. The third wave coincided with the Civil Rights Movement and the fourth wave began in the late 1980s. Soule and Van Dyke continue on with a discussion of the competition theory, which states that “ethnic group relations are profoundly affected by competition for limited or scarce resources in a common environment” (as qtd. in Soule & Van Dyke, 1999). In other words, the threat of potential competition alters individual and group behaviors, and increases ethnic violence, for example in the form of discrimination and intimidation. The authors used …show more content…
She asserts that female Muslims carry a greater risk of becoming the victim of hater crime. Perry starts her discussion by establishing that hate crimes in general increased to great extent after the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. She explains that this increase can be partly explained by the stereotypes that are attached to Muslims, which constitute the motivation for violent attacks. The negative construction of Islam is perpetuated in American society, and deep-seated in the minds of general public. The media plays a significant role in this context, as it shapes public perception and fuels suspicion. Perry asserts that anti-Muslim sentiment is not a new concept, but increased dramatically after the occurrences of 9/11. She also states that Muslim women are prone to become the victim of hate crime due to the intersection of gender and religious identity and their social position. The gender status, their status as immigrants, language barriers, cultural and religious identity as well as their Islamic dress code contributes to the fact that Muslim women are regarded as “the Other,” as a stereotyped outgroup that does not fit into major society. Their social position increases the risk of becoming victims of hate crimes. This hypothesis is supported by studies, reports as well as the media, all suggesting that