Symbolic Interactionism And Racism

One of the most pressing issues since the beginning of the very idea of a society would be the issue of racism. Racism has been interpreted to mean many different things, some argue it to be systemic while some simply state it to be based off of interpersonal interactions. Sociology is a social science that attempts to explain racism in many different ways. Sociology can be described as the study of society or the study of large groups of people. Sociologists look at these groups and tries to determine the cause and reason behind many of the social phenomena that exist and make themselves present in everyday life. Humans are complex beings and as a result there are several theories that sociologists have developed to describe why our social …show more content…
This theory can also be characterized by assigning certain meanings to images, language, and physical movements that we use and or see. Another aspect of this theory can be known as labeling theory. This happens when an individual takes on the role that is previously assigned to them by an outside institution or person. An example of this would be telling someone that they are loud when they first enter a room and then from thereafter they continue to be loud when entering that room even if this was an untrue statement. This type of behavior can also be seen when telling someone that they are bad at a certain subject or that they behave in a certain way. The person will take on the “label” that was cast on them even if it is actually unfitting and or …show more content…
This is because to me symbolic interactionism seems like a subset of critical race theory. The primary focus of symbolic interactionism is phrased in a way that could be an effect of critical race theory in general. For example because of the systemic nature of racism, through history there have been many negative images and stereotypes that Inhibit people of color in any public or government Institution. Not only this but as a person of color, I have experienced first-hand the barriers that characteristics of my race cause me, such as skin color, name, and even hair texture. Being a person of color, the stereotypes that people attach to me are always in the back of my mind and I am constantly fighting to bypass them and thus distance myself from any labels. I automatically bypass the labels by being quiet and being a participant in gifted programs in school while growing up, I was always one of few students of color in the classroom. While both of these theories can be applied to disproportionate school discipline, critical race theory provides a more in depth and accurate depiction of why this issue takes