Below are the questions I accepted from those submitted for Soc. 240A (8:00) whose exam is on Friday morning. You'll note that I did a bit of editing of both some questions and answers. Please copy them down or print them out, because they will appear on the final exam.
SOC. 240A FAMILY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS:
RED FAMILY (Allison, Chris, Andrew, and as far as I know Marqueal did not participate so he does not earn the points for this exercise) 10pts (plus 1 bonus pt.)
1. What was the basic clash of values between Indians and Europeans or white settlers, which ultimately led to the overtaking of Indians and their land? (2)
ANSWER: White settlers were more individualistic and capitalistic, and believed in private property and exploiting nature, whereas the Indians had no notion of private property; were communal, saw themselves as interdependent with nature.
2. When the University of Illinois and Rep. Winkel attempted to resist the will of the NCAA, they introduced a bill in the state legislature to protect the mascot. How is this similar to a major battleground of the civil rights movement? (1)
ANSWER: During the civil rights struggle, Southern States resisted federal efforts to abolish their state segregation laws.
3. What was Dr. Better's historical argument about the relation between slavery and racism or race theory? (2)
ANSWER: It was not ideas of racial inferiority of Africans that led to the slave trade, but it was the establishment of the slave trade that led to the view of enslaved Africans as being inferior. Race theory became a justification for slavery and developed after slavery was established.
GREEN FAMILY (Alex, Coleman, Ellie) 10 pts. plus 1 bonus point
1. Identify and briefly describe the component of Dr. Better's "Better Model of Institutional Racism" which she sees as most important and places on top. (2)
ANSWER: Economic privilege -- there is no better example of how racism confers benefits on the dominant group than the enslavement of Africans in America and the subsequent relegation of minorities to the lower tier of the two-tier labor market.
2. According to Dr. Tatum, what is the BIG problem or obstacle in encouraging cross-racial dialogue? Briefly explain. (2)
ANSWER: FEAR -- fear that if someone makes an inappropriate comment or out-of-context remark they will be labeled a racist.
3. What is the "perpetual foreigner syndrome," and to which group does it usually apply? (2)
ANSWER: that someone is treated as a foreigner no matter how long they or their forebears have lived in America. It is usually applied to Asian Americans.
BLUE FAMILY (Sarah, Katie, Emily, Kathrine) 10 points (no bonus points)
1. How do Dr. Tatum and Dr. Better differ in their opinions about using the term "Black" to identify African Americans? (2)
ANSWER: Dr. Tatum identifies with the "Black is beautiful" movement of the 1960s and believes that Black is more inclusive than African American because not all Blacks are African American, they may be Afro-Caribbean, for example. Dr. Better believes that both Black and White should NOT be used because both have negative connotations.
2. In the video, "In Whose Honor?", to what is the Indian caricature used in sports' teams' mascots compared, and what is the significance of this comparison? (2)
ANSWER: The Indian caricature is compared to "Black Sambo," which almost everyone recognizes as demeaning and should be avoided.
_____________________________
That's it. See you Friday morning.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
240B (9:30 class) Family Questions & Answers for the Final Exam
Below are the questions I accepted from those submitted for 240B (9:30), whose final exam is on Monday. As usual, I have done some editing of both questions and answers. I will post the family questions from 240A tomorrow (Friday).
240B FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS:
BLACK FAMILY (Melanie, Onyx, Alan) 10pts (no bonus points)
1. What are the TWO principal reasons why Latinos have become the "majority minority?" (2)
ANSWER: (a) higher birth rates; (b) higher immigration rates
2. What is the "power of institutional racism," according to Dr. Better? (1)
ANSWER: That no one person must act to maintain it; that a person need only follow the established racist policies and practices -- or the norm.
YELLOW FAMILY (Aubrey, Zach, Dani, Lauren) 10pts (plus one bonus point)
1. According to Dr. Better, what does she believe is the reason some scholars use the terms "ethnicity" and "race" interchangeably? (1)
ANSWER: "I believe that this is done to neutralize the term "race" and thus reduce its importance in American society."
2. According to Dr. Tatum, what does she see as the BIG problem or obstacle in encouraging cross-racial dialogue? (1)
ANSWER: FEAR -- fear that someone may make an inappropriate comment or "yanked-out-of-context" remark that will be labeled "racist."
3. One of the stereotypes of Asian Americans is that they are all good in math/science/computers. How can this be a problem for them? (2)
ANSWER: Teachers may expect them to be naturally good at these things and not pay attention or help them if they are struggling. It also tends to lock them in to such fields and so they are discouraged from pursuing the humanities.
___________________________
That's all for now. Again, tomorrow I will post the questions from 240A.
240B FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS:
BLACK FAMILY (Melanie, Onyx, Alan) 10pts (no bonus points)
1. What are the TWO principal reasons why Latinos have become the "majority minority?" (2)
ANSWER: (a) higher birth rates; (b) higher immigration rates
2. What is the "power of institutional racism," according to Dr. Better? (1)
ANSWER: That no one person must act to maintain it; that a person need only follow the established racist policies and practices -- or the norm.
YELLOW FAMILY (Aubrey, Zach, Dani, Lauren) 10pts (plus one bonus point)
1. According to Dr. Better, what does she believe is the reason some scholars use the terms "ethnicity" and "race" interchangeably? (1)
ANSWER: "I believe that this is done to neutralize the term "race" and thus reduce its importance in American society."
2. According to Dr. Tatum, what does she see as the BIG problem or obstacle in encouraging cross-racial dialogue? (1)
ANSWER: FEAR -- fear that someone may make an inappropriate comment or "yanked-out-of-context" remark that will be labeled "racist."
3. One of the stereotypes of Asian Americans is that they are all good in math/science/computers. How can this be a problem for them? (2)
ANSWER: Teachers may expect them to be naturally good at these things and not pay attention or help them if they are struggling. It also tends to lock them in to such fields and so they are discouraged from pursuing the humanities.
___________________________
That's all for now. Again, tomorrow I will post the questions from 240A.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Lecture Notes on the "Better Model of Institutional Racism" & Reminders
We left off yesterday (12/1) talking about the Better Model of Institutional Racism (p. 25), so let me pick up with that and also incorporate some comments about Douglas Blackmon's book, "Slavery By Another Name," featured in that video segment from Bill Moyers' Journal.
C. Dr. Better's "Better Model of Institutional Racism" involves three key components: (1) Economic Privilege, (2) Social Privilege, (3) Psychic Rewards.
(1) Economic Privilege -- there is no better example of how institutional racism confers benefits on the dominant group than the enslavement of Africans in America.
a. In this context, she makes an important historical argument that it was not ideas of racial inferiority of Africans that led to the slave trade, but rather that the establishment of the slave trade that led to the view of enslaved Africans as being inferior (which is similar to my earlier point about discrimination contributing to prejudice or reinforcing it). And as we've noted before, race theories emerged in the 19th century to justify this institution; that is, racism came after slavery.
b. Dr. Better contends that Jim Crow laws were just a continuation of the slave system without slave owners. (Which brings up the relevance of Douglas Blackmon's book, "Slavery By Another Name." Recall that Blackmon noted how after the Civil War and especially after Reconstruction, the South which, as he put it, was "addicted to slave-forced labor" found a way to re-institute forced labor via the criminal justice system. "Black codes" (similar to previous slave codes) were passed which essentially criminalized black life. For example, laws against vagrancy were easily applied to blacks, and over several decades (up to World War II) thousands were caught up in this and were placed in forced labor camps in which their labor was exploited and they were treated with brutality, not all that different from slavery. He noted how blacks worked in a brick factory outside of Atlanta which provided many of the bricks which literally built the city; also they worked in awful conditions in the coal mines outside of Birmingham, AL.. This placed thousands of blacks at a tremendous disadvantage in terms of being able to accumulate wealth and access to education. And this took place not 150 years ago or more, but barely 70 years ago.)
c. Dr. Better also points out how a "two-tier labor system" is also a reflection of this institutionalized racism where minorities are largely relegated to the lower-tier jobs and are often used to keep wages low (Latinos today).
(2) Social Privilege - she identifies a social ideology which has favored whites. Whiteness associated with goodness, virtue; and even poor whites buy into this because it gives them some advantage over poor black folks.
(3) Psychic Rewards - similar to Social Privilege. Internal satisfaction whites, especially poor, working-class whites, derive from being white.
D. She provides a diagram of the Better Model (p. 30) emphasizing the particular significance of economic privilege (over social & psychic) in the persistence of racism, and of course, the importance of institutional over individual racism. (But let me interject a critical comment about her diagram: it is incomplete, there are no arrows or any other suggestion of exactly how Economic Privilege (and the two other components) relate to the rest of the diagram.)
1. In discussing individual racism, she also stresses that to be racist one must ACT out your negative feelings toward another group. BIGOTRY is the state of mind. Need to distinguish negative feelings or thoughts from actions, especially institutional actions which are much more consequential.
E. Finally, she justifies this whole discussion of racism by noting the importance of having a clear definition -- that "too many disparate feelings and actions are being labeled "racist" in our society."
1. She concludes by cautioning people of color against "playing the victim" -- acquiescing to one's oppression and whites' feelings of guilt -- need to confront this history of oppression honestly.
_______________________________
That's all for lecture notes, which brings us up to Chapter 3 (p. 37)
REMINDERS: INTERVIEW PAPER/PRESENTATIONS DUE TOMORROW, 12/3. Remember, I expect everyone to be ready to give your brief presentation on your interview whether you are ready to turn in the paper or not.
ESSAY III (DESCRIBED ON NOV. 20TH BLOG POST) IS DUE NEXT TUESDAY, 12/8.
C. Dr. Better's "Better Model of Institutional Racism" involves three key components: (1) Economic Privilege, (2) Social Privilege, (3) Psychic Rewards.
(1) Economic Privilege -- there is no better example of how institutional racism confers benefits on the dominant group than the enslavement of Africans in America.
a. In this context, she makes an important historical argument that it was not ideas of racial inferiority of Africans that led to the slave trade, but rather that the establishment of the slave trade that led to the view of enslaved Africans as being inferior (which is similar to my earlier point about discrimination contributing to prejudice or reinforcing it). And as we've noted before, race theories emerged in the 19th century to justify this institution; that is, racism came after slavery.
b. Dr. Better contends that Jim Crow laws were just a continuation of the slave system without slave owners. (Which brings up the relevance of Douglas Blackmon's book, "Slavery By Another Name." Recall that Blackmon noted how after the Civil War and especially after Reconstruction, the South which, as he put it, was "addicted to slave-forced labor" found a way to re-institute forced labor via the criminal justice system. "Black codes" (similar to previous slave codes) were passed which essentially criminalized black life. For example, laws against vagrancy were easily applied to blacks, and over several decades (up to World War II) thousands were caught up in this and were placed in forced labor camps in which their labor was exploited and they were treated with brutality, not all that different from slavery. He noted how blacks worked in a brick factory outside of Atlanta which provided many of the bricks which literally built the city; also they worked in awful conditions in the coal mines outside of Birmingham, AL.. This placed thousands of blacks at a tremendous disadvantage in terms of being able to accumulate wealth and access to education. And this took place not 150 years ago or more, but barely 70 years ago.)
c. Dr. Better also points out how a "two-tier labor system" is also a reflection of this institutionalized racism where minorities are largely relegated to the lower-tier jobs and are often used to keep wages low (Latinos today).
(2) Social Privilege - she identifies a social ideology which has favored whites. Whiteness associated with goodness, virtue; and even poor whites buy into this because it gives them some advantage over poor black folks.
(3) Psychic Rewards - similar to Social Privilege. Internal satisfaction whites, especially poor, working-class whites, derive from being white.
D. She provides a diagram of the Better Model (p. 30) emphasizing the particular significance of economic privilege (over social & psychic) in the persistence of racism, and of course, the importance of institutional over individual racism. (But let me interject a critical comment about her diagram: it is incomplete, there are no arrows or any other suggestion of exactly how Economic Privilege (and the two other components) relate to the rest of the diagram.)
1. In discussing individual racism, she also stresses that to be racist one must ACT out your negative feelings toward another group. BIGOTRY is the state of mind. Need to distinguish negative feelings or thoughts from actions, especially institutional actions which are much more consequential.
E. Finally, she justifies this whole discussion of racism by noting the importance of having a clear definition -- that "too many disparate feelings and actions are being labeled "racist" in our society."
1. She concludes by cautioning people of color against "playing the victim" -- acquiescing to one's oppression and whites' feelings of guilt -- need to confront this history of oppression honestly.
_______________________________
That's all for lecture notes, which brings us up to Chapter 3 (p. 37)
REMINDERS: INTERVIEW PAPER/PRESENTATIONS DUE TOMORROW, 12/3. Remember, I expect everyone to be ready to give your brief presentation on your interview whether you are ready to turn in the paper or not.
ESSAY III (DESCRIBED ON NOV. 20TH BLOG POST) IS DUE NEXT TUESDAY, 12/8.
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