RACIAL STEREOTYPES

PURPOSE OF LESSON

1) WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE TOPIC OF “STEREOTYPES” AS A WAY OF INTRODUCING AND “CLARIFYING” THE PHENOMENON OF “RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION.”

2) TO SOCIOGICALLY ISOLATE STEREOTYPES WE WILL HAVE TO BEGIN DISTINGUISHING “CATEGORIZATION” VERSUS “NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE STEREOTYPING” VERSUS “DIFFERENCES IN CULTURAL VALUES AND AESTHETIC TASTES.”

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERALIZATIONS, CATEGORIZIONS AND STEREOTYPES?

GENERALIZATION - TO ORDER OR IDENTIFY WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTICULARS.

CATEGORIZATION - TO ARRANGE INTO GROUPS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTERPRETATION (MAKING SENSE OF OUR WORLD) AND PREDICTABILITY.

***** IN THE CITY WE ARE CATEGORISERS BECAUSE WE NEED “BEHAVIOUR-PROBABILITY PROJECTIONS” ===> YOU KNOW ME BY “ASSOCIATED CATEGORIES” THAT HAVE ATTACHED MEANINGS {YOU ROUND ME OFF} =====> TO BE A SOPHISTICATED URBAN DWELLER {“URBANE”} IS TO HAVE A “REPERTOIRE OF THESE CATEGORIES” AT YOUR DISPOSAL.

STEREOTYPES – ARE OVER-GENERALIZATIONS (THAT MAKE US INTO “EXAGGERATED CARACTERIZATIONS” OF OURSELVES – PATHOLOGICAL (ILL/ CORRUPTED/ABERRANT) GENERALIZATIONS

***** IN THE CITY WE ARE GENERALIZERS AND CATEGORISERS BECAUSE WE NEED BEHAVIOUR-PROBABILITY PROJECTIONS – TO NEGOTIATE OUR URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.

INTERACTIONALLY: STEMS FROM OUR ATTEMPTS TO CREATE SOME ORDER IN OUR LIVES BY CLASSIFYING (CATEGORIZING) OTHERS.

{SOCIOLOGICAL ASIDE: SIMMELS “BLASÉ ATTITUDE “ ===> BLUNTED DISCRIMINATION OR “ROUNDING OFF” OF LIFE}

THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT COLIN NINVALLE CALLS “MENTAL STAMPING” == WE MENTALLY STAMP SOCIAL REALITY TO PREVENT BEING OVERWHELMED BY THE COMPLEXITIES OF LIFE (BY THE TORRENTIAL FLOOD OF STIMULI OF THE CITY).

FOSTER === FROM SMALL TALK IN THE BIG CITY === “CITY LIFE, AS WE KNOW IT, COULD NOT SERVICE WITHOUT THE RULE THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW EVERYBODY, AND EVERYBODY DOESN'T NEED TO KNOW YOU.”

IN THE CITY WE LIVE BY THE “ANONYMITY RULE” --- WE MUST MOVE IN AND OUT OF CONTACT WITHOUT DISTURBING THE MUTUALLY PROTECTIVE ANONYMITY OF MASS SOCIETY == ERGO: CATEGORICAL MANEUVERING AND NEGOTIATING OF THE PEOPLED ENVIRONMENT.

[[SOCIOLOGICAL ASIDE: THE CONFUSION PEOPLE HAVE HAD DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN “CATEGORIZATIONS” AND “STEREOTYPES” IS THAT THEY BOTH INVOLVE A FORM OF “CLOSING OF THE MIND” [ONE POPULAR AUTHOR TODAY HAS LABELLED IT “BLINK” {AS IN BLINK OF THE MIND] BUT THE PHENOMENON IS NOT NEUTRAL AND HAS A QUALITATIVE DIMENSION}=== THE DIFFERENCE THAT IS OFTEN MISSED IS THAT THE CATEGORIZATIONS ARE FUNCTIONAL AND NECESSARY === STEREOTYPES ARE DEGRADING AND DEMEANING {THEY STAMP SOCIAL REALITY BY BESMEARCHING, BELITTLING, DENIGRATING AND/OR SULLYING IT]]

EX: WALKING DOWN THE STREET WE SEE STRANGERS EVERY DAY AND WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO REACT TO THEM BASE ON THE CATEGORICAL SIGNS THEY REPRESENT.

IN THE CITY WE ARE CATEGORISERS BECAUSE WE NEED “BEHAVIOUR-PROBABILITY PROJECTIONS”. {?}

(SO) WE (CITY PEOPLE) ORDER, UNDERSTAND AND ASSESS LIFE TYPICALLY AS FOLLOWS:

1) BODY --- PHYSICALITY

2) CLOTHS --- APPEARANCE

3) EXPRESSION --- VERBAL COMMUNICATION

4) GESTURES --- NONVERBAL COMMUICATION

WHEN DOES THE GENERALIZATION/CATEGORIZATION PROCESS BECOME BAD (PATHOLOGICAL)?

STEREOTYPE -- IS A SET OF BIASED GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A GROUP OR CATEGORY OF PEOPLE THAT IS UNFAVORABLE, EXAGGERATED OR OVER-SIMPLIFIED.

(STEREOTYPES ARE BIASED JUDGEMENTS THAT ARE "IRRATIONAL" AND "RIGID" INSOFAR AS THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY LITTLE OR NO EVIDENCE).

GENERALIZATIONS ALLOW US TO ORDER OUR WORLD, AND SO, THEY GUIDE OUR BEHAVIOR === “STEREOTYPES” ARE OVER-GENERALIZATIONS (THAT MAKE US INTO “EXAGGERATED CARACTERIZATIONS” OF OURSELVES).

SOCIOLOGICAL CONCLUSION/CONSEQUENCE: STEREOTYPES DON'T JUST IGNORE YOUR PARTICULARITY {LIKE A GENERALIZATION}THEY “DIMINISH” YOU.

STEREOTYPES DON'T HELP YOU ORDER SOCIAL LIFE {LIKE CATEGORIZATIONS} THEY SERVE TO “DEHUMANIZE” OTHERS

[[[EX: “RACIAL PROFILING” === MILES DAVIS AND HIS LAMBORGINE === THE POSTER BOY FOR “DRIVING WHILE BLACK” === “THE MILES DAVIS SYNDROME” --- SAYS THAT SKIN COLOUR, WITH ITS ATTENDING NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS, BECOMES THE STANDARD BY WHICH PEOPLE OF COLOUR ARE MEASURED {“INFERIORIZING” OR “LEVELING” WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTICULARS}]]]

[[[EX: THINK BACK TO THE ANALYSIS OF "GENDER REGIMES" AND THE CITY AS "SEXUAL SPACE" == OPERATIONALIZING THE SEXUAL STEREOTYPES THAT "OBJECTIFY" WOMEN AS "PROSTITUTES," "LESBIANS," "TEMPTRESSES." OR "VIRTUOUS WOMEN IN NEED OF PROTECTION" == SETTING THE STAGE FOR A VIOLENT MALE PATHOLOGY {AND DOUBLE PARADOX} == I.E., RAPE, SEXUAL ABUSE & MAYHEM BY "PERVERTS" ON THE ONE HAND -- AND "PATRIACHIAL {TREATMENT BY} POLICE AUTHORITIES" ON THE OTHER {INCLUDING -- UNDER THE GUISE OF PROTECTION -- SHIELDING WOMEN FROM "TROUBLING" INFORMATION NEEDED TO CONDUCT THEIR LIVES APPROPRIATELY, SENSIBLY, PERCEPTIVELY, RATIONALLY, ETC.}

RACIAL STEREOTYPE QUESTIONS

IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE FOLLOWING?

1) GERMAN PEOPLE HAVE THE BEST PHILOSOPHERS AND MAKE THE BEST CARS.

2) WHEN YOU VISIT GERMANY AND SEE ITS MAGNIFICENCE AND DETAIL, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE THE SUPERIOR RACE.

3) THE BEST BLACK MUSIC IS FAR SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER.

4) IT IS OK TO USE ETHNIC STEREOTYPES ABOUT YOUR OWN GROUP, (CALL EACH OTHER NAMES) WHEN SPEAKING TO MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN GROUP.

5) BLACK MEN MAKE THE BEST LOVERS.

6) I ONLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH A FAMILY DOCTOR THAT LOOKS LIKE ME.

7) I (WOULD) ONLY FEEL COMFORTABLE HIRING PEOPLE IN MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT THAT LOOK LIKE ME.

8) THE WORLD IS TOUGH ENOUGH WITHOUT TRYING TO MARRY SOMEONE OUTSIDE YOUR OWN GROUP.

9) I BELIEVE IN EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IN SOCIETY, BUT I WANT TO STICK WITH MY OWN KIND.

10) PEOPLE FROM THAT GROUP ALWAYS STICK TOGETHER, SO YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH THEM.

WHAT BOTHERS YOU ABOUT THE STEREOTYPES?

(I) THEY "CAN" REINFORCE POWER DYNAMICS OF SOCIETY - SUSTAIN THE PREVAILING RELATIONSHIPS OF CONTROL, EXCLUSION, AND EXPLOITATION.

(II) THEY "CAN" INCREASE SUSPICION AND FEAR THAT ` UNDERLIES [ETHNIC AND RACIAL] GROUP LIFE.

(2) (MORE IMPORTANT) HOW DO RACIAL AND ETHNIC STEREOTYPES EFFECT OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (BEYOND OUR "PRECISE" DEFINITIONS AND THEORY)?

(I) INTERNALIZE INFERIORITY.

(II) LIMITS IMAGINATION AND VISION IN OTHERS AND OURSELVES.

(III) REINFORCES DIFFERENTIAL POWER STRUCTURE.

(IV) INHIBITS LIFE-CHANCES - EVERYTHING FROM THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR A GOOD QUALITY LIFE- CHANCES, SOME CHILDREN WILL BE INTERMINABLY DISADVANTAGED.

(V) OFTEN REFLECTS THE FACT THAT A PARTICULAR GROUP IS A "SCAPEGOAT" FOR ALL MANNER OF SOCIAL ILLS.

EX: MAKING "ETHNIC AND RACIAL SLURS", FOR INSTANCE, CAN ONLY HAVE IMPACT IF YOU HAVE POWER TO ENFORCE THEM//

"ITS OK, WERE SPANISH" (STORE CONVERSATION) -- INTERNALIZE OWN INFERIORITY -- EMULATE YOUR OPPRESSOR.

SUMMARY: BUY INTO [GENDER OR ETHNIC AND RACIAL] STEREOTYPES REINFORCE THE EXISTING INEQUALITIES -- PRESERVE THE STATUS QUO -- DOESN'T REFLECT HUMAN DIGNITY (RICHARD PRYOR/AFRICA) -- DOESN'T PREPARE // CONDUCIVE // PROMOTE SOCIAL CHANGE (INCLUSIVE RESPECTFUL, EGALITARIAN SOCIETY).

HOW DO WE FUNCTION IN AND EFFECTIVE WAY GIVEN PERCEPTIONS OF ONE ANOTHER?

HOW DO I USE THIS INFORMATION IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY. HOW DO I BALANCE NOT BEING OVERWHELMED BY CONCEPTS/INFORMATION. WHAT TO DO THIS INFORMATION. HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE TOTALLY MISTRUSTFUL ABOUT WANTING TO BE OPEN TO OTHERS.

1) EDUCATION// VIGILANCE ABOUT PASSING IT ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. ITS ONE THING TO REMIND ABOUT MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF COMMUNITY. HOW DO I TRANSCEND AND USE IN A POSITIVE WAY // NOT JUST EDUCATION ABOUT "INCIDENTS" - IMPARTING A MESSAGE/ WHAT IS THE MESSAGE WE WANT TO IMPART? COMMUNICATE THEM IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.

2) HAVE TO BE THE "WATCH-PERSON" MEANING == RECOGNIZE IT // CONSCIOUSNESS // UNDERSTAND IT // AND BE PREPARED TO ENGAGE IT EFFECTIVELY.

THE DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS OF CONTEMPORARY ETHNO-RACIAL LIFE

ETHNOCENTRISM IS THE BELIEF THAT ONE'S OWN CULTURE IS BETTER THAN OTHERS AND/OR THE TENDENCY TO BELIEVE THAT WHAT IS TRUE OF YOUR CULTURE IS TRUE OF OTHERS.

STEREOTYPE IS A SET OF BIASED GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A GROUP OR CATEGORY OF PEOPLE THAT IS UNFAVORABLE, EXAGGERATED OR OVER-SIMPLIFIED.

PREJUDICE IS A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE BASED ON PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT MEMBERS OF A SELECT GROUP.

DISCRIMINATION IS DENIAL OF EQUAL TREATMENT OR OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE BASIS OF MEMBERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR GROUP.

CAVEAT (WARNING, PROVISO)

MOST SOCIAL SCIENTIST AGREE THAT "ETHNOCENTRISM" IS A "UNIVERSAL PHENOMENON", THAT EMERGES OUT OF THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF GROUP IDENTITY (BOUNDARIES).

PROVIDES A SENSE OF COHESION, ESTEEM, RESPECT, DIGNITY, AND PRIDE. SO ETHNOCENTRISM IS THE BELIEF IN ONE'S OWN CULTURE, AND FUNCTIONS IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE.==

"BUT" ETHNOCENTRISM OFTEN LEADS TO OTHER IMPORTANT SOCIOLOGICAL TOPICS -- SUCH AS "STEREOTYPING" (OVER-GENERALIZED CARICATURES OF OTHERS) AND "PREJUDICE" (NEGATIVE ATTITUDES BASED ON PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS) AND "DISCRIMINATION" (HARMFUL PRACTICES).

ETHNOCENTRISM IS AN INCIPIENT (EMBRYONIC) PROCESS IN THE FORMATION OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP IDENTITY.

WE CAN THINK OF THE MATTER THIS WAY: ETHNOCENTRISM IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR STEREOTYPING; AND STEREOTYPING IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR PREJUDICE; AND PREJUDICE IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR DISCRIMINATION.

PREJUDICE AS A COMPONENT OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC CONFLICT

PREJUDICE - IS THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE BASED ON PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT MEMBERS OF SELECTED GROUPS.

HOW DO PEOPLE LEARN ETHNIC-RACIAL STEREOTYPES?

(TWO PRIMARY FACTORS).

(A) PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION IS INCIPIENT IN ETHNOCENTRISM

(B) (MEDIA ARE PRIMARY SOURCE).

INTERACTIONALLY: STEMS FROM OUR ATTEMPTS TO CREATE SOME ORDER IN OUR LIVES BY CLASSIFYING (CATEGORIZING) OTHERS.

EX: WALKING DOWN THE STREET WE SEE STRANGERS EVERY DAY AND WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO REACT TO THEM BASE ON THE CATEGORICAL SIGNS THEY REPRESENT.

BUT, PREJUDICES ARE JUDGEMENTS THAT ARE "IRRATIONAL" AND "RIGID" JUDGEMENTS, INSOFAR AS THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY LITTLE OR NO EVIDENCE.

PREJUDICES CAN BE DIRECTED AGAINST A RANGE OF SOCIAL OR PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS -- GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AGE, COLOUR, ETHNICITY, AND SO ON.

RACIAL PREJUDICE - INVOLVES BELIEFS THAT CERTAIN RACIAL GROUPS ARE INNATELY INFERIOR TO OTHERS OR HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF NEGATIVE TRAITS.

PREJUDICE IS OFTEN REINFORCED BY "STEREOTYPES" - OVER- GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT THE APPEARANCE, BEHAVIOR, OR OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF ALL MEMBERS OF A GROUP.

(SOCIAL SCIENTIST ARE COMING TO THE REALIZATION THAT) NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES ARE PARTICULARLY HARMFUL TO RACIAL MINORITIES -- IT IS AN UNFLATTERING REPRESENTATION THAT REINFORCES THEIR PERIPHERAL POSITION WITHIN AN UNEQUAL SOCIETY;

MOREOVER, I FIRMLY BE IT'S MOST HEINOUS EFFECT IS TO DEMORALIZES CHILDREN.

(EX: I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT "INTERNALIZING NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES" IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE "MARGINALIZATION OF YOUTH" TODAY -- TEND TO TAKE ON "A PARIAH STATUS" -- "GANGSTAS", "STREET-GANGS", "UNDERWORLDERS".

THE "MARGINALIZATION" OF BLACK YOUTH

MARGINALIZATION: REFERS TO THE STATUS OF A GROUP WHO DOES NOT HAVE FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS TO THE SOCIAL ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY.

AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM, UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 20%, FAR ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WHICH IS NOW ABOUT 6.9%. BLACK YOUTH, THEREFORE, COMPRISE AN "UNDERCLASS" IN SOCIETY THAT HAS A RACIAL STIGMA ATTACHED == AS INDOLENT, DERELICT, AND VIOLENCE-PRONE.

1) EMBRACE STIGMA -- HE CAN EMBRACE THE RACIAL STIGMA PROJECTED ON HIM BY "INTERNALIZING" AN IMAGE OF HIMSELF AS INFERIOR, TRUANT AND UNEMPLOYABLE;

2) REJECT STIGMA -- HE CAN REJECT THE STIGMA, AND TREAT HIS UNDERCLASS STATUS AS A “BADGE OF HONOUR," BY GLORIFYING THE PARIAH UNDER-WORLDS OF PIMPS, PLAYERS, DRUG DEALERS AND SUCH – TOTALLY ALLYING HIMSELF WITH AN ASSORTED CONFEDERACY OF GANGSTERS AND BAD-BOYS;

3) COMPENSATORY FACADE -- HE CAN DEVELOP A COMPENSATORY FACADE (OR "OVERCOMPENSATE", IF YOU WILL), THEREFORE, SEEKING TO SINGULARLY OVER-ACHIEVE IN SCHOOL OR THE WORKPLACE, IN ORDER TO NEGATE THE STIGMA, BY BECOMING A BOOKISH GEEK, A WORKAHOLIC NERD, OR A SELF- CHALLENGED "OREO"; OR LAST BUT NOT LEAST

4) TRANSCEND STIGMA -- HE CAN TRANSCEND THE STIGMA, BY STRUGGLING TO DEVELOP AND ACTUALIZE HIS FULL POTENTIAL – HONING HIS UNIQUENESS AND TAPING INTO A LIFE RICH WITH POSSIBILITIES, THEREFORE, BECOMING LIKE MORPHEUS AND NEO IN THE MOVIE "THE MATRIX," IN SEARCH OF THE AUTHENTIC LIFE.

[[NOTE:OF COURSE, WHILE THE LATTER (BECOMING AN AUTHENTIC BEING, OR BECOMING "THE ONE" TO QUOTE THE MOVIE) IS MUCH MORE PREFERABLE TO THE OTHER THREE (WHICH ARE REALLY ONLY VARIOUS DISTORTIONS OF BEING), IT IS ALSO THE MOST DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. INDEED, IT USUALLY ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MOVIES....]]

SYNOPSIS: THIS IS TO SAY, IN ORDER TO BE IN A POSITION TO ACTUALIZE THEMSELVES, AND CULTIVATE THEIR POTENTIAL FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS, BLACK YOUTH NEED THIS SOCIETY TO ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR INTERESTS AND WELL-BEING. AN ACCOMPLISHED LIFE CANNOT HAPPEN IN A SOCIAL VACUUM. BLACK YOUTH NEED SOCIETY TO EMBRACE THEM AND NURTURE THEIR UNIQUE ENDOWMENTS – NOT ONLY INCORPORATING THEM INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIAL LIFE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, INCORPORATING THEM IN A WAY THAT EMBRACES THEIR DIFFERENCE RATHER THAN TRIES TO NEGATE OR REPRESS IT. UNTIL BLACK YOUTH ACTUALLY BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FABRIC AND AGENDA OF SOCIETY, AND THE COMFORTABLE COMPLACENCY OF RACIAL STRATIFICATION IS REPUDIATED, THE CYCLE OF DESPAIR AND VIOLENCE WILL CONTINUE.