3.1: Chapter Introduction and Objectives

Racial and Ethnic Inequality Social Problems Continuity and Change

Racial and Ethnic Inequality

Learning Objectives

1. Contextualize Racial and Ethnic Inequality: Understand the historical context of racial and ethnic inequality, including significant events like the slavery and the George Floyd case. Explore the evolution and meaning of race and ethnicity concepts, and how these have shaped societal structures and interactions.
2. Analyze Forms and Causes of Inequality: Identify and examine different forms of prejudice and discrimination, and understand their impact on racial and ethnic inequality. Explore the various dimensions of this inequality, including economic, political, and social aspects (e.g., health), and discuss the theories explaining the persistence of racial and ethnic disparities.
3. Explore Solutions to Mitigate Inequality: Evaluate strategies and measures that have been or can be implemented to reduce racial and ethnic inequality. This includes examining policies, social initiatives, and educational efforts aimed at promoting equality and reducing discrimination at both individual and institutional levels.

Chapter Introduction

Real World Application: George Floyd

On May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota George Floyd, an African American man, died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on his neck for approximately nine minutes during an arrest. This incident was captured on video and rapidly disseminated across social media platforms, sparking global outrage and leading to widespread protests under the banner of the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM).

From a sociological perspective, the George Floyd incident highlights several key aspects of racial and ethnic inequality. Firstly, it underscores the systemic nature of racial disparities in law enforcement and criminal justice. Floyd’s death is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of disproportionate police violence against African Americans, a phenomenon deeply rooted in the history of the United States. This systemic inequality is interwoven with historical legacies of colonization, slavery, segregation, and institutional racism, which continue to influence contemporary social structures and relationships.

Secondly, the incident brings to light the concept of intersectionality, which refers to the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, leading to overlapping systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Floyd's encounter with law enforcement cannot be separated from his identity as a Black man, which intersected with socio-economic factors (e.g., working class) that shape experiences of policing and judicial outcomes for minority groups.

Moreover, the global response to Floyd's death illustrates the role of social media in mobilizing social movements and shaping public discourse on race and inequality. The widespread sharing of the video and the ensuing protests exemplify how digital platforms can amplify marginalized voices and foster solidarity across different communities, transcending geographical boundaries.

In summary, the George Floyd incident is emblematic of the persistent racial, ethnic, and social class inequalities that plague U.S. society. It serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles against systemic racism and the need for continued vigilance and activism to address these deep-seated issues. This incident, therefore, occupies a crucial place in discussions about racial justice and reform, both within and beyond the field of sociology.

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Social Problems in the News

“Anger, Shock over Cross Burning in Calif. Community,” the headline said. This cross burning took place next to a black woman’s home in Arroyo Grande, California, a small, wealthy town about 170 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The eleven-foot cross had recently been stolen from a nearby church.

This hate crime shocked residents and led a group of local ministers to issue a public statement that said in part, “Burning crosses, swastikas on synagogue walls, hateful words on mosque doors are not pranks. They are hate crimes meant to frighten and intimidate.” The head of the group added, “We live in a beautiful area, but it’s only beautiful if every single person feels safe conducting their lives and living here.”

Four people were arrested four months later for allegedly burning the cross and charged with arson, hate crime, terrorism, and conspiracy. Arroyo Grande’s mayor applauded the arrests and said in a statement, “Despite the fact that our city was shaken by this crime, it did provide an opportunity for us to become better educated on matters relating to diversity.”

Sources: Jablon, 2011; Lerner, 2011; Mann, 2011Jablon, R. (2011, March 23). Anger, shock over cross burning in Calif. community. washingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/23/AR2011032300301.html; Lerner, D. (2011, July 22). Police chief says suspects wanted to “terrorize” cross burning victim. ksby.com. Retrieved from http://www.ksby.com/news/police-chief-says-suspects-wanted-to-terrorize-cross-burning-victim/; Mann, C. (2011, March 22). Cross burning in Calif. suburb brings FBI into hate crime investigation. cbsnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/.

Cross burnings like this one recall the Ku Klux Klan era between the 1880s and 1960s, when white men dressed in white sheets and white hoods terrorized African Americans in the South and elsewhere and lynched more than 3,000 black men and women. Thankfully, that era is long gone, but as this news story reminds us, racial issues continue to trouble the United States.

In the wake of the 1960s urban riots, the so-called Kerner Commission (1968, p. 1)Kerner Commission. (1968). Report of the National Advisory Commission on civil disorders. New York, NY: Bantam Books. appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to study the riots famously warned, “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.” The commission blamed white racism for the riots and urged the government to provide jobs and housing for African Americans and to take steps to end racial segregation.

More than four decades later, racial inequality in the United States continues to exist and in many ways has worsened. Despite major advances by African Americans, Latinos, and other people of color during the past few decades, they continue to lag behind non-Hispanic whites in education, income, health, and other social indicators. The faltering economy since 2008 has hit people of color especially hard, and the racial wealth gap is deeper now than it was just two decades ago.

Why does racial and ethnic inequality exist? What forms does it take? What can be done about it? This chapter addresses all these questions. We shall see that, although racial and ethnic inequality has stained the United States since its beginnings, there is hope for the future as long as our nation understands the structural sources of this inequality and makes a concerted effort to reduce it. Later chapters in this book will continue to highlight various dimensions of racial and ethnic inequality. Immigration, a very relevant issue today for Latinos and Asians and the source of much political controversy, receives special attention in Chapter 15’s discussion of population problems.