Chapter ElevenChapter Eleven

Racism and EthnicityRacism and Ethnicity

ObjectivesObjectives

– To outline the practice of racism and to To outline the practice of racism and to describe various forms of resistance to describe various forms of resistance to racism.racism.

– To provide an analysis of identity, To provide an analysis of identity, specifically ethnic identity, and its specifically ethnic identity, and its emergence in the late twentieth century as emergence in the late twentieth century as a basis of politics.a basis of politics.

– To indicate some of the traditional and To indicate some of the traditional and emerging sociological approaches to emerging sociological approaches to issues of racism and ethnicity.issues of racism and ethnicity.

Defining ethnicityDefining ethnicity

– Key ideas:Key ideas:• A group who shares a particular history, a set of A group who shares a particular history, a set of

cultural practices and institutions, and is cultural practices and institutions, and is conscious of a shared identity as a resultconscious of a shared identity as a result

• Developed latter half of the 20th Century as a Developed latter half of the 20th Century as a result of political developments and increased result of political developments and increased interest in cultural identityinterest in cultural identity

• Most significant form of identity for manyMost significant form of identity for many• Now a major consideration in many areas of Now a major consideration in many areas of

societysociety– Health care, fishery resources, inclusion of cultural Health care, fishery resources, inclusion of cultural

practices and institutionspractices and institutions

Defining race and racismDefining race and racism

• RaceRace– Historical classification of groups according to biological Historical classification of groups according to biological

characteristics characteristics

• RacismRacism– Racially-based classifications lead to prejudice and Racially-based classifications lead to prejudice and

discriminationdiscrimination– Historically, ‘justified’ exclusion and even persecutionHistorically, ‘justified’ exclusion and even persecution

• Institutional racismInstitutional racism– When organisations, especially those responsible for health, When organisations, especially those responsible for health,

education and justice, discriminated against particular education and justice, discriminated against particular groups, intentionally or unintentionallygroups, intentionally or unintentionally

• RacialisationRacialisation– Process whereby a group is classified as a race and defined Process whereby a group is classified as a race and defined

as a problemas a problem

New Zealand and colonisationNew Zealand and colonisation

– Colonisation/colonialismColonisation/colonialism• New Zealand colonised when views about ‘race’ New Zealand colonised when views about ‘race’

powerful and widespreadpowerful and widespread• History based on the assumed superiority of the History based on the assumed superiority of the

coloniser and inferiority of Maoricoloniser and inferiority of Maori• Limited attempts to recognise and protect MaoriLimited attempts to recognise and protect Maori

– The Treaty of WaitangiThe Treaty of Waitangi

– Post-colonialismPost-colonialism• An analytical approach and political position which is An analytical approach and political position which is

critical of the processes and impact of colonialismcritical of the processes and impact of colonialism• Does not mean ‘after colonialism’Does not mean ‘after colonialism’

Resistance to racismResistance to racism

– Ethnic revivalEthnic revival• Global resurgence of ethnic identity in the latter Global resurgence of ethnic identity in the latter

half of the twentieth century with political half of the twentieth century with political implicationsimplications– e.g. Black Civil Rights movement in the USA, anti-e.g. Black Civil Rights movement in the USA, anti-

apartheid movement in South Africaapartheid movement in South Africa

– Linked to post-colonialismLinked to post-colonialism• Challenges ideologies of colonial oppression, Challenges ideologies of colonial oppression,

including racismincluding racism• Reconstruction resulting from interaction between Reconstruction resulting from interaction between

imperial cultures and indigenous cultural practicesimperial cultures and indigenous cultural practices

Resistance to racismResistance to racism

– Ethnic revival in New ZealandEthnic revival in New Zealand• 1970s-1980s1970s-1980s

– Racism highlighted and attackedRacism highlighted and attacked– Maori leaders and institutions challengedMaori leaders and institutions challenged

• Late 1980sLate 1980s– Biculturalism as a basis for public policyBiculturalism as a basis for public policy– Maori control based on ambition of tino rangatiratangaMaori control based on ambition of tino rangatiratanga– Treaty of Waitangi back as a constitutional documentTreaty of Waitangi back as a constitutional document– Language and culture recognised by policies and Language and culture recognised by policies and

institutionsinstitutions– Much more difficult to ridicule or dismiss Maori in the Much more difficult to ridicule or dismiss Maori in the

public spherepublic sphere

Ethnicity and citizenshipEthnicity and citizenship

• Ethnic identity now a major determinant in identity Ethnic identity now a major determinant in identity creation and social interaction for many people creation and social interaction for many people

• Increasingly notions of citizenship viewed to Increasingly notions of citizenship viewed to encompass the differential rights attached to encompass the differential rights attached to membership to an ethnic groupmembership to an ethnic group

• The process of “naming yourself” establishes The process of “naming yourself” establishes certain assumptions about social membership and certain assumptions about social membership and access to rights and resourcesaccess to rights and resources

• Ethnic names are indicators of political Ethnic names are indicators of political contestation that reflect the dynamic process of contestation that reflect the dynamic process of boundary creation and reconstruction of national boundary creation and reconstruction of national and ethnic identitiesand ethnic identities

Theorising racism and ethnicityTheorising racism and ethnicity

– Karl Marx/MarxistsKarl Marx/Marxists• Race and ethnicity as secondary to class-related Race and ethnicity as secondary to class-related

questions and inequalitiesquestions and inequalities

– Max WeberMax Weber• Ethnicity as an important aspect of social statusEthnicity as an important aspect of social status

– Franz FanonFranz Fanon• The internalisation of racist beliefs by those The internalisation of racist beliefs by those

defined as inferiordefined as inferior• The disempowering and exclusionary strategies of The disempowering and exclusionary strategies of

colonialism and the need for decolonisationcolonialism and the need for decolonisation

Theorising racism and ethnicityTheorising racism and ethnicity

– John Rex and Robert MooreJohn Rex and Robert Moore• Challenged commonly-held assumptions about the Challenged commonly-held assumptions about the

equity and acceptance of culture difference in equity and acceptance of culture difference in Britain from the 1960s (housing classes)Britain from the 1960s (housing classes)

– Bob Miles and Stephen CastlesBob Miles and Stephen Castles• Need to be critical of use of ‘race’ and ‘racism’, and Need to be critical of use of ‘race’ and ‘racism’, and

recognise importance of resistance and cultural recognise importance of resistance and cultural identity (analysis of racism and capitalism)identity (analysis of racism and capitalism)

– Stuart HallStuart Hall• Post-colonialism, the establishment and Post-colonialism, the establishment and

maintainance of hegemony (Gramsci) and its maintainance of hegemony (Gramsci) and its relationship to racism and ethnicityrelationship to racism and ethnicity

SummarySummary• Race and racism are social constructions made important Race and racism are social constructions made important

by our social beliefs and valuesby our social beliefs and values• A connection existed between colonialism and the A connection existed between colonialism and the

disempowering and exclusionary ideas of racismdisempowering and exclusionary ideas of racism• Ethnic identity and racial exclusion are a central focus of Ethnic identity and racial exclusion are a central focus of

contemporary sociology, especially since ethnic identity contemporary sociology, especially since ethnic identity politics have emerged as a major expression of politics have emerged as a major expression of resistance and community mobilisation during the late resistance and community mobilisation during the late twentieth centurytwentieth century

• The policy implications of the renewed importance given The policy implications of the renewed importance given to ethnic identity have increasingly seen notions of to ethnic identity have increasingly seen notions of citizenship encompass the differential rights attached to citizenship encompass the differential rights attached to membership of an ethnic groupmembership of an ethnic group