Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Gender

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Ethnicity

• EthnicityEthnicity– ethnos = “people” or “nation”– a constructed identity that is tied to a

place … it is often considered “natural” because it implies ancient relations among people over time.

– Ethnicity can overlap with race– Ethnicity is not dependant on race

Immigration

• Waves of immigration into USWaves of immigration into US– 1st wave – to 1870

• North/Western Europe– 2nd wave – to 1914

• East/Southern Europe• East Asia• Quota systems• Immigration slowed until after WWII

– 3rd wave – current wave• Quotas eliminated in 1965• Latin America, Asia, Africa• Some come illegally (without going through the

legal immigration process)

Population in the U.S. by Race, 2000• In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau allowed In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau allowed

Americans to categorize themselves as one race Americans to categorize themselves as one race or more than one race.or more than one race.

Demographic Shifts in US

• Estimated Percentage of U.S. Population Estimated Percentage of U.S. Population by Race and Ethnicity until 2050 by Race and Ethnicity until 2050

In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau calculated race and Hispanic origin separately. Estimates are that by 2050, the “White, non-Hispanic population will no longer be the majority.

Acculturation & Assimiliation

• Amalgamation theoryAmalgamation theory– “Melting pot” – ethnicities blend into one

• AcculturationAcculturation– Immigrants adopt the mainstream culture– Leads to loss of cultural identity– Generational

• AssimilationAssimilation– Complete integration– Sometimes forced. Ex: Native Americans early

20th century– Competition theory: minorities in close

proximity experienced heightened ethnic identity

Identity

• Identity – “how we make sense of Identity – “how we make sense of ourselves” – Roseourselves” – Rose– identity is a snapshot of who we are at a

point in time– Identities are fluid, constantly changing,

shifting, becoming.– Identities vary across scales, and affect

each other across scales.• How do we establish identities?How do we establish identities?

– experiences, emotions connections, and rejections.

– identifying against (defining the other and then defining ourselves as “not that.”)

Gender• ““A culture’s A culture’s

assumptions assumptions about the about the differences differences between men and between men and women: their women: their ‘characters,’ the ‘characters,’ the roles they play in roles they play in society, what they society, what they represent.” - represent.” - Domosh and Domosh and SeagerSeager

Race

Categorization of humans based on skin color and other Categorization of humans based on skin color and other physical characteristics. Racial categories are social and physical characteristics. Racial categories are social and political constructions because they are based on ideas political constructions because they are based on ideas that some biological differences are more important than that some biological differences are more important than others.others.

• Racial DistinctionsRacial Distinctions– Often assigned or imposed by others– Often become ‘institutionalized’ and

cause division within a country• Residential segregation• Racialized divisions of labor• Racial categories defined by governments

– With globalization and migration, divisions are becoming blurred.

Race

Residential Segregation

• The “degree to which two or more groups The “degree to which two or more groups live separately from one another, in live separately from one another, in different parts of the urban environment.”different parts of the urban environment.”– Massey and Denton

• Sometimes done through legal meansSometimes done through legal means• Sometimes done as custom/traditionSometimes done as custom/tradition

– Self-imposed (esp. because of migration)– External causes (real estate agents, etc.)

• Sometimes happens due to economicsSometimes happens due to economics

Highest Rate of Residential Segregation for African Americans:

Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin

Lowest Rate of Residential Segregation for Hispanics/Latinos: Baltimore

for Asians/Pacific Islanders: Baltimore

Baltimore, MarylandBaltimore, Maryland

Invasion and Succession:

• Identities in Identities in NeighborhooNeighborhoods change ds change over timeover time– new

immigrants to a city often move to areas occupied by older immigrant groups.

Ethnic Groups in Los Angeles

• BarrioizationBarrioization– when the

population of a neighborhood changes over largely to Hispanics.

• cultural landscapes cultural landscapes change to reflect change to reflect changing changing populations.populations.

• strife is usually strife is usually tied to economic tied to economic change.change.

How do different places

(eg. Switzerland vs. New

Glarus, Wisconsin) create

different identities(Swiss vs. Swiss American)?

Ethnicity and Place

Ethnicity & Place• Places change when the people who live

there change. Ex: Mexicali

Identity and Space

• Space – “social relations stretched Space – “social relations stretched out”out”

• Place – “particular articulations of Place – “particular articulations of those social relations as they have those social relations as they have come together, over time, in that come together, over time, in that particular location.”particular location.”– Massey and Jess

• When people make places, they do When people make places, they do so in the context of surrounding so in the context of surrounding social relationships.social relationships.

Power Relationships

• Power Relationships:Power Relationships:– Assumptions and structures about who is in

control, who has power over others– Subjugate groups of people, enables society to

enforce cultural and social norms. Ex: Jim Crow laws

• How are power relationships reflected in How are power relationships reflected in cultural landscapes (the visible human cultural landscapes (the visible human imprint on the landscape)? imprint on the landscape)? – Affect the cultural landscape by determining

what is seen and what is not.– Dominant cultures tend to leave a more lasting

imprint.

Conflict affects cultural landscape

Belfast, Northern Ireland

How do Power Relationships Determine How People are Counted?

• The U.S. Census undercounts:The U.S. Census undercounts:– minority populations– the homeless

• The Gross National Income (GNI) The Gross National Income (GNI) does not count:does not count:– unpaid work of women in the household

• If women’s productivity were given a dollar value, annual GNI would increase by 1/3

– work done by rural women in poorer countries• In difficult economic times, women experience job

contraction first.

Informal Economy• Private, often home-based activities such Private, often home-based activities such

as tailoring, beer brewing, food as tailoring, beer brewing, food preparation, or vegetable gardening.preparation, or vegetable gardening.

Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

• populate much of populate much of the rural areas, as the rural areas, as men migrate to men migrate to cities for workcities for work

• produce 70% of the produce 70% of the region’s food. region’s food.

• only a small only a small percentage of percentage of women have legal women have legal title to their land.title to their land.

Dowry Deaths in India

• Murders of brides Murders of brides (often by burning) (often by burning) when a dispute when a dispute arises over a dowry.arises over a dowry.

• Difficult to “legislate Difficult to “legislate away” the power away” the power relationships that relationships that lead to dowry lead to dowry deaths deaths

• female infanticide is female infanticide is also tied to the also tied to the disempowerment of disempowerment of womenwomen