Sociological Meanings of Basic Concepts
Lecture Notes
Understanding Discrimination.
The concept of discrimination, distinguishing between
relative and absolute deprivation, and discussing the important concepts of total and institutional discrimination.
Absolute deprivation is a fixed standard based on a minimum level of subsistence below which families should not be expected to exist
Relative deprivation is the conscious feeling of a negative discrepancy between legitimate expectations and present actualities
Total discrimination refers to current discrimination operating in the current labor market and past discrimination
What is the difference between relative and absolute deprivation? How does this help you to understand the level of discrimination currently faced by minorities in the United States?
Institutional discrimination: so embedded in society in a way when it happens we are not necessarily aware of it.
institutional racism: acts committed collectively against an entire group because of its racial makeup
Affirmative Action. (the nature of the controversy)
What is affirmative action? According to the text, how are affirmative action efforts effective in dealing with current and past discrimination?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 initiated affirmative action programs:
Prohibits discrimination in public accommodations and publicly owned facilities on the basis of race, gender, national origins
Affirmative action laws promotes positive efforts to recruit minority group members or women for jobs, promotions, and educational opportunities
Reverse discrimination: the idea that affirmative action programs unfairly penalize White males
Merton's Typology
This is Merton's Typology about the relationship between prejudice and discrimination.
