SOSC 1350 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Dean Spade, Racism, Social Constructionism

• School: York University
• Department: Social Science
• Course: SOSC 1350
• Professor: Reese Simpkins

Document Summary

Lecture 3- gender and race in socio-legal studies. One hand we have idea of the law and impartial, neutral, just, while the other hand: we have evidence that tells us that actually law marginalizes a whole host of differences based on race, class gender, etc. Ovl is a myth, at best goal/idea law doesn"t really work this way. Reciprocal relationship between law and society: law in society determines how it is able to function. As biological (biological essentialism) (myth) -essential characteristics that are based on biology. Positivist- race as: fixed, embodied difference based on biology that cant be changed. Socio-demographic variable (communities, certain races live in certain communities, so race is wrapped up in this biological aspect and can"t be changes). Based on criminogenic properties (some races are more prone to commit crime). Don"t question idea of race, accept it as a given.