SOCIOL 208 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Heredity
24 May 2018
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2 General Types of Definitions of Race
Biological - Race and racial inequality is related to physical makeup of an individual and
their biological inheritance from their parents.
Social - Race and racial inequality is related to distinctions in treatment by both
individuals and social structures, and behaviors of individuals.
Three Concepts of Interest
1. DuBois’ Social Problem
W.E.B. DuBois
• Bio
o First black person to get doctorate from Harvard
• Philadelphia Negro
o Susan Wharton commissioned him to write it
o Concerned about black people overwhelming the ‘good stock’ of
Philadelphia
o Penn wouldn’t give him a doctorate
o In the book:
▪ “The phenomena of society are worth the most careful and
systematic study”
▪ Discuss social problems affecting blacks
• Poverty
• High mortality
• Unemployment
▪ Set up study to look at historical development of these social
problems
▪ Highlight necessity of studying them
▪ Outline what to do in the future
o His definition of a social problem:
▪ Failure of an organized social group to realize it’s groups ideals,
through the inability to adapt a certain desired line of action to
given conditions of life
• Saying one thing; doing something else
▪ His social problem:
• Blacks’ not sharing in full national life (voting, employment
restrictions)
o 2 reasons for exclusion from full national life:
▪ Black culture - enslavement and Black codes have led to high
levels of crime and disease, low levels of education, and sexual
immorality
▪ Discrimination - many believe that blacks do not constitute viable
citizens and should not have access to certain
economic/educational resources
Components of a racial ideology (St. Clair Drake)
1. An aesthetic appraisal of physical features
2. A mythology about traits of mind and personality correlated with physical features
3. A belief in the power of blood to elevate of to taint (something that is part of you;
passed down to your kids)
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