SOC 030 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Social Stratification
Racial Inequality
Racial Formation in the United States
-Michael Omi and Howard Winant
-Outlines what race is in the U.S. is and how it came to be
-In order to understand racial inequality we have to first understand what race is- to
understand what race is, we have to understand the historical social conditions form
which it was formed.
-The formation of race is grounded in social conflict
-Race and racial inequality grounded in social conflict
-Race and racial inequality are deeply tied
-Race is a “template” for inequality
What is race?
“Race is a concept, a representation or signification of identity that refers to different types of human
bodies, to the perceived corporeal and phenotypic markers of difference and the meanings and social
practices that are ascribed to these differences.” (pg. 111)
-Socially constructed categories of people
-Not rooted in biology
-Based on phenotypic markers- hair, skin color, facial features, etc.
-Phenotypic markers, “May be arbitrary, but they are not meaningless.” (pg. 111)
-Selection of phenotypic markers is rooted in social conflict
-Not fixed- racial categories and boundaries are always changing
-While race is not biologically real, it is socially real
-Has real social consequences
Race vs. Ethnicity
What is the difference between race and ethnicity?
-Race- what are you?
-Seen as biological
-Marked by physical characteristics
-Do not essentially share cultural traits
-What are you?
-Ethnic groups- cultural-where are you from?
-Share a common language, geographic location/place of origin, religion, history,
traditions, values, beliefs, food habits, etc.
-Racial categories came out of colonialism while ethnicity came out of nation-state formations
-Ethnic categories can function like racial categories- some categories are both
Race as a Master Category
-Master Category: “ a fundamental concept that has profoundly shaped and continues to shape
the history, polity, economic structures, and culture of the United States.” (p. 106)
-“Fundamental organizing principle of social stratification”
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Document Summary
Outlines what race is in the u. s. is and how it came to be. In order to understand racial inequality we have to first understand what race is- to understand what race is, we have to understand the historical social conditions form which it was formed. The formation of race is grounded in social conflict. Race and racial inequality grounded in social conflict. Race and racial inequality are deeply tied. Based on phenotypic markers- hair, skin color, facial features, etc. Phenotypic markers, may be arbitrary, but they are not meaningless. (pg. Selection of phenotypic markers is rooted in social conflict. Not fixed- racial categories and boundaries are always changing. While race is not biologically real, it is socially real. Share a common language, geographic location/place of origin, religion, history, traditions, values, beliefs, food habits, etc. Racial categories came out of colonialism while ethnicity came out of nation-state formations. Ethnic categories can function like racial categories- some categories are both.
