WGSS 1105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Herd Mentality, Media Create

• School: UConn
• Department: Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• Course: WGSS 1105
• Professor: Sherry Zane

Document Summary

Social constructions theory argues against (biological determinism) essentialism challenges the natural status of domains human actions have been and continue to be subject to historical forces and thus, to change. Race a social construct not determined by a single gene or cluster not marked by important differences in gene frequencies, the rates or appearance f a certain type of gene. More genetic variation between people who are labeled as black or white then there are among them goes against: racial divisions reflect fundamental genetic differences. Hegemony: is the power of dominance that one social group holds over others. Essentialism: belief that certain behaviors are natural based on genetic, biological, or physiological mechanisms. Social construction theory: movement that opposes essentialism, human actions are subject to historical forces and to change. Racism: belief that characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others.