SOC263H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Essentialism, Antonio Gramsci, Racialization
Document Summary
Sociologist use the term reification to refer to the processes in which abstact concepts become real, usually processed of reification involve a generally held acceptance of a particular concept as immutable and somehow grounded in nature. Scholars who see reification as a problem argue that race as a category of sociological analysis should be abandoned entirely. Montagu argues against the use of mainstream classifications of race that relied on biological or physiological criteria. People can be neatly divided and classified into different racial categories on the basis of some physical characteristics or genetic difference. View race as social construction rather than biological essence. Omi and winant say it is only by noticing race that we can begin to challenge racism. Race is not rooted in biology is not a natural category of distinction. Race is socially constructed, and the social construction of race does matter.
