SOC 201 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Wild Beasts, Ethnocentrism
Document Summary
The positive side of ethnocentrism is that it brings together people and builds solidarity within a particular society. It is similar to believing that your team is the best team. Much as believing that one"s team is the best helps to unite students and boost school spirit, believing that one"s culture is the best helps to unite people in society. To use durkheim"s phrasing, ethnocentrism promotes social solidarity. The negative (or dysfunctional) side of ethnocentrism is that it can lead to nasty consequences: prejudice, discrimination, even genocide or ethnic cleansing. For example, in 1619, a group of religious dissidents in england sought a place where they could have religious freedom. Here"s how one of their leaders, william bradford, explained the pilgrims" rationale: Because the native inhabitants of north america had different customs and lifestyles, they were seen by these english as less than human and more like wild beasts.
