There are very few things that are more boring than reading a bunch of definitions online, but, in light of some of the recent diaries and discussion on dKos regarding race in America, I think it is important to learn about some concepts of race and discrimination. I'll try to pepper the discussion with some "fun" anecdotes, like why some of my classmates think its no big deal to call a Polish person a DP, or why black men cannot be gay.
That doesn't mean that everyone will agree on what defines "racism" or "prejudice." In fact, within my own field of study there are variations and disagreements. Across specialties there will be even more. It is still worthwhile to see what has come before, however, and it is with that spirit I offer some of these terms for discussion.
Prejudice
In terms of race, prejudice can be defined as:
An arbitrary belief or feeling toward an ethnic group or its individual members
(Marger, 67)
This definition can be expanded, of course, to more than racial or ethnic groups. One can certainly hold an "arbitrary belief" toward feminists (uppity freaks), Republicans (bastards), or Armando (I'd fear for my life if I were snarky here).
These prejudices are based on stereotypes. Stereotypes are overly generalized or exaggerated images that people attribute to races. These exaggerated generalizations are then applied to all people of a particular group- even if individual members of that group do not exhibit anything similar to the stereotype. This helps prejudiced people to justify their beliefs. It makes it okay to hate African Americans, for example, if you think they are lazy. You don't hate black people, you hate lazy black people, which happens to be all of them. See how easy that was?
It is important to note that some generalizations are necessary. Can you imagine having to re-lean every social rule or behavior, for every situation, ever? It's not really possible, so you generalize that professors will stand at the lectern, your boss won't hit you in the face when you walk in the door, and George W. Bush will make an ass out of himself whenever he opens his mouth. And sometimes when it doesn't.
Stereotypes are not the generalizations that help get us through our day. They are extreme (i.e. All Irish people are drunks!), founded in emotion and not rationality (All Irish people are drunks because I said so!), and tend to persist even though there are examples to the contrary (All Irish people are drunks because I said so despite the many Irish people who have never touched a drop of alcohol!)
Racism
At its simplest, racism is defined as:
The belief that some racial groups are inherently inferior to others
(Lauer and Lauer, 252)
Simple, right? Eleven words to sum up the entire concept. If only it were so easy.
The power that race has plays within a social context. Privately, if I think that Latinos are less intelligent and lazy, it matters little in the grand scheme of things. I may be an ignorant fool, but, were I an island, I would not affect others. Since I am not an island, my beliefs matter. There is a famous concept in sociology, put forth by W.I. Thomas:
If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences
In other words, it doesn't matter if George W. Bush has bungled the so-called war terror beyond belief. If voters believe that he is making them safer, voters will behave accordingly. They will vote for him, support his policies, and generally frustrate us to the point of losing our minds. Or is that just me? Consequently, Bush will earn votes, pass policy, and...generally frustrate us to the point of losing our minds.
The concept is true for racism. If someone believes that Jewish people make the best accountants, they will behave accordingly. Consequently, some accounting firms may refuse to hire people of different backgrounds.
Which brings us nicely to the next term.
Discrimination
Behavior aimed at denying members of particular ethnic groups equal access to societal rewards. Thus, discrimination goes well beyond merely thinking unfavorably about members of certain groups
(Marger, 78)
Here is where those "consequences" come to pass. Prejudice is an arbitrary belief, racism is the belief that some racial groups are inferior, and discrimination is the action that people engage in, in furtherance of these beliefs.
Trying to discuss all the ways people are discriminated against would be a huge undertaking. It can vary in type and degree. Generally there are two types of discrimination, individual and institutional.
Individual discrimination or
Actions taken by individuals or groups of limited size to injure or deny members of minority ethnic groups (Marger, 80)
is often what one thinks of when the term "discrimination" pops up.
The manager, lawyer, or realtor who turns away applicants, clients, or homeowners is participating in individual discrimination. Institutional discrimination, is, in my opinion, much more pernicious and problematic.
Institutional discrimination is
the maintenance of discriminatory behavior through the policies and practices of institutions. That is, whether or not people act out of prejudice, the operative policies and practices guarantee that minorities will suffer discriminatory treatment
(Lauer and Lauer, 256)
Such discrimination used to be legal. It was legal to refuse to sell a home to a person based on the color of their skin. Today, such behavior is no longer given the sanction of the law, but the discriminatory practices still remain- usually as remnants of previous legal discrimination.
For decades, African Americans were discriminated against in the housing market. Realtors refused to show them housing outside the established black neighborhoods. If they did manage to move out, they faced violence and mobs if they moved into a white neighborhood. They could not obtain mortgages. Redlining was common. All too often, African Americans were forced to stay in inadequate housing and were removed from social and economic capital. This persists today. African Americans frequently live in central cities where the schools are in disarray and jobs are scarce (to put it mildly). As such, it is difficult to go to college. If one doesn't have a college degree, one is unqualified for many jobs. In other words:
Companies won't hire applicants without a degree.
One cannot get a degree unless one is financially and educationally prepared to go to college.
One finds it extremely difficult to become financially and educationally prepared to go to college if one is living in poverty in the inner city
If one is black, one is disproportionately going to fit these social, financial, and geographic conditions.
Black people are therefore discriminated against when applying for certain positions.
It isn't discrimination based on a racist human resources manager, which would be individual discrimination, but instead it is discrimination based on a larger societal structure that keeps minorities from social and economic capital.
Thoughts
This diary doesn't even touch on some of the very important discussions of race in this country, and of that I am painfully aware. It seems very empty to try to discuss the concept of "race" without once mentioning the concept of "class." Sometimes it seems, however, that at dKos we jump ahead of ourselves. How can one discuss the solutions to racism in America without trying to come to terms with what racism is? Again, not everyone will agree with the definitions or examples that I've laid out here, but it seems like having that discussion is a necessary precursor to getting into the nitty gritty of solutions and specifics.
So, what say you? Do these examples and concepts square with what you may have seen, studied, or experienced? What should be done about it? What can the Democratic party do to ensure equal opportunity? What can they do to end discrimination?
Sources
Lauer, Robert and Jeanette Lauer. Sociology: Contours of Society link
Marger, Martin. Race and Ethnic Relations link