Race and Ethnicity

1
Race and Ethnicity

• Dilworth-Anderson, P., Burton, L. M.,
  Johnson, L. B. (1993). Reframing theories for
  understanding race, ethnicity, and families. In
  P. G. Boss, W. J. Doherty, R. LaRossa, W. R.
  Schumm, S. K. Steinmetz (Eds.), Sourcebook of
  family theories and methods A contextual
  approach (pp. 627-649). New York Plenum Press.

2
Definitions

• Race
• Cultural construction of identity based on social
  description.
• From this perspective, race has a cultural
  reality.
• Ethnicity
• An experientially based identity that is part of
  an ongoing process.
• It is part of the social self which contributes
  to a personal sense of peoplehood as well as a
  sense of shared identity with others form the
  same group.

3
Definitions (cont.)

• Minority group
• Any collective of people (e.g., women,
  Native-Americans, African-Americans,
  Hispanic-Americans) that is assigned a low social
  position.
• This low social position reflects oppression,
  suppression, and discrimination that is
  experienced in almost all aspects of life.
• Culture a subjective and objective expression of
  self which represents the encompassing aspects of
  a persons life it includes racial and ethnic
• rituals
• symbols
• language
• general patterns of behavior.

4
Impact of Assumptions, Values, and Ethnic Reality

• From age four, European-American children hold
  negative attitudes toward other groups (Aboud,
  1987) which are reinforced at all levels (e.g.,
  from parents, media, teachers) (Phinney
  Rotheram, 1987).
• Values and scientific truths are confused when
  scholars uncritically use their personal cultural
  frameworks to define and report on a culture
  other than their own.

5
Three Approaches to Value Intrusion in Social
Science

• Value rejection suggest that social scientists
  can be objective so values do not influence
  theory and research.
• Value separation approach social science as if
  it is possible to separate values from research
  and theory.
• Value espousal scholars should clearly
  articulate their values so that readers may
  understand the complete nature of the research.

6
Example of Research Which Reflects Bias

• Moynihan (1965), a European-American
• Described deterioration of African-American
  families.
• Suggested that social policies should be
  developed which would change their inferior
  values and structure.
• Hill (1972), an African-American
• Observed the resilience of African-American
  families.
• Recommended social policies which would build on
  these strengths.

7
Dimensions Which Influence Thinking About
Diversity

• Social climate and social change influence theory
  (e.g., genetic pathology versus cultural
  relativity), research, and practice.
• Presence of minorities in studies of the family
  and method of group comparison.
• Definition of the family (e.g., nuclear versus
  extended blood relationship versus other
  networks known as fictive kin).

8
Creating New Ways of Thinking

• Adopt a multi-disciplinary perspective in order
  to avoid discipline-bound truths.
• Identify and use culturally relevant concepts
  examine various methodologies to understand
  minority families examine culture and
  experiences expressed through
• art,
• music,
• dance,
• literature,
• and folktales.

9
Cultural Relevance in Existing Theory

• The Life Course Perspective
• Strengths for studying diversity
• It is based on an interdisciplinary way of
  thinking.
• It is flexible and dynamic, focusing on the
  interlocking nature of individual trajectories,
  re
• temporal motion
• culture
• social change
• Modified perspective Kin-scripts framework
  reviews
• temporal and interdependent dimensions of role
  transitions
• transmission of family norms
• process of negotiation and reciprocity

10
Cultural Relevance in Existing Theory (cont.)

• Family Stress Theory
• Limited attempts to make this approach culturally
  relevant.
• Suggestions to enhance cultural relevance
• Recognize that minority families emphasize
  survival over adaptation adaptation is a
  fundamental theme in family stress theory.
• Survival suggests an ongoing struggle to maintain
  psychosocial balance without loss of identity.

11
Cultural Relevance in Existing Theory (cont.)

• Feminist Ideology
• Some scholars (e.g., Collins, 1990 Giddings,
  1984 La Rue, 1970) dispute a central feminist
  assumption they object to the tenet that women
  are oppressed.
• Rather, these scholars suggest that opportunities
  for women are restricted, suggesting that they
  experience suppression.
• Distinction between terms
• Oppression refers to almost total restriction
  from access to benefits, rights, and privileges
  in society.
• Suppression refers to a lesser degree of
  restriction.