...challenges to having such a diverse population. Fostering a culture of acceptance in society is key to reaping more benefits and reducing challenges. Mass media has an influential impact in society, perpetuating stereotypes or building appreciation for diversity. If individuals and the U.S can come together, they can reduce prejudice and increase acceptance and tolerance. Final Paper The plethora of information about diversity in the United States can give someone a better understanding than they may have previously had. Through understanding, a person may be able to better relate to someone that is different. Many websites are available on the Internet with information on the various diversity groups in America. The diversity of the U.S. is ever changing with immigration and inter-racial couples having children. As the country becomes more diverse, we will face challenges as well as receive benefits. The key to reaping more benefits, while reducing the challenges, is to foster a culture of acceptance in society. The media plays a large influential role in society and can work to perpetuate stereotypes and prejudice or build appreciation for diversity. Working together, the government and the people can work to reduce prejudice through education and intervention. What I Have Learned Better understanding of those who may be different can come through reading up on information about diversity within the U.S. Various forms of...
Words: 1543 - Pages: 7
...Goodmorning, have you ever truly considered how much you allow prejudices to affect your first impressions of others? Does “Aboriginal man” sound more threatening and imposing than “man” alone? Perhaps the word aboriginal carries negative connotations? For decades Aboriginals have been associated with stereotypes and prejudices claiming they are a culture of violent, lazy and unstructured primitives. But on what basis? Has anyone ever questioned the validity of these stereotypes or even the origins of them? Well if i could direct your attention back to term 1, when we explored the short story ‘Kill to Eat’ written by Kath Walker. The short story worked to reject these fictitious stereotypes and in doing so created a voice for the Aboriginal people. The stereotypes were combated through the author's skillful use of both text structure and language features alike. The voice provided in the text is most influentially characterised by the authors use of point of view. Kath Walker was an Aboriginal-Australian poet, educator and campaigner for Aboriginal rights. The text is a recount of her time as a child, when she was most impressionable. This is important as the first person perspective encourages the reader to put themselves in the same situation. Given that the author is targeting people who hold prejudices it is assumed they have little to no idea of aboriginal life, and just like the impressionable little girl they must discover their own way and come about understanding...
Words: 538 - Pages: 3
...Discrimination Assignment Introduction Stereotypical imagery and prejudice are biases, which function together in creating as well as maintaining social inequality. Prejudice can be described as personal feelings and attitudes that individuals have regarding other group members. On the other hand, stereotypes can be defined as beliefs regarding a group including a description of an individual, their abilities as well as their behaviour. Therefore, stereotypes cognitively represent how people are similar to other and their differences towards other groups. ‘Individuals can be aware of stereotypes and have cognitive representations of their beliefs without endorsing such stereotypes, without prejudice feelings as well as without having a belief that stereotypes can affect their behaviour and judgement’ (Charnley et al 2009: 195). Stereotyping as well as prejudice are considered as an adaptive processes product, which simplifies complex world towards enabling individuals to apply cognitive resources towards various tasks. Nevertheless, despite the function served by cognitively adaptive processes by use of mental shortcuts to make decisions regarding other people can result in serious negative outcomes (Smith 2008). The horrifying mistreatment of people in history including that of African American, homosexuals, people with disabilities, has been the main impulsion for prejudice as well as stereotypes study. Therefore, the original experiments and ideas are concerned with...
Words: 3153 - Pages: 13
...ethnic groups. While other groups came to seek their fortune in the “land of opportunity”, one group came to the America under duress. Each group found prejudice and discrimination. As the years passed and the country continued to grow, the barriers of prejudice and discrimination were beginning to crumble. The different groups began to accept the differences that accompanied the diversity of the nation. These changes bring up a question. Has the United States finally overcome our fear of diversity? If we examine the cultural background of Americans, we will discover many are of European descent. Many of our ancestors came looking for religious freedom. Others came to settle debts they had in their homeland. Some citizens are descendants of slaves who were sold to affluent citizens and plantation owners. The circumstances around people in these groups arrival resulted in prejudice and ethnocentrism. Prejudice was not just directed toward African Americans during the 19th century. German, Irish, Polish, Chinese and Italian immigrants found themselves the victims of prejudice and discrimination (Schaeffer, 2013). They came to the United States to find a better life. Many worked for wages which were less than Caucasian workers. Employers during this time would hire more immigrants because of this fact. Prejudice grew stronger toward these groups because they were taking the jobs away from white workers. This trend is still evident in...
Words: 1181 - Pages: 5
...deal of new information about diversity available during this course. There was never had much of a chance to learn about other cultures considering the current environment. Growing up in Salt Lake City Utah, which is almost entirely Caucasian, particularly in the more wealthy areas, diversity in cultural and racial systems was almost non-existent. The area is also not very mixed religiously, being almost entirely dominated by the Mormon Church. People of the catholic faith are in the minority in the area. This can give a point of view on discrimination that is not as common among Caucasian males as it is among females and people of other races in the United States. The interest in history meant that there was a great deal of familiarity with the history of discrimination, but the realization that many of those struggles still persist today was never appreciated. Learning more about the current conditions of the various races, particularly the difference in salary has helped foster the understanding that discrimination is still very present in today’s society. The presence of discrimination has also helped with understanding the current situation. As part of the racial, cultural, and gender benefited groups, there was no real discriminatory experience related to these aspects, but struggles with disability and membership in the religious minority makes this a very real issue. There is little to learn in relation to race culture and ethnicity for a Caucasian male, but there...
Words: 1145 - Pages: 5
...Nhung Le Ms. Rodriguez ETH/125 31 March 2012 Cultural Competence 1. Explore race relations in your community. What is the cultural/racial make-up of your community (For demographics of the city you live in search http://factfinder.census.gov/ , or other credible source)? Are you a member of the majority or minority racial or ethnic group in your community? What does it mean to be ________________ (your race) in your community? What does it mean to be ________________ (your ethnicity) in your community? How do community members treat you because of this? Do the leaders in your area represent community members like you? Do the local media (I.e. news, newspapers) represent community members like you equally and fairly? Are there racial/ethnic inequalities in your community? Explain. I explored the race relations in my community and the cultural/racial make-up of my community using 60135 is: Subject | 60135 5-Digit ZCTA, 601 3-Digit ZCTA | | Number | Percent | RACE | | | Total population | 6,007 | 100.0 | One race | 5,948 | 99.0 | White | 5,753 | 95.8 | Black or African American | 9 | 0.1 | American Indian and Alaska Native | 13 | 0.2 | American Indian | 7 | 0.1 | Alaska Native | 0 | 0.0 | Both American Indian and Alaska Native | 0 | 0.0 | American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified | 6 | 0.1 | Asian | 16 | 0.3 | Asian Indian | 0 | 0.0 | Chinese | 1 | 0.0 | Filipino | 5 | 0.1 | Japanese | 0 | 0.0 | Korean | 0 | 0.0 | Vietnamese...
Words: 3485 - Pages: 14
...In the 2005 block buster movie titled “Crash” one of the three sociological perspectives can be observed in this movie regarding to equality and life in America. Set in Los Angeles, this movie probed social and cultural stereotypes, race and social biases, and the conflict perspective that often ensues as a result. The blatant manner in which these sociological issues are revealed is often startling for the viewer, but the shocking nature is intentional in order to promote self-examination and reflection. The conflict perspective is presented in this movie dons on tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, including housing, money, access to services and political representation. This movie uses tension to advance the story line of each character forcing them into positions of conflict as well as dependence, and emphasizes the status of equality in America. In order to progress to a more equal society it is essential that Americans examine the biases presented in the movie Crash, especially those most often seen in modern society such as stereotyping, hate crimes, color blind racism and ethnocentrism. Stereotypes are defined as unreliable generalizations about all members of a group that do not recognize individual differences within the group. From the opening scene the movie depicts a car crash involving two police detectives and an Asian woman. The stereotyping begins immediately when the Asian woman tells the police officer writing the traffic report...
Words: 1068 - Pages: 5
...when analyzing and critiquing any film. In 2004 Paul Haggis wrote and directed the award winning drama Crash about various intertwining experiences involving racial relations and the socioeconomic status levels of the diverse cast of characters. This film addresses how humans being deal with real life circumstances and addresses how racial stereotypes and prejudices impact our society by causing a separation of customs, ignoring human and civil rights, and demonstrating how racism can cause moral, cultural and economical suffering. This detailed essay will address the cinematic elements employed throughout the movie, and provide a critical analysis on the various components and techniques used to create this compelling and powerful film. Crash is a movie that involves several different stories and plots that all manage to somehow connect the characters to each other in a series of events that take place during two days in California. America’s ever-growing melting pot is distinctly represented in the film as the audience is introduced to a black LAPD detective, two black mischievous car thieves, a white district attorney and his prejudice wife, a white racist beat cop and his neophyte partner, a black Hollywood director and his wife, an irate Persian shop owner and his family, and a blue-collar Hispanic man and his young impressionable daughter. The characters unrelated yet intertwining stories was a very unique and effective technique used to tell this story in a provocative...
Words: 2178 - Pages: 9
...Diversity Paper ETH 120 Shyamal Das Learning Team A Chelsey Bruton, Claudia Davila, Brianna Davis, Devon Hickman, Anita Lee, Alisha Meadows University of Phoenix February 23, 2015 Diversity is defined as a great deal of varieties. Diversity among people is a combination of different cultures, religions, skin tones, disabilities, morals, and values. The great thing about diversity in the United States is that it creates an exciting environment. Diversity enriches the living experience, we learn from those who have different perspectives on life. We accept that we are different and that we can learn cooperatively in the social, economic, and intellectual world. Diversity is valued because it helps to encourage growth, personal and professional (Schaefer, 2012). The important thing to learn is that as a society we can remember that it’s not about Black, White, Asian, Hispanic or Latino ethnicities but constantly focused on being one with my brothers or my sisters. We could use these words in our everyday lives to face any situation at hand (Kolb 2009). At the end of the day it’s about all our differences, melting into one pot and being stirred only to make a change. “The fusing process goes on as in a blast-furnace; one generation, a single year even—transforms the English, German, the Irish emigrant into an American. Uniform institutions, ideas, language, the influence of the majority, bring us in similar complexion; the individuality of the immigrant, almost even...
Words: 1332 - Pages: 6
...particulars of race challenges provide an interesting investigation to how current experiences are now different than ten years ago. The review of my neighborhood proves the notion on how promising diversity has changed the local community. Perspectives in Race in the Community Currently living in the suburbs, the neighborhood has a 2 to 1 ratio, in which, the majority is the minority race in the community. In my immediate neighborhood, the experience with my fellow neighbors are a welcoming aspect due to the flexibility of tolerance. The diversified demographics within my community are races from different ethnicity not just black and white but Latinos, Mexicans, Jamaicans, and Japanese. The perspective in my community provides an understanding how diversity enriches the awareness of other cultural lifestyles within the context of interaction with different ethnic groups. Do members of your community look like you? In what ways do they look the same or different? The members in my community are welcoming and thoughtful by projecting respectfulness in sharing the same amenities in the neighborhood without conflict. For instance, the local community has a vast array of diversified backgrounds that do not intrude on privacy or make stereotype assumptions of neighbors, instead, the interactions are cordially with each other. The children are diversified and plays well with each other by learning each other unique personality and culture. The children provides an opportunity for...
Words: 1667 - Pages: 7
...Here is the essay with the evidence and important facts highlighted. The Enduring Legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a pivotal moment in American history, a cultural and artistic explosion that challenged existing stereotypes about African-Americans and left an indelible mark on the nation's social and cultural landscape. At the heart of this movement was a profound assertion of black identity and a celebration of the unique experiences and perspectives of the African-American community. Through the work of its artists, writers, and intellectuals, the Harlem Renaissance not only transformed the way America viewed its black citizens, but also paved the way for future generations to embrace their heritage with pride. One of the most significant impacts of the Harlem Renaissance was its ability to shatter long-held stereotypes about African-Americans. Prior to this cultural awakening, the dominant narrative surrounding black Americans was one of inferiority, ignorance, and social marginalization. The Harlem Renaissance, however, presented a radically different vision, showcasing the intellectual and creative prowess of black individuals. Writers like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay used their work to celebrate the richness of African-American culture,...
Words: 520 - Pages: 3
...There is a widespread tendency for people to favour their own group over another group. This tendency has been variously labelled as ethnocentrism, intergroup bias, in‐group favouritism or in‐group /out group differentiation. It denotes a cultural narrowness in which the ethnically centred individual rigidly accepted those of the in‐group while rejecting those of the out‐group. In other words, Ethnocentrism is the point of view that one's own way of life is to be preferred to all others. Flowing logically from the process of early enculturation, it characterizes the way most individuals feel about their own culture, whether or not they verbalize their feeling. Therefore this essay will discuss what is understood by the term ethnocentrism and show how Ethnocentrism is bad in national politics. Firstly will define what ethnocentrism is, and discuss fully what is understood by the term. Secondly will show how ethnocentrism is bad for national politics. Thereafter a clear and concise conclusion will be drawn. Different scholars have given their understanding of the term ethnocentrism. According to anthropologists, the concept combines the belief that one’s own culture is superior to other cultures, with the practice of judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture (Den Van, 1970). Ethnocentrism is also defined as a feeling that one’s own group has a mode of living, values and patterns of adaptation that are superior to other groups. Ethnocentrism is a human universal...
Words: 2379 - Pages: 10
...pre-existing social strata of the region in which they inhabit. In other words, orientalism is a social “virus” that is often perpetuated, or “spread”, by fear of the unknown; a virus which insidiously promotes discrimination and segregation based off differences in both culture and appearance, flourishes amongst the ignorant and is prevalent throughout both America’s distant and recent history, as well as in the archives of world history. A parent to ignorance and the culprit to the divisive vices of racial prejudice of all creeds, a lack of sufficient education, along with blatant disregard for one’s global community, is the underlying reason why Orientalism is a recurring theme in history that has yet to be abolished entirely. However, there exist scholars and filmmakers, such as Le Espiritu, Sucheng Chan, Wakako Yamauchi, etcetera, who give hope to the fight against such ignorance by using their work to inform and educate the public in order to challenge such stereotypes and atrocious ways of thinking. In order to effectively and efficiently push against orientalism in today’s age of information, and secure a future for future generations in which no one racially profiles one another, discriminates against anyone else based on racial profiling, or constructs social barriers that belittle and...
Words: 3505 - Pages: 15
...Diversity can come in many forms: variations of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, customs, style, and age; almost anything that sets people apart and creates difference amongst a population or area. Whether people recognize it or not, diversity is everywhere. Nobody is exactly alike; everyone is different in some way or another. So many people are against the idea of diversity because they believe that one specific “group” is dominant over others, but what they don’t consider is how even the people within their own group are all different, too, in other ways. That is what I have learned about diversity: it comes in many forms and tends to be very controversial. I have also learned of the challenges derived from diversity and prejudices that can be and have been involved, and because of what I’ve learned, I understand that everyone is different, I am open to everyone, I do not discriminate, and with my past experiences put into consideration along with what the material has taught me, I can now more easily relate to other’s triumphs, issues,...
Words: 1644 - Pages: 7
...open private family life and intimate relations, for public gaze or scrutiny. The purpose of this essay for you to play the role of an ANTHROPOLOGIST studying STRANGE popular cultural treatments of: A) youth subculture; or, B) the nuclear family unit. Your outline and final essay must view either topic A or B from three different social science theoretical perspectives or theories (suggestions: structural functionalism, Marxism, deviance or labeling theory, feminism, men’s movement, queer theory, marketing theory, youth transition theory, leisure or sub-cultural theory, etc.). The movies will provide opportunities for you to practice casting a “serious eye” on the historical and social construction of “normal” class, race and gender roles, and their links to social institutions (family and school). You should look/imagine how the film provide “primary source” evidence of particular norms, values, ideologies, rituals or worldviews, at a point in time. The sitcoms tend to take a light-heated or silly approach to dark and serious social issues. You should look/imagine how sitcoms over 3 decades have emphasized elite prejudices, stereotypes, punished nonconformity, and promoted or reinforced heterosexism, classism, sexism, etc. AND also how sitcoms resisted them? Can sitcoms or films be forces for cultural change? Late Penalty: 1 mark per day. Not accepted after Feb 28th. Outline (PowerPoint or Prezi. Keep a CVC until your final essay is graded in April): Slides 1: Introduction...
Words: 441 - Pages: 2
