Question 1

What is racism? How has "race" come to mean different things in the spheres of biology, popular perception, and anthropology? Illustrate with specific examples.

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Question 2

Japanese immigrants who came to the United States in the 1880s frequently took jobs as __________.

Accepted Answer

Japanese immigrants in the 1880s largely worked as agricultural laborers because they were recruited to work on Hawaii's sugar plantations and also settled in California where they worked on farms. They also faced discrimination and limited job opportunities, leading many to work on farms despite their diverse skill sets. Railroad building and mining were occupations more commonly filled by Chinese immigrants. Cattle herding was not a common job for Japanese immigrants in the 1880s.

Question 3

Discuss the processes that affect the ethnic composition of a society, including ethnic violence, segregation, assimilation, and stratification. Explain the philosophy behind each approach and describe a circumstance under which each has occurred.

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Question 4

How has the multiculturalist movement influenced life in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The multiculturalist movement has had a significant impact on education in the United States, leading to a reformation of curricula that includes the historical contributions of non-European ethnic groups. This has helped to reduce ethnocentrism and promote cultural sensitivity. However, there is still ongoing conflict among ethnic groups, particularly in areas of socioeconomic inequality and political representation.

Question 5

Which of the following was used to support the idea that early Italian and Polish immigrants to the United States were racially inferior?

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Question 6

Which of the following countries has the highest percentage of ethnic homogeneity?

Accepted Answer

Japan has a relatively high percentage of ethnic homogeneity, with around 98.5% of the population being of Japanese ethnicity. In contrast, China and Mexico have relatively diverse populations, with numerous ethnic groups represented. The United States is also a diverse country, with a long history of immigration and ethnic diversity.

Question 7

Define the circumstantialist and the primordialist models of ethnicity. Apply one of these models to an ethnic group with which you are familiar. How does it help you understand the concept of ethnicity?

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Question 8

The influx of Irish and German immigrants in the nineteenth century caused __________.

Accepted Answer

The influx of Irish and German immigrants in the nineteenth century led to a rise in xenophobia and nativistic movements among the WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) population. Many native-born Americans feared losing their jobs and cultural identity to the new immigrants, resulting in anti-immigrant sentiment and movements such as the Know-Nothing Party.

Question 9

Compare and contrast folk categories of race in the United States and Mexico. What criteria are used in each society? What effects have concepts of race had on how people are treated? How have advances in scientific technology been used to challenge or support popular concepts of race?

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Question 10

Compare and contrast two culturally pluralistic societies. What is the basis of cultural pluralism and how is it fostered and maintained in each of these societies? Do you think the United States is a culturally pluralistic society? Why or why not?

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Question 11

The model of ethnicity in which boundary markers such as language, clothing, or other traits are fluid and vary over time is called the __________.

Accepted Answer

The definition given is a key characteristic of the circumstantialist model. The ethnogenesis model emphasizes cultural creativity and synthesis, while the biological assimilation model emphasizes physical and genetic assimilation. The primordialist model emphasizes innate and unchanging traits as the basis of ethnicity.

Question 12

The Hispanic and Latino populations of the American Southwest became minorities when __________.

Accepted Answer

The American Southwest, which had a significant Hispanic and Latino population due to its history of colonization by Spain and Mexico, saw a decline in their numbers when Anglos rushed into the newly annexed territories in search of economic opportunities. This led to their displacement and marginalization, making them minorities in their own territory.

Question 13

Why do many Asian Americans resent being labeled the "model minority"? Do you think this stereotype is unfair? Why or why not?

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Question 14

Discuss the multicultural movement in the United States. How did it start? What are its goals? How is it connected to forces of globalization?

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Question 15

Nonvoluntary or forced cultural assimilation of a minority group by a government is termed __________.

Accepted Answer

Ethnocide refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the culture of an ethnic group by a dominant group. This can occur through forced cultural assimilation by a government, which involves suppressing the language, customs, and traditions of the minority group. Genocide involves the intentional killing of members of a particular ethnic or cultural group, while the "melting pot" approach refers to a cultural assimilation process that is voluntary and not enforced by the government. Segregation entails the separation of different ethnic or racial groups in society.

Question 16

Compare and contrast the experiences of the German and Irish immigrants to the United States in the nineteenth century with immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe in the early twentieth century. Why did they immigrate? What reception did they receive? How did they react and adapt?

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Question 17

Select an ethnic group with which you are familiar and describe the objective and subjective aspects of its ethnic identity. How does distinguishing between subjective and objective aspects help in understanding ethnicity? Be sure to define each concept in your response.

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Question 18

Today, the ethnic landscape in the United States is changing in part due to __________.

Accepted Answer

The higher birth rates among ethnic minorities are contributing to a changing ethnic landscape in the United States, as these populations grow in size and influence. A and B may have contributed to changes in the past, but are not relevant to the current ethnic landscape. C is not supported by demographic data.

Question 19

What are ethnonationalist movements? How do they develop? Support your answer with at least two examples.

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Question 20

The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in __________.

Accepted Answer

The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in the formation of independent countries based on ethnonational ideals. After the Soviet Union fell apart, the various ethnic groups that had been brought under Soviet rule began to assert themselves and seek autonomy for their respective regions, leading to the formation of independent countries based on ethnic identities.

Quiz 16: Ethnicity