Question 1

The unfavorable treatment of people because of their race is called
A) socially constructed discrimination.
B) racial discrimination.
C) racial prejudice.
D) legitimate prejudice.

Accepted Answer

Racial discrimination refers to the unfavorable treatment of individuals based on their race, which can manifest in various aspects of life such as employment, education, and access to services.

Question 2

Scientific racism refers to a school of thought that held that (1) humanity can indeed be divided into separate and distinct races, (2) race enables us to explain the most basic differences among people, and (3) some races are superior to others.

Accepted Answer

Scientific racism is a pseudoscientific belief that empirical evidence exists to support or justify racism (racial discrimination), racial inferiority, or racial superiority. Historically, it received credence in the scientific community but is no longer considered valid.

Question 3

Refusing to give a good worker a raise in pay just because he is black or Hispanic is an example of
A) sexism.
B) discrimination.
C) reverse discrimination.
D) affirmative action.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of discrimination, which refers to unfair or prejudicial treatment of people based on characteristics such as race, age, sex, or religion. In this case, the refusal to give a raise based on the worker's race fits the definition of racial discrimination.

Question 4

Opponents of preferential hiring practices argue that the only standard for awarding jobs is
A) competence.
B) diversity.
C) equal opportunity.
D) justice.

Accepted Answer

Opponents of preferential hiring practices typically argue that jobs should be awarded based on competence alone, emphasizing merit and qualifications over other factors.

Question 5

Judith Jarvis Thomson argues that ________ are the best and most suitable form of compensation for the past ill treatment of minorities.
A) civil rights laws
B) reparation payments
C) scholarships
D) jobs

Accepted Answer

The answer of Judith Jarvis Thomson argues that ________ are...

Question 6

According to one argument, when blacks get preferential treatment in employment some white males end up losing out-even though these whites had no part in past racism and may have never discriminated against anyone. Supporters of preferential hiring practices will say that
A) these policies will actually benefit white males and minorities equally.
B) all white males are actually racist, even if they don't mean to be.
C) the injustice to white males makes amends for past injustices to minorities.
D) white males benefit from a history of policies that discriminate against minorities.

Accepted Answer

Supporters argue that white males have historically benefited from systemic advantages and policies that discriminated against minorities, so preferential treatment helps level the playing field.

Question 7

Almost everyone agrees that
A) efforts should be made to end discrimination against minorities and women.
B) a proportion of available positions should be reserved for minorities and women.
C) preferential treatment on the basis of race, gender, or minority status is always wrong.
D) strong affirmative action is reverse discrimination against white males.

Accepted Answer

Efforts to end discrimination against minorities and women are widely supported as a means to promote equality and fairness in society. This includes initiatives to ensure equal opportunities in employment, education, and other areas, without necessarily implying quotas or preferential treatment.

Question 8

Lawrence Blum says that the two key concepts in the definition of racism are
A) generalization and inference.
B) ignorance and assumptions.
C) superiority and arrogance.
D) inferiorization and antipathy.

Accepted Answer

Lawrence Blum defines racism as involving the concepts of inferiorization and antipathy, where one group is seen as inferior to another and is treated with hostility or dislike.

Question 9

Widespread advertisement of job openings to groups not previously represented in certain privileged positions is an example of
A) preferential hiring.
B) reverse discrimination.
C) weak affirmative action.
D) strong affirmative action.

Accepted Answer

Widespread advertisement of job openings to underrepresented groups is an example of weak affirmative action, which aims to ensure equal opportunity by broadening the pool of candidates through inclusive advertising, rather than giving preferential treatment based on specific characteristics.

Question 10

The sociologist Tanya Maria Golash-Boza says that race is
A) a natural phenomenon.
B) an inevitable factor in hiring decisions.
C) a social construction.
D) a biological category.

Accepted Answer

Race is considered a social construction because it is understood and defined differently across cultures and historical periods, rather than being rooted in distinct biological or genetic differences.

Question 11

Suppose there are two equally qualified candidates for a single position. The only difference between them is that one is white and the other is a person of color. The best decision according to weak affirmative action is to
A) award the position to the person of color to fill a quota.
B) award the position to the person of color to make amends for generations of racism.
C) use a random process to determine which candidate is awarded the position.
D) use race as a tiebreaker and award the position to the person of color.

Accepted Answer

Weak affirmative action suggests using race as a tiebreaker in situations where candidates are equally qualified, to address historical imbalances and promote diversity.

Question 12

Some argue that affirmative action policies are needed to make amends for past wrongs. This argument appeals to the concept of
A) compensatory justice.
B) distributive justice.
C) punitive justice.
D) retributive justice.

Accepted Answer

Compensatory justice refers to the idea of making amends for past wrongs by providing benefits or compensation to those who have been wronged. Affirmative action policies, which aim to provide opportunities to historically marginalized groups, can be seen as an attempt to compensate for past discrimination and injustices, aligning with the concept of compensatory justice.

Question 13

Some argue that preferential programs create role models for minorities and women. These role models are essential for demonstrating to young people that significant achievement is possible. Opponents reply that
A) preferential programs do not actually create role models for minorities and women.
B) there are already enough role models for minorities and women.
C) role models are not needed for young people to know that achievement is possible.
D) the best role models are people who are the most competent, regardless of race or gender.

Accepted Answer

The opponents' argument focuses on the quality and competence of role models rather than their race or gender, suggesting that the best role models are those who excel in their fields, irrespective of their background.

Question 14

Unequal treatment that arises from the way organizations, institutions, and social systems operate is referred to as
A) individual racism.
B) global racism.
C) veiled racism.
D) structural racism.

Accepted Answer

Structural racism refers to the systemic inequality rooted in the normal operation of institutions and societies, which results in the unequal distribution of resources, rights, and opportunities among racial groups.

Question 15

According to Carl Cohen, "Preference creates that burden; it makes a stigma of the race of those who are preferred by race. An ethnic group given special favor by the community is marked as needing special favor-and the mark is borne prominently by every one of its members." In this passage, Cohen is rejecting which argument used to support strong affirmative action?
A) Race preferences make amends for generations of injustices toward minorities and women.
B) Preferential programs can increase racial and cultural diversity.
C) Strong affirmative action may be able to eradicate racism and transform our race-conscious society.
D) Race preferences create role models for minorities and women whose self-esteem and hopes for success have been dimmed by generations of discrimination.

Accepted Answer

Cohen argues that race preferences create a stigma and mark those who are preferred as needing special favor, which contradicts the idea that strong affirmative action can eradicate racism and transform society.

Question 16

The main point of a quota is to ensure that
A) only the most competent applicants are hired.
B) a sufficient number of minorities or women apply.
C) an organization has a predetermined percentage of minority members or women.
D) reparations are given to those who have suffered the most.

Accepted Answer

Quotas are typically implemented to ensure that an organization includes a certain percentage of minority members or women, aiming to promote diversity and address historical imbalances in representation.

Question 17

In many contexts, scholars find that students perform better in school when their credentials are closer to those of their classmates, whereas they have more trouble persisting in a difficult major, graduating from college, or getting a good job when they are surrounded by peers who have much higher credentials. This has been referred to as the mismatch effect. If we assume the mismatch effect is real, what would a utilitarian say this suggests about the use of strong affirmative action?
A) The mismatch effect is not relevant to the issue of strong affirmative action.
B) The mismatch effect illustrates how strong affirmative action is not always beneficial to minorities.
C) The mismatch effect illustrates the importance of diversity in these contexts.
D) The mismatch effect illustrates how strong affirmative action is almost always beneficial to minorities.

Accepted Answer

A utilitarian, focusing on the greatest good for the greatest number, would likely interpret the mismatch effect as suggesting that strong affirmative action, by placing students in environments where their credentials significantly differ from their peers, might not always serve the best interests of the intended beneficiaries, potentially leading to negative outcomes such as lower persistence in difficult majors, graduation rates, or employment prospects.

Question 18

A key argument for strong affirmative action is based on
A) policies of reverse discrimination.
B) feelings of guilt on the part of white males.
C) a history of injustices against minorities.
D) scientific evidence demonstrating the benefits of diversity.

Accepted Answer

A key argument for strong affirmative action is based on a history of injustices against minorities, aiming to correct systemic inequalities and provide equal opportunities.

Question 19

According to Lawrence Blum, popular thinking about race generally dispenses with the biological component, but not with the idea of ________, the notion that "certain traits of mind, character, and temperament are inescapably part of a racial group's 'nature' and hence define its racial fate."
A) inherency
B) inevitability
C) incomprehensibility
D) incoherence

Accepted Answer

Inherency is the correct term as it refers to the belief that certain characteristics are inherent, or naturally occurring, within a racial group, which aligns with Lawrence Blum's discussion on how popular thinking about race often retains the idea that specific traits are an inescapable part of a racial group's nature.

Question 20

In 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
A) using quota systems in college admissions is constitutional.
B) using quota systems in college admissions is unconstitutional.
C) any consideration of race or minority status in admissions is unconstitutional.
D) any consideration of race or minority status in admissions is constitutional.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 1978 case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke that quota systems in college admissions are unconstitutional, but it allowed for race to be one of several factors in the college admission process.

Quiz 14: Racism, Equality, and Discrimination

The unfavorable treatment of people because of their race is called

Scientific racism refers to a school of thought that held that (1) humanity can indeed be divided into separate and distinct races, (2) race enables us to explain the most basic differences among people, and (3) some races are superior to others.

Refusing to give a good worker a raise in pay just because he is black or Hispanic is an example of

Opponents of preferential hiring practices argue that the only standard for awarding jobs is

Judith Jarvis Thomson argues that ________ are the best and most suitable form of compensation for the past ill treatment of minorities.

According to one argument, when blacks get preferential treatment in employment some white males end up losing out-even though these whites had no part in past racism and may have never discriminated against anyone. Supporters of preferential hiring practices will say that

Almost everyone agrees that

Lawrence Blum says that the two key concepts in the definition of racism are

Widespread advertisement of job openings to groups not previously represented in certain privileged positions is an example of

The sociologist Tanya Maria Golash-Boza says that race is

Suppose there are two equally qualified candidates for a single position. The only difference between them is that one is white and the other is a person of color. The best decision according to weak affirmative action is to

Some argue that affirmative action policies are needed to make amends for past wrongs. This argument appeals to the concept of

Some argue that preferential programs create role models for minorities and women. These role models are essential for demonstrating to young people that significant achievement is possible. Opponents reply that

Unequal treatment that arises from the way organizations, institutions, and social systems operate is referred to as

The main point of a quota is to ensure that

A key argument for strong affirmative action is based on

According to Lawrence Blum, popular thinking about race generally dispenses with the biological component, but not with the idea of ________, the notion that "certain traits of mind, character, and temperament are inescapably part of a racial group's 'nature' and hence define its racial fate."

In 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that