Question 1

The U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the subsequent war was the result of a long legacy of French and U.S. involvement in Vietnamese economic, military, and political life. Which term best describes that involvement?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. involvement in Vietnam was heavily influenced by the legacy of French colonialism, as Vietnam was a French colony before the U.S. became involved. The term "colonialism" best describes the historical context of foreign powers exerting control over Vietnam's economic, military, and political life.

Question 2

How does the U.S. census, taken every ten years since 1790, provide a window into the changing conception of "race"?

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Question 3

Compare and contrast how races have been constructed in two different cultures discussed in the text. What similarities are there, and how are they different? What does this tell us about the concept of race in general?

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Question 4

Explain how European colonial expansion gave rise to race and racism.

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Question 5

Explain what is meant by a "racial democracy" in Brazil. What are the effects of this?

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Question 6

In many countries, members of the dominant ethnic or racial group tend to favor other members of their own group, give them the benefit of any doubt, and take what they say more seriously. Minorities are often discounted as less important or even hostile for insisting on being treated fairly. In the United States, what do we call this discrepancy between the experiences of the dominant and the minority groups?

Accepted Answer

White privilege is a term used to describe the advantages and benefits that white people automatically receive in society due to their skin color, even if they are not consciously aware of it. This can include having their opinions taken more seriously, being given the benefit of the doubt, and being treated as the default or norm. Meanwhile, people of color, including ethnic and racial minorities, may face discrimination, bias, and unequal treatment simply because of their identity. Therefore, the discrepancy between the experiences of the dominant and minority groups can be attributed to white privilege.

Question 7

Explain what is meant by the concept of "white privilege."

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Question 8

Maria Kromidas's work in New York City schools reveals that children are creating a "new" racial category based on the post-September 11 media stories they receive. In this particular category, people are categorized by what factors?

Accepted Answer

Maria Kromidas's research shows that children are influenced by post-September 11 media narratives to categorize people as "foreign, strange, and Muslim," reflecting societal biases and stereotypes.

Question 9

Explain the concept of racialization and how it applies to Middle Eastern people in the United States. Why is this process reflected in the New York school system as studied by Maria Kromidas?

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Question 10

Explain how the idea of "white" or "whiteness" changed over time in the United States.

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Question 11

What do we call the British Empire's military, economic, and political control over many regions including Canada, the Caribbean, Bahrain, Mandatory Palestine, and India?

Accepted Answer

Colonialism refers to the control and exploitation of one country or region by another more powerful country. The British Empire's control over many regions including Canada, the Caribbean, Bahrain, Mandatory Palestine, and India is an example of colonialism.

Question 12

The story of Shellcracker Haven and how the local white residents were gradually disenfranchised from their lives and work because of their class status is a strong reflection of the tendency to do what to others?

Accepted Answer

The story reflects the tendency to stereotype others based on class status, leading to disenfranchisement and marginalization.

Question 13

Explain how and why the "one drop of blood rule" was traditionally used to determine race in American culture.

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Question 14

Explain how and why Jim Crow laws came to the American South.

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Question 15

Identify three reasons why anthropologists feel that the concept of "race" is a flawed system of classification, and give an example to support each reason.

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Question 16

Compare and contrast the concepts of genotype and phenotype. How do you think these concepts help us understand race, and why?

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Question 17

Compare and contrast the concepts of individual racism with institutional racism. Provide examples from class to support your points.

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Question 18

What do physical anthropologists call the continuum of human variation that occurs in a particular geographic space?

Accepted Answer

Physical anthropologists use the term "cline" to refer to the continuum of human variation that occurs in a particular geographic space. A cline is a gradual change in phenotype or genotype frequencies over a geographic area, often caused by environmental gradients or patterns of gene flow. This term is preferred over "race" or "ethnicity" because it acknowledges the continuous nature of human variation and highlights the role of environmental and historical factors in shaping biological diversity.

Question 19

In Living with Racism: The Black Middle-Class Experience (1994), sociologist Joe Feagin and psychologist Melvin Sikes write about middle-class African Americans who, despite their class status, continue to face racial discrimination. What concept did this study serve to highlight?

Accepted Answer

The study highlighted the concept of intersectionality, which recognizes that individuals experience multiple forms of oppression and discrimination based on their race, class, gender, and other identities. The Black middle-class individuals in the study faced discrimination not only based on their race but also their class, demonstrating the importance of understanding the intersection of various forms of oppression.

Question 20

A primary difference between the early census process and the census of 2010 was the:

Accepted Answer

The 2010 Census allowed individuals to self-identify their race, marking one or more race categories to indicate their racial identity, reflecting a significant change from earlier censuses which often determined racial categories for individuals.

Quiz 5: Race and Racism