Opposing Theories of Racial Discrimination and Prejudice

Classic Psychological Theories

I. Pathological/irrational attitude (e.g., prejudice) causes discriminatory behavior

A. Mental/individual focus: must change what is in people’s heads to combat racism

B. Two classic approaches:

1. Frustration-Aggression Theory (John Dollard 1939): has 2 premises

a. Frustration causes aggression: interference w/ goal striving causes aggression

b.Scapegoating:if source of frustration is too strong,pick weaker substitute target

1. Germans frustrated by WWI defeat, reparations; Jews weaker than allies

2. Totalitarian or Authoritarian Personality (Theodore Adorno et. al., 1950):

from Freudian (psychoanalytic) perspective, personality type is more prejudiced

a. Dogmatism: rigid views, no gray areas; anti-intellectual and anti-scientific

b. Conformism: conformance to traditional values; fear of things that are different

c. Authority: unquestioning obedience; bullying arrogance toward inferiors

d. Childhood source of personality (Freud):repression by harsh,strict,cold father

Social Structural/Political Theories

I. Power Imbalance/ Conflict Theory: groups using power to maintain privilege (discriminatory

behavior) causes ideological legitimation (or prejudicial attitudes); opposite of psych;3 premises

1.Conflict:group conflict (not individual) over scarcity (wealth,etc.) leads 1 group to dominate

2. Power maintains privilege: dominant group uses its power to maintain privileges

3. Idelology:dominant group legitimates privileges with ideology(system of ideas) of superiority

Example of Social Structural/ Political Theories: Colonial/Neo-Colonial Model

I. 500 Years of Colonialism create Global Racial Stratification--clarifies race relations today

A. Scope: At one time or another Europe ruled 85% of global land surface

1. One tiny island (England) controls 26% of global land surface and population

2. Whites rule over people of color

B. Examples: French West Africa, Belgian Congo, British Guiana

C. Theme 1 of Model: global stratification system created by force (at gunpoint):

1. Europe first to head toward industrialization and superior military technology

II.Theme 2:Global Racial Stratification Sys. Institutionalized in World Economy/Culture

A. North/South legacy: income differential partial by-product of colonialism:

1.Per capital GNP (1978): Africa $500, Asia $280 vs. $9600 U.S./Canada

2.Economic dependency:trade,investment,aid, jobs controlled by former colonizers

III. Theme 3: Racial ideology legitimates Colonialism

A. Argues power/privileges produced by merit (superiority): once “white man’s burden”

B. Argues privilege bestowed by nature rather than social oppression--stifles rebellion

C. De Gobineau, Galton, Chamberlain advance racial theories at height of colonialism

1. No accident this happens in last half of 19th century

IV. Theme 4: Stratification within countries by-product of Global Colonial system

A. Slavery: Africans incorporated in bottom strata of U.S. through colonial slave trade

B.Indian’s forcible removal:colonizer’s weapons force onto worthless land(reservations)

C.Treaty Guadeloupe-Hildalgo (1848): Mexico loses 1/3 land; Spanish not respected