Question

Defining Racism According to the Webtext, racism refers to "the belief that certain racial or ethnic groups are inferior to one or more other groups." To most people, this definition is largely insufficient to explain this complicated concept! Some sociologists argue that POWER should play a role in a definition of racism.

Would you agree or disagree? Why? What other factors, besides power, do you think are important to consider when discussing a definition of racism? Think about your family and upbringing. Think about your peer group, your education, and your life circumstances. Think about the experiences you have had AND those you have not had. What factors have impacted your perspective on racism and HOW have these factors impacted your perspective?

Answer 1

Would you agree or disagree? Why?

Yes, I do agree because Power comes with authority and an enormous capacity to influence. Only those who have power can exert an influence over others and direct behaviour. The ethnic or race divide cannot easily take place without an element of power in play.

What other factors, besides power, do you think are important to consider when discussing a definition of racism?

Some other factors to consider must include discrimination, intolerance, violence, exclusion, subordination, inequality, violation of (human) rights etc.

Think about your family and upbringing. Think about your peer group, your education, and your life circumstances. Think about the experiences you have had AND those you have not had. What factors have impacted your perspective on racism and HOW have these factors impacted your perspective?

The factors that have impacted my perspective on racism consists of socio economic, political and religious. The discrimination and rejection of opportunities to certain ethnic groups seems totally unfair. Sometimes, it’s so widely prevalent and practiced that its unofficially/officially accepted as a norm.

These factors have impacted my perspective in many ways, it has made me think racism does not consist of isolated incidents but it is experienced in everyday lives of people. It can enormously disable people who undergo racism. Racism should not have a place in any civilized society and if found to exist, it must be contained and removed by all means immediately. Racism has far reaching effects and consequences; it has a negative power to affect not just the present generation of people but can be carried over by generations altogether.