Discuss the symbolic interactionist view of racial-ethnic inequality.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. According to symbolic interactionists, we learn attitudes, norms, and values throughout the life course. Because race and ethnicity are constructed socially by thoughts and conversations, labeling, selective perception, and social contact can have powerful effects on everyday intergroup relations. Labeling can increase racial tension and conflict because people attach meaning to symbols and act according to their subjective interpretation of the symbols. Selective perception also affects racial attitudes and behavior. Negative images create and reinforce racial and ethnic stereotypes, but people can decrease labeling and selective perception.The contact hypothesis posits that the more people get to know minority group members personally, the less likely they are to be prejudiced against that group. Interactionism is limited for three reasons.First, it isnot clear why labeling, selective perception, and racial bias are more common among some people than others, especially when they are similar on a number of variables, such as social class, gender, age, religion, race, and ethnicity. Another weakness is that symbolic interaction tells us little about the social structures that create and maintain racial-ethnic inequality. For instance, people who are not prejudiced can foster discrimination by simply going along with the inequitable policies that have been institutionalized in education, the workplace, and other settings. A third criticism is that contact between and among racial-ethnic groups doesn't necessarily increase acceptance and understanding.