Race And Ethnicity Paradigm

Everyday the future in America looks brighter for the issues dealing with race and identity. Brave souls are not letting racism, class discrimination, or sexism hold them back anymore. Furthermore, the fight for a balanced society that pushes for equality is on the horizon. As we close on an era, based on purely the skin of the person, we need to analyze the impacts of the Ethnicity paradigm and Class paradigm on politics of the 20th century. Race and Ethnicity are used interchangeable in everyday conversation, however; they are not the same. In Howard Winant and Michael Omi, Racial Formation book, they outline in the first few chapters the weakness of examining race based on the ethnicity/ class paradigm. Although the paradigms

The government seemed to only be focusing on the experience of white/ European immigrants transition to America. Omi and Winant clearly point out in their book and research that it’s the minority’s job to be assimilated into society, and not the larger society responsibility fro accepting them as they are. They argue in the United States that ethnicity theory was exclusively based on the immigration patterns of a white ethnic population and did not account for the unique experiences of non-whites in this country (Omi & Winant 17). Omi and Winant also believe in the “Bootstraps Model”. As a result, they believe that hard work will allow one to overcome any obstacle that is placed before them. The “ Bootstraps Model” asserts that it’s a person own responsibility for its success or failure. I don’t agree with this idea because I believe the Ethnicity paradigm just expects every ethnic group to all be the same, neglecting that all people and cultures are indefinably different in there own ways. In the end, the paradigm ignores many ethnicities and people are sublimed. It falsely assumed in a black community failed to reach a given standard that was set by the white, it was because the black community didn’t hold the same values or beliefs or they were resisting adapting into the

However, they break down the class paradigm into three main theories: market relations, stratification, and class conflict theory. According to the market relation theory, the market would eventually eliminate racism. In addition, this is the complete opposite that it would do. Also, This theory would encourage segregation by choice and promote racial inequality. According to the stratification theory, society is segregated by class or economic standings but everybody fits in somewhere in the hierarchy. The theory displays the idea that society isn’t an issue of race but more of the upper class having more power in ppolitics. Therefore, this theory has been used to imply that race doesn’t have a bearing on class. This is a false taking even though some blacks, Latinos, Southeast Asians have moved up to higher economic classes. In the class conflict theory, the dominant ruling class oppresses the lower class but it is all determined on class not race. Therefore, this model asserts that the capitalist should encourage racism. By ignoring racism, on a whole society will encourage lower wages and racism. Omi and Winant discuss in this chapter that their problem with the class-based paradigm is that it-ignored race. It puts all people on the same playing field, which we know isn’t true. Race does not follow class