Understanding Discrimination and Prejudice: Impact on Minorities

Discrimination and Prejudice: Impact on Minorities

Discrimination and prejudice are common features of minority groups. While these words can sometimes be used interchangeably, they can also represent two separate but related conditions. Discrimination is the denial of equal treatment to individuals based on their group membership. It involves behavior. Prejudice is an unsupported generalization about a category of people. It refers to attitudes.

Forms of Discrimination

Discrimination can be found on an individual or societal level. Individual acts range from name-calling to acts of violence, potentially leading to physical harm or even death. Societal discrimination can appear in one of two forms: legal or institutionalized.

• Legal discrimination is upheld by law.
• Institutionalized discrimination is an outgrowth of the structure of a society.

The apartheid system in South Africa is an example of legal discrimination, with an elaborate system of laws separating whites and nonwhites in the country.

Prejudice and Stereotypes

Prejudice often involves stereotypes. A stereotype is an oversimplified or unfavorable generalization about a group of people. Individuals form an image of a group and then apply it to all members of that group. Racism is the belief that one's own race or ethnic group is naturally superior to other races or ethnic groups.

Sociological and Psychological Explanations

According to sociological explanations, prejudices are embedded in social norms. Psychological explanations focus on individual factors contributing to discrimination and prejudice. Prejudiced people may share certain characteristics, sometimes referred to as the "authoritarian personality."

Scapegoating

The practice of placing blame for one's troubles on an innocent individual or group is called scapegoating. Minority groups often become scapegoats because they are easy to recognize due to physical features, language, style, or religious practices. They often lack power in society and may be less likely to fight back, making them frequent targets of scapegoating.

Competition and Diversity

Discrimination and prejudice can also arise from competition for scarce resources. One response to ethnic and racial diversity is pluralism, which allows each group to maintain its own identity. Switzerland, for example, recognizes three official languages for its three main ethnic groups: French, Italian, and German.

Assimilation and Minority Rights

Assimilation is the blending of culturally distinct groups into a single group with a common culture and identity. Many countries have taken legal steps to ensure that the rights of minority groups are protected.