Prejudice and hate have always been prominent issues in society. Their roots extend from European concentration camps to American issues of civil rights (Kleg, 1993, p. 18). Not only were feelings of prejudice seen within ethnicities, but also within gender and socioeconomic statuses. Eventually each case has diminished through appropriate regulations and education. It is no surprise that in the twenty-first century, prejudice and hate is still prevalent in society, and more importantly, in the classroom. Yet, just as in years passed, prejudice in the classroom can be reduced through regulations, education, and by other means. Thus, prejudice can be reduced or prevented, if the proper precautions are emplaced. Overview of Solutions and Themes to Prejudice By 2050, the United States will consist of about 53% White, 25% Hispanic, 14% Black, 8% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1% American Indian. Due to this diversity, it is no doubt that the school system will also change (D’Angelo and Dixey, 2001, p. 83). Thus, the more diverse these classrooms are becoming, the more liable prejudice is to occur. According to Aboud (1998), prejudice is defined as “…a unified, stable, and consistent tendency to respond in a negative way towards members of a particular ethnic group” that is regarded inferior (D’Angelo and Dixey, 2001, p. 83). Prejudice is a socially learned behavior, and as “children, [we] gain knowledge of race and prejudice at an early age from [our] associations with others” (D’Angelo and Dixey, 2001, p. 83-4). Hence, there are only a few solutions to possibly remove prejudice from within the classroom. One possible solution is to have students learn about past cases of prejudice and the effects it has had on our world (Kleg, 1993, p... ... middle of paper ... ... CAMPUS: THE ROLE OF INTERGROUP CONTACT IN DIVERSITY EDUCATION. College Student Journal, 40(3), 511-516. Brewer, M. B. (1999), The Psychology of Prejudice: Ingroup Love and Outgroup Hate? Journalof Social Issues, 55: 429–444. doi: 10.1111/0022-4537.00126 D'Angelo, A. M., & Dixey, B. P. (2001). Using Multicultural Resources for Teachers to Combat Racial Prejudice in the Classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 83-87. Kleg, M. (1993). Hate, prejudice, and racism. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. McGregor, J. (1993). Effectiveness of Role Playing and Antiracist Teaching in Reducing Student Prejudice. The Journal of Educational Research. 86(4). 215-226. (2004). When Racial Diversity on Campus Is Only Skin Deep: Could the "Jigsaw Classroom" Teaching Method Break Down Self-Segregation? The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. 45. 36-37.
Wilkins, Roger. “Racism.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 572 (2000): 159. Sage Publications, Inc. Web. 25 Mar. 2014
Gone are the days of legalized slavery, of Nazi Germany, of women being incapable of having a notable opinion. No longer is there a system of racial segregation adopted by an entire country, complete white supremacy or lynchings performed by the Ku Klux Klan. Yet, although we are no longer exposed to such past experiences and despite us living in a world where diversity is embraced more than ever, the existence of prejudice remains. Today we have universally come to accept multiculturalism, varied ethnic backgrounds and those populations who historically were forever stigmatized. But in spite of these developments prejudice has manifested itself in other, more subtle ways and no matter how modernized society become such unfavourable attitudes
Both authors have taken the deliberative to uncover the unconscious phenomenon that controls and affects how people interact, make perceptions, assumptions and even decisions in life. Most of these biases that people tend to have against other races are shaped and reinforced by one’s surroundings and experiences. It is therefore important expose these biases so as to grow as a society and extinguish the white privileges. Unless America is ready to face the truth about the existing biases, racial tensions and incidences will continue to
The term hate crime first appeared in the late 1980’s as a way of understanding a racial incident in the Howard Beach section of New York City, in which a black man was killed while attempting to evade a violent mob of white teenagers, shouting racial epithets. Although widely used by the federal government of the United States, the media, and researchers in the field, the term is somewhat misleading because it suggests incorrectly that hatred is invariably a distinguishing characteristic of this type of crime. While it is true that many hate crimes involve intense animosity toward the victim, many others do not. Conversely, many crimes involving hatred between the offender and the victim are not ‘hate crimes’ in the sense intended here. For example an assault that arises out of a dispute between two white, male co-workers who compete for a promotion might involve intense hatred, even though it is not based on any racial or religious differences... ...
Prejudice is a topic of interest to social psychologists and society as a whole. Prejudice can be defined as ‘an attitude that predisposes a person to think, feel, perceive and act in a favourable or unfavourable way towards a group or its individual members’ (Secord and Backman, 1974, p). Prejudice is often the cause of negative behaviour such as bullying and aggression. Discrimination such as; racism, ageism, sexism, nationalism, classism may occur as a result. Jane Elliot’s study: A Class Divided (1968) attempts to highlight prejudicial behaviour in children. Elliot divided her class into groups of eye colour. She told the children that blue eye colour defined people to be more intelligent and superior to those with brown eyes. Results showed that the divide caused pupils to develop characteristic responses of discrimination. Additionally, it showed the subconscious affect of discrimination by both the oppressor and the oppressed. (Video, 1968)
In today’s world, prejudice is just as profound as it was in years past if not more so. It can be found in nearly all aspects of life and sometimes is not even known to exist. One thing that has changed regarding prejudice is its appearance. Before the Civil War and through the 1960s, prejudice could be most commonly defined as a physical degrading of African-Americans. They were looked down upon and treated poorly, often being physically harmed as slaves and forced to use separate restrooms, drinking fountains, and sit in different locations on a city bus during the civil rights movement. Today, prejudice is ironic in the fact that it knows no specific race and affects everyone.
In 1995, the Carnegie Corporation commissioned a number of papers to summarize research that could be used to improve race relations in schools and youth organizations. One way to fight against racism is to “start teaching the importance of and strategies for positive intergroup relations when children are young”(Teaching Tolerance,). Bias is learned at an early age, often at home, so schools should offer lessons of tolerance and
...r own unique ways.; however, the authors focus on different aspects of prejudice and racism, resulting in them communicating different ideas and thoughts that range from racial discrimination to stereotypical attitudes. The range of ideas attempt to engage the readers about the reality of their issues. The reality about a world where prejudice and racism still prevail in modern times. But when will prejudice and racism ever cease to exist? And if they were ever to cease from existence, what does that mean about humankind?
Pascoe, Elaine. Racial Prejudice: Why Can't We Overcome?. 2nd ed. New York: Franklin Watts, 1997. 21+ 33+ 79-80+ 99+ 116.
Racism and prejudice has been present in almost every civilization and society throughout history. Even though the world has progressed greatly in the last couple of decades, both socially and technologically, racism, hatred and prejudice still exists today, deeply embedded in old-fashioned, narrow-minded traditions and values.
Tishler, William P. and Stanley K. Schultz. "Racist Culture." Review 5 2007 n. pag. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Social identities are important to consider while educating an anti-bias classroom. Anyone can learn to be a skilled teacher who makes a point to be anti-bias. What many people don’t understand, is that even if you think you are completely un-bias, some of our schemas are learned when you are very young.
Manning, L.M. & Barruth, L.G. (2009). Multicultural education of children and adolescents (5th edition). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
...'s Children, is an important tool in the education of teachers to help them to see teaching is not a politic-free practice that has little to do with social justice. Through reading multicultural theorists like Delpit, teachers are better prepared to deal with the issues like injustice and "remove the blinders built of stereotypes, mono-cultural instructional methodologies, ignorance, social distance biased research and racism" in the classrooms (Delpit, 1995, pg.69).
Manning, L. & Baruth. L. (2009). Multicultural education of children and adolescents (5th Ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.