Racial Formation

Today we read Omi and Winant's reading called Racial Formation.  Here are the guided reading questions:

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 Read silently and then pause to answer each of the following questions in your group.

Read the questions to ponder section at the beginning, then answer the following:

1.  Is the first question a valid question? Why or why not? Answer below, then share with your group.

2.  We have already learned that gender is a social construction.  Is it possible that race is also a social construction?  Describe why or why not.  Answer below, then share with your group.

Read the first page (9, on the handout).  Then discuss question 3 and 4 and write your answers below. 

3.  What does it mean to be “one-thirty second black”? 

4.  Do you think one-thirty second black should mean someone is considered black?  If so, why?  If not, why not, and what should be the demarcation for being considered black?

Read page 10.  Then answer as a group:

5.  What does polygenesis mean?  What are the ways Europeans would treat people differently based on idea of polygenesis – list at least 3.

6.  How do biologists and anthropologists feel about the idea of race?

Read page 11.

7.  What does the author mean by “race is indeed a pre-eminently socio-historical concept”?

8.  What does “hypo-descent” mean?

Read page 12.

9.  How does classification of race differ in Brazil?

10.   What does “passing” mean?

11. How do people use race in everyday life?

Read page 13.  Then discuss as a group.

12.  What are at least three non-biological assumptions that race provides about an individual in the U.S.?

Read 14 and 15.  Then discuss these as a group:

13.  What role has race played in economics?

14.  What is the author’s thesis? Explain it.