Sociology - Ethnicity Issues - Research Paper Example

In these societies, racism cannot be practiced, but not legally (i.e., there are laws that can be explicitly discriminatory behavior of a crime). In these societies, then there can be no legal obstacle to the promotion of racial and social mobility, racist, however contributes to the congregation of the various ethnic groups in the lowest positions in the stratification system. The term "race" refers to groups of people who have differences and similarities in their biological properties is considered by society to be socially significant, meaning that people treat others differently because of them.

For example, while the differences and similarities in eye color are not treated as similarities and differences in socially skin color are. (Cliff notes, 2011) Ethnicity refers to shared cultural practices, perspectives and the distinctions that separate one people from another group. That is, ethnicity is a common cultural heritage. Common characteristics distinguish the different ethnic groups are ancestry, the sense of history, language, religion, and clothing. Ethnic differences are not inherited, learned.

Most countries today are composed of different ethnic groups. . (Cliff notes, 2011) Ethnicity issues are faced in all the countries in the world because the population does not consist of a single group. We have a socially mobile force so even though that society has been dominant by one group only with time some other small ethnic groups develop. This at times increases the diversity and gives way to a pluralistic society but on other instances may lead to conflict and disorder and discrimination.

Ethnicity is also leading to the concepts of crime and deviance to the sociologists. This has been an area of focus by the sociologists in the past few decades. The Asians in UK and the Africans in the United States have been a source of stereotyping for much of the crimes in the society. These stereotypes create a source of conflict in the society and the main reason behind this is not only the stereotypes but the status of underclass which they are labeled with. The following theories will explain how this has resulted in conflict and how does the label of underclass develop.

In a stratified society, people are encouraged (through their experience in the world) to both look for and, in some circumstances create, status differences, since differences in status can be used as a social resource (it can "buy" income differences, etc.). In this type of society, any difference (biological or cultural) between individuals / social groups can be potentially exploited to create status differences. (Sociology.org, 2011) In this respect, what matters theoretically is not so much who exploits these differences or who is exploited by them (although, in real terms, of course, these are highly significant questions that can have a multitude of consequences for various people); rather, the question is why do some