Understanding Culture, Society

and Politics
Lesson 14 – Other Social
Inequalities
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the learner is expected to:
1. Describe what sociologists mean by the terms
minority, race, and ethnicity;
2. Discuss the patterns of racial and ethnic
relations;
3. Discuss difference between prejudice and
discrimination; and
4. Suggest ways to address global inequalities

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Start Up:
1. Show the picture below.
2. Draw out their conclusions or opinions regarding the picture.
3. Have the class tell their ideas regarding inequality.

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

 Minority is a group of people who, because of their

physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the
others in the society in which they live for differential and
unequal treatment, and who therefore regard themselves as
object of collective discrimination.

Week 1 EsP-PD11/12KO-Ia-1.1-1.3
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Characteristics that distinguish minority groups from

other groups in the society:
• The group possesses identifiable physical or cultural characteristics
that differ from those of the dominant group.
• Group members are the recipients of unequal treatment at the hands
of the dominant group.
• Membership in the group is an scribed or assigned status.
• Group members share a strong bond o a sense of loyalty.
• Members tend to practice endogamy (marriage within a group).

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

A race is a category of people who share

observable physical characteristics and whom
others see as being a distinct group.

For sociologists, the important issue is not

whether a person has a specific color of skin or
hair of a certain texture, they are concerned on
how people react to these physical characteristics
and how these reactions affect individuals in the
society.

Week 1 EsP-PD11/12KO-Ia-1.1-1.3
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Sociologists refer to the term ethnicity as the set of

cultural characteristics that distinguishes one group from
another group.

Ethnicity comes from the Greek word ethnos, meaning

“people” or “nation”.

An ethnic minority is socially identified by unique

characteristics related to culture or nationality.

Cultural differences define ethnic minorities.

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

An ethnic minority is a subculture defined by its own:

1. language

2. religion

3. values and beliefs

4. norms and customs

 Their separation from the dominant group may continue because the
ethnic minority erects a barrier that prevents the ethnic group from
blending in with the larger culture.

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Common Patterns of Minority

Treatment
• Cultural pluralism
• Assimilation
• Legal protection
• Segregation
• Subjugation
• Population transfer
• Extermination

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

 Racism refers to a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices used to justify the
superior treatment of one racial or ethnic group and the inferior treatment of
another racial or ethnic group.

 Displacement and scapegoating are psychological mechanisms associated

with prejudice and discrimination.

 Prejudice involves holding “stereotypes” or preconceived views that are

often based on faulty generalizations about members of a race or particular
group.

 Discrimination refers to actions or behavior of a dominant social group

that negatively impacts other groups that do not belong to the dominant
group.

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Other Minorities
 Other groups that may be considered
belonging to minority include:

• 1. Persons with disabilities (PWDs)

• 2. Elderly
• 3. Certain religious groups
• 4. Communities living in isolated areas

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Global Inequality

 Global stratification refers to the unequal

distribution of wealth, power, and prestige on a
global basis, highlighting patterns of social
inequality and resulting in people having vastly
different lifestyles and opportunities both within
and among the nations of the world.

Week 1 EsP-PD11/12KO-Ia-1.1-1.3
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

• The concept of economic growth is fundamental

in capitalists economies.
• Productivity must grow as population grows and
Inequa capital must grow to feed into increased
productivity.
lity • Milanovic points out that global inequality
and between countries is more important to the
Econo growth of the world economy than inequality
mic within countries.
Growt
h

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Social Inequality

Reference:

Arcilla-Serapio, Ma. Perpetua. Understanding Society, Culture

and Politics. Manila: Mindshapers Co., Inc. 2016.

Atienza, Maria Ela, et.al. Understanding Culture, Society and

Politics for Senior High School. Quezon City: C & E Publishing,
Inc. 2016.

Lanuza, Gerry M. and Raymundo, Sarah S. Understanding

Culture, Society and Politics. Manila: Rex Bookstore, 2016.

Week 14 UCSP11/12HSO-IIg—31-32