Racial and ethnic Discrimination - Essay Example

Racial and ethnic Discrimination In its basic definition, urban sociology is all about the study of life from a sociological perspective focusing on the interaction of people in a metropolitan setting. The discipline is attributed to the structural study of urban areas, and more importantly the dynamics and problems facing individuals living in these settings. Migration of people, demographic patterns, economic perspectives, poverty levels, tribe and race relationships are all interwoven to bring out vivid picture of these urban areas.

As a result, policy implementation is inaugurated to govern the people and the activities taking place in these cities. Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber among others have been in the forefront in spearheading and giving some light on urban sociological discipline (Sharma 25). They are the sociologists who pioneered the understanding of urban sociology. In this paper, we seek to discuss racial and ethnic discrimination based on critical race theory. To begin with, the theory recognizes racism as being rooted in the urban sociological life in many countries.

Role and power allocation is chiefly based on race and tribe. In most instances, privilege is to the majority and the minority race suffers as a consequence. For instance, in the USA the whites are privileged to education, national benefits, power and employment . However, the consequences attached to high levels of marginalization of color and ethnic groups adversely affects social lives leading to rise of other anti-social behaviors such as murder, expert robbery and other anticipated crimes due to discrimination.

Many sociologists have worked hard to dig out and fish for the truth underlying issues of urban sociological setting, and to understand why the behaviors of racial and ethnical discrimination are highly practiced especially in countries where people are of different colors. Statistical research shows that residential trends in different estates are influenced by race and ethnic groups (Sharma 39). Employment opportunities, scholarships and enrolments, are highly influenced by color, irrespective of academic credentials.

The dominant race benefits more from national resources and they are socially advantaged. Individuals victimized on race basis end up believing the ideology of being inferior and that the white and their culture are of superior dimension. Racism is attributed to weakness, inferior complexities and psychological defects. J.P. Camara defines institutionalized racism as the structures, policies, practices, and norms resulting in differential access to goods, services, and opportunities of society by race (Sharma 41).

However, this results in high levels of discrimination and prejudice within social settings. The discrepancies of race are of negative consequence to social life, instead of harmonizing and promoting peace in individuals. Discrimination based on race and ethnicity gives birth to numerous anti-social behaviors and disparities across different groups. For instance, murder and robbery cases are highly reported in USA. People, especially the youth have started to engage in criminal activities because of lack of jobs and racial discrimination.

Color discrimination is experienced even in transportation. The whites board different cars from the blacks. The contact between the black and the white is minimal. However, the disadvantages accruing from such disparities are many and thus there is a need to educate people of survival tactics in social organization because all human beings are social beings. In streets, the whites walk together in groups and the blacks walk together in their own groups which suggest that discrimination is still in existence.

It is a big challenge to abolish such patterns and develop news patterns of relationships, where people feel that there is equity on social grounds. From logical reasoning, whether white or black, we are all human beings in the image of God. The only difference that defines each of us is the culture one grows in and the place one is born. The outcomes of racial and discrimination are attached to accrued evils in the society which pulls back the country in terms of growth in political, social, economic, educational and professional dimensions.

Banks, offices, business centers and other important points are broken into; goods and materials stolen and properties destroyed. This leaves the victims bemoaning and lamenting about their property. In extreme cases, lives of people are taken away. We cannot exactly define how such discrimination brings down social and cultural nature of living (Sharma 43). Conclusion Urban culture inter-relates the subcultures in urban areas and structural segments of people. In this sense, people from different social, political, cultural, educational and religion meet and interact, develop different cultures and share stories of life (Sharma 54).

This defines man as a social being, thus man, cannot be cut off from being a social being to an individual being. It is, therefore, incredibly important to embrace the culture of sociology and widen our intellectual horizons to give life meaning. Otherwise, life will be useless. References Sharma, Rajendra K. Urban Sociology. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, 2004. Print.