CHAPTER 20THE SOCIOLOGICAL MEANING OF RACE AND ETHNIC GROUPS

o The differences between people are brought about by physical characteristics of genetic origin , the term “race” is commonly used. The concept of race applies to a group of people with similar physical traits which are genetically transmitted.

o The commonness of genetic heritage may be manifested in the shape of the head and face, the shape and the color of the eyes, the shape of the nose, lips and ears, the texture and the color of the hair, the skin color, height , blood type, and other characteristics.

o Among the significant racial categories studied by early social scientists were the Caucasoids , Mongoloids, and Negroids and the subgroups of primary and derived races.

o An Ethnic group or Ethnicity refers not to physical characteristics but social traits that are shared by a human population. Some of the social traits often used for ethnic classification include:

Nationality Tribe Religious Faith Shared language Shared culture Shared traditions

o Patterns of Ethnic group Relations

o Minority refers to a group who because of physical or cultural characteristics , occupy a subordinate position in society and are singled out for discriminatory treatment.

o The specific pattern of ethnic group relations that arises is greatly dependent upon a number of factors including the number and the sized of different groups, the nature of the physical and cultural traits, the available physical resources, and most significantly, the nature of social organization of the society of which they become a part.

o Prejudice and ethnic group relation

o Prejudice is an attitude involving prejudgment on the basis of race or ethnicity.

o Discrimination is actual behavior involving unequal treatment.

o Stereotypes generalizations or assumptions, that people make about the characteristics of all members of a group, based on an image (often wrong) about what people in that group are like.

o Ethnic Group

o The integration of cultural minorities into the national way of life , the search or a national identity, and the projection of a national image in the international scene inevitably involve the different ethnic groups in the country.

o In terms of distinctive physical traits ,the ethnic composition of the Philippines consists of four identifiable groups.They are:

1. The Negritoes who are regarded as the oldest residents in the Philippines.

2. Indonesian-Malayan stock which is prevalent among the Filipinos.

3. The Chinese who make up the largest foreign national group; and

4. The American and the Spanish, and a few other Europeans who came as colonizers.

o Ethnic Group Relations in the Philippines

o Important ethnic group relations in the Philippines Cultural Communities , Ethnic groups who have retained their indigenous way of life , and Asian Minorities and the Christian Majority group:of the regional groups and the majority group:and the European and the Christians.

o Cultural Communities and Christian Filipinos

o About three million non-Christian Filipinos, now identified as Cultural Communities, make up 10 percent of total national population. Representing different degrees of cultural development, they have maintained their culture is their clothes, art, religion, and other superficial differences.

o The muslim groups still practice polygyny and divorce, wear their distinctive style of dressing and have a distinctive art. The datu and agama system are still practice.

o Regional Relations

o Membership in ethnic groups plays a vital role in the different aspect of living in the Philippines. A very important manifestation of this is regionalism.

o The use of epithets, stereotypes, jokes, folk tales, movies, and other forms of communication tends to develop and reinforce regionalism. A few examples are Ilokano, bantay kuako; Pampangueno, dugong aso; Bisaya, taeng pusa; Etc.

o The Ilocanos are the major ethnic groups in the Philippines because of relative poverty.

o Filipino Chinese Relations

o The Chinese came to the Philippines long before the Spaniards. They first came as merchants in Chinese junks. When the country prospered, they came to stay and gradually increased in number.

o As early as 1582, the Spanish colonial government set u a separate Chinese area, called the Parian, to keep them under surveillance. The large number of Chinese caused fear and suspicion among the Spaniards that when threatened, the Spaniards often resorted to massacre and expulsion.

o The Chinese also introduced many cultural elements that have become integral parts of the Filipino way of life.

o Despite the long-standing social distance between the Chinese and the Filipino, there have been a considerable number of intermarriages between them.

o Filipino-Spanish Relations

o The Spaniards succeeded in Hispanizing the Filipinos in varied aspects of life. In spite of the hostility and conflict between the Spaniards and the Filipinos, a considerable degree of miscegenation occurred.

o The teaching of Spanish is included in the educational curriculum and the Christianization of the Philippines is celebrated.

o Filipino-American Relations

o The first contacts between the Filipinos and the Americans were characterized by conflict, America’s policy of attraction gradually brought about peace and order. Filipino-American relations have been friendly.

o Before World War II, Filipino-American intermarriages were quite limited. The period following World War II, however, saw more shifts in Filipino-American relations.

o Another issue besetting Filipino-American relationship is the fight of Filipino veterans who served in the US military during World War II for US citizenship and corresponding veteran benefit.

o In November 1993, President Fidel Ramos went on a working visit to the USA to entice more American investors. Aside from that, President Ramos and US President Clinton embarked on preliminary talks on setting mutual benefit treaties such as an extradition agreement. A new era of Filipino-American relations is emerging as the Philippines sits down on the negotiating table as an equal to its former “big brother” America.

o Filipino-Indian Relations

o The great majority of Indian and Pakistan nationals are found in Manila. They are reputed to be reliable and trustworthy and they work as clerks and night watchmen in larger Indian business establishments.

o The Indian and Filipinos have restricted their social relationships. No conflict whatsoever has arisen in Filipino-Indian relations. However, Filipinos assign the Indians a comparatively low social status.

o Filipino-Japanese Relations

o Filipino-Japanese relations can be traced back to the sixteenth century. Because of the business activities initiated by trade, a number of Japanese immigrated to the Philippines and grew into a colony.

o Filipino-Japanese relations were never pleasant during the Second World War. Japan was reported as the second largest foreign investor in the Philippines. In 1992, women in the Philippines and South Korea who were forced to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers during the war.

~End ^^Thank you for listening.