Topic: Determinants of Perceived Skin Color Discrimination in Latin America

Discrimination is an issue which has contributed to social problems in Latin America. Factor such as gender difference, age and race causes discrimination where people overlook the ethical standards and policies and acts unfavorably to minorities (Canache et al, 2014). Discrimination occurs for various reasons and the author asserts that people are discriminated due to skin color with relation to race, ethnicity and social context. People focus on observable characteristic such as language and facial structure and White believes that they cannot socialize with black color   due to their low status. For example, Black students in high education are biased because of their skin-color and   they do not achieve their educational goals. In the community, Black people do not get access to quality health care due their low economic status (Canache et al, 2014). Generally, skin color discrimination is an issue of concern as minority group is biased due to their race and ethnicity.  

In social world, racial discrimination has made black Americans to live a difficult life. Despite the fact that racial policies are being implemented; there is a high level of discrimination in Latin America. Whites view the Blacks as social and political minorities and they also term them as low-status groups (Canache et al, 2014).  It is a hard task to create race relation since the American regime does not have trust in Blacks but rather views them with distrust lens. There should be coordination actions to enhance trust and the government should value the important of race.

 I have a life experience based on Black discrimination and this happened when I was in high school. I was in a national school where cultural diversity was inevitable and intercultural communication was a key factor for student to create good interaction. Though diversity can help students to achieve their goals, in my life I experienced that minority students were unsatisfied with learning outcomes as they lacked a close relationship with teachers. Minority students experienced exclusion and racism and these issues affected their lives. Particularly when minority entered in the school community, they were unwelcomed and faced harassments and they could not interact with others in social context as they feared the hostile environment. I experienced that the school leadership could not promote diversity and students could not recognize the difference. Minority groups were not allowed to raise any idea and they were forced to follow the White culture of which it was not easy to change cultural beliefs without peaceful interaction. Discrimination did not only happen in school community but also in the society where minorities lived. Black people were denied their rights and they were controlled by White dominance due to lack opportunity to express their views.

Conflict theory can be applied in the life experience. This is because it explains the social life and more important it communicates about conflict between groups. In different groups, conflict arises as a result of inequality, class, age and gender difference and these contributes to disadvantages in social context (Bartos & Wehr, 2002). Conflict theory explains that people who cause conflict believes that individual of different race and class should receive unflavored treatment since they are less educated and they come from low class status. Due to the difference in values and cultural beliefs, conflict arises since the groups have different ideas and behaviors. The different groups violate the law while trying to argue on the acceptable behavior which should be followed (Bartos & Wehr, 2002)

 

 

Reference

Canache, D., Hayes, M., Mondak, J. J., & Seligson, M. A. (2014). Determinants of Perceived Skin-Color

Discrimination in Latin America. Journal Of Politics, 76(2), 506-520.

doi:10.1017/S0022381613001424

 

Bartos, O. J., & Wehr, P. E. (2002). Using conflict theory. New York: Cambridge University Press.