Sociology
211 – Final examination
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Friday, December 17, 2004,
CL 313
Answer each of the four parts. 100
total points for the examination.
A. Short explanation (3 x 8 = 24 points). Select three (3) of
the following and briefly explain its significance for issues in this course.
xenophobia |
automatic stereotypes |
authoritarian personality |
Eurocentric |
systemic discrimination |
employment equity benchmarks |
subliminal racism |
institutional racism |
scapegoating |
Abella Commission |
social distance |
ethnic concentration |
B. Short answer (2 x 13 = 26 points). Answer two (2) of the
following.
1.
Explain how entrance status can have a strong effect on the ability of
immigrants to integrate into Canadian society.
2.
Explain why power is an important aspect of racism for Fleras and Kunz.
3.
Ethnocentrism can be a source of identity or it can be pernicious. Explain.
4.
Explain why stereotyping is so common.
5.
Intermarriage demonstrates multiculturalism. Comment.
6.
Explain what is meant by the cognitive and affective aspects of
prejudice.
7.
What is the importance of automatic stereotypes and how might they be
reduced?
C. Essay (25 points).
Write an essay discussing how the media deal with minority issues, the
extent to which these illustrate prejudice, discrimination, or racism, and how
the media could be “multiculturalized” (Fleras and Kunz, chapter 9). Select one or more types of media and one or
more issues related to minorities.
D. Essay (25 points).
Select one (1) of the
following and write a short essay on the topic. Use concepts and approaches from the course and, as appropriate,
take a critical approach.
1.
Racism is expressed differently in contemporary Canada than
historically.
2.
British dominance has declined in Canada.
3.
Discrimination against Muslims has been a major problem in Canada since
9/11.
4.
Recognition of diversity is important in understanding ethnic structure
and relations in Canada.
5.
Reducing discrimination might be a good way to reduce prejudice. Explain how this is possible, and some advantages
and disadvantages of this approach.
6.
Near the end of the text, Isajiw argues “The implementation of human
rights principles is of basic importance to societal integration, and without
it, other policies cannot be effective.
However, elimination of discrimination by punitive methods by itself
does not place a positive value on diverse identities.” Explain why this might be so and what is the
importance of this in contemporary Canada.