Neo Marxism and ethnicity

Neo Marxism and ethnicity

1. Understand its not all about economics as argued by Traditional Marxism

   • Traditional marxism suggests ethnic minorities to be unified with the working class (Cox) and subject to low hourly pay leading to their exploitation
     • Modood: its pointles to talk about all ethnic groups as a whole (diverse and fragmented) and they're no longer victims and all experience different advantages and disadvantages
   • Miles suggests that culture further plays a part in the inequalities suffered by ethnic minorities as minorities class structure is the same as the normal hierarchical class structure, but although they're there, they experience inequality as they are treated differently, creating racialised class fractions
     • Miles even suggests 'white flight' occurs whereby as ethnic minorities start entering a certain career, white employees will leave
       • Weberians would argue homosocial reproduction may be taking place whereby as Asians enter a certain career they result in employing people with similar characteristics (such as race, through unintentional or intentional racism)
     • Functionalists would argue ethnic minorities are treated differently due to their values and norms being seen as deviants, which encourages assimilation, the fact that there are ethnic minorities in the middle and upper classes shows they have successfully assimilatied
     • Acknowledges different minorities in the class structure but doesn't answer why indian and chinese are disproportionately in the middle class whilst Bangladeshi and BAC are in the working class

2. Though still place meaning on economics

   • Hall et al 'Policing the Crisis' study as capitalism creates inequalities for ethnic minorities to distract others from structural problems and stop questioning hegemonic values
     • 1970s hegmonic crisis, rioting and unemployment. So the government created a moral panic of BAC crime and mugging when it wasn't rising or even a black crime. This justified militant policing and the creation of the folk devils reasserted morality principles
       • Durkheim: ignoring positive function, the labeling of folk devils prevents anomie and chaos as it reaffirms boundaries of behaviour
       • Supported by Castles and Kossack: people blame ethnic minorities for taking jobs, when its actually structural problems
     • Relationships with ethnic minorities is a result of the economy, so when the economy booms, there race relations are good but when it slumps they are bad
       • Solomos: over simplified, as racism preceeds capitalist booms and slumps

3. Can see it playing out in contemporary society

   • Economy: as we go through recession a moral panic and 'folk devil' had been created about polish people as there is idea they are 'taking our jobs'
     • Race relations have worsened and UKIP have secured 18%
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   • Deviant image of their culture being portrayed
     • Daily Mail in trouble after 50 anti polish headlines in one month