From the book “More than Just Race”, I will further our understanding onthe complex factors that lead to racial inequalities in America. In my analysis, I will examine the manner in which social scientists argue on the issues associated with race (Culture and Social structure). The book examines the experiences of African-Americans in the inner-city; the book emphasizes the complexities of racial inequalities and race in America. Both informal and formal aspects of race have substantially affected Asians and Latinos. The book generates a heated controversy on issues related to race; however, I will choose culture as one of the contributing factors in the race and urban poverty. The topic of culture is mostly is mostly excluded in academic disclosure due to the fear of “blaming the victim” notion. In this case, I will integrate racially and not- racial forces in order to explain why structural factors should be considered in explaining the outcome of poverty among the African Americans in the quest to addressing the issue of race.
That said, the essay will examine two cultural forces (First, national belief and view on race and second, cultural traits) that result from intra-group interactions in an environment created by segregation and discrimination. In my analysis, I will avoid the conceptions of culture defined through values, group norms, and attitude towards work and family because, that is the manner in which the society develops an understanding hence, making decisions based on those understandings. Therefore, the process of decision making is reflected in the construction of reality which is the cultural framework.
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According to the book, racism has always been one of the prime American cultures that have been used as a framework on how whites act and perceive blacks. Today, the forms of racial ideologies especially those that perceive Blacks to be inferior to whites have significantly declined even though some are still embedded in societal practices and norms. A good number of social scientists agree that racism in all its forms has had substantial effects on Blacks. However, there is little research on the cultural impact in the inner- city economic and social outcomes on poor Blacks. According to the book “More than Just Race”, the other identifies factors like drug addiction, poverty, crime, and unemployment to be some of the major factors prevalent in the inner-city. In this case, I will suggest that some of these factors have been facilitated by a culture which in this case is racial inequality. Overall, the major effect of having to live in a society that is racially segregated is one of the contributory factors in the problems that we see in the inner-city.
In conclusion, for one to understand the American society, a clear understanding of the cultural traits of the inner-city is essential. However, it is unavoidable to point out the manner in which most people emphasize the issue of structural origins to explain the welfare and poverty of the inner city. In other words, what this means is that some individuals in the inner city are poor because of their shortcomings. However, from my discussion based on this book, it is evident that cultural factors like race are the major that has contributed to poor Black Americans in the inner city.
