Part I. Race, Ethnicity, Migration

Предисловие

          На современном этапе одной из ведущих задач обучения иностранному языку в вузе является формирование  у студентов межкультурной компетенции, способности использовать иностранный язык как инструмент общения в диалоге культур. Достижению данной цели способствуют тексты, знакомящие студентов с этническим составом и особенностями обществ Великобритании и США. Профессионально-ориентированные тексты затрагивают острые вопросы взаимоотношений этносов, межнациональных конфликтов, а также этнической интеграции и этнической идентичности. Работа над этими темами способствует формированию активной жизненной и гражданской позиции студентов, их ценностных ориентаций, толерантности, позитивной этнической идентичности.      

     Основными критериями отбора текстов явились аутентичность, актуальность содержания, тематическая насыщенность лексикой, возможность применения активных методов обучения. В ходе работы над текстами происходит накопление и активизация лексического материала. Затем студенты находят соответствующую актуальную информацию, отражающую российские реалии (на русском и английском языках) и представляют ее в виде презентации, краткого сообщения, эссе. Приобретенные знания и лексический багаж создают необходимую основу для организации дискуссий, ролевых игр, анализа ситуаций по методу case study и т.п. Студенты в ходе дискуссии описывают свой личный опыт и выражают собственное мнение по обсуждаемой теме.                              

      На занятиях в качестве учебного материала предполагается использование актуальных материалов зарубежной и российской прессы, видео материалов из сети Интернет, а также статистических данных социологических исследований по проблемам миграции и межэтнических отношений как в России, так и в других странах.

       В пособие включен глоссарий, содержащий толкование основных терминов и понятий, встречающихся в ходе работы над темами.

 

 

Part I. Race, Ethnicity, Migration

Unit 1

                     Understanding Race and Ethnicity

1. Read and translate the text.

  Within sociology, the terms race, ethnicity, minority, and dominant group all have very specific and different meanings. To understand the sociological perspective on race and ethnicity, it is important to understand the meanings of these concepts.  

  ‘Ethnicity’ is a concept that is completely social in meaning. Ethnicity refers to the cultural practices and outlooks of a given community of people that set them apart from others. In fact, ethnicity is an attribute possessed by all members of a population, yet in practice ethnicity is most often associated with minority groups within a population.

  An ethnic group is a social category of people who share a common culture, such as a common language, a common religion, or common norms, customs, practices, and history. Ethnic groups have a consciousness of their common cultural bond. An ethnic group does not exist simply because of the common national or cultural origins of the group, however. They develop because of their unique historical and social experiences, which become the basis for the group’s ethnic identity. For example, prior to immigration to the United States, Italians did not think of themselves as a distinct group with common interests and experiences. However, the process of immigration and the experiences they faced as a group in the United States, including discrimination, created a new identity for the group. Some examples of ethnic groups include Italian Americans, Polish Americans, Mexican Americans, Arab Americans, and Irish Americans. Ethnic groups are also found in other societies, such as the Pashtuns in Afghanistan or the Shiites in Iraq, whose ethnicity is based on religious differences.

      Like ethnicity, race is primarily, though not exclusively, a socially constructed category. A race is a group that is treated as distinct in society based on certain characteristics. Because of their biological or cultural characteristics, which are labeled as inferior by powerful groups in society, a race is often singled out for differential and unfair treatment. It is not the biological characteristics that define racial groups, but how groups have been treated historically and socially. Society assigns people to racial categories (White, Black, etc.) not because of science or fact, but because of opinion and social experience. In other words, how racial groups are defined is a social process; it is socially constructed. Racism means falsely ascribing inherited characteristics of personality or behavior to individuals of a particular physical appearance. A racist is someone who believes that a biological explanation can be given for characteristics of inferiority supposedly possessed by people of one physical stock or another. Institutional racism refers to patterns of discrimination based on ethnicity that have become structured into existing social institutions. New racism describes racist attitudes that are expressed through notions of cultural difference, rather than biological inferiority.

    A minority group is any distinct group in society that shares common group characteristics and is forced to occupy low status in society because of prejudice and discrimination. A group may be classified as a minority on the basis of ethnicity, race, sexual preference, age, or class status. It is important to note that a minority group is not necessarily the minority in terms of numbers, but it is a group that holds low status in relation to other groups in society (regardless of the size). The group that assigns a racial or ethnic group to subordinate status in society is called the dominant group.

2. Answer the questions.

1) What does the term “ethnicity” refer to?

2) What is an ethnic group?

3) What is the basis of ethnic group identity?

4) Can ethnicity be based on religious differences?

5) Do biological characteristics define a racial group?

6) How does society assign people to racial categories?

7) What does racism mean?

8) Who is a racist?

9) What does new racism describe?

10) On what bases may a group be classified as a minority?

3. Give Russian equivalents for:

  The sociological perspective; to set smb. apart from others; to have a consciousness of common cultural bond; the common national or cultural origins of the group; a distinct group; a socially constructed category; labeled as inferior; singled out for differential and unfair treatment; to assign people to racial categories; falsely ascribing; characteristics of inferiority; physical stock; patterns of discrimination; racist attitudes; forced to occupy low status; in relation to other groups; in terms of numbers; regardless of the size.

 

4. Complete the sentences.

1) ‘Ethnicity’ is a concept that is completely …. 2) In practice ethnicity is most often associated with minority groups …. 3) Ethnic groups have a consciousness of their common …. 4) The process of immigration and the experiences they faced as a group in the United States, including discrimination, created …. 5) It is not the biological characteristics that define racial groups, but how groups have been treated …. 6) A group may be classified as a minority on the basis of ethnicity, race, sexual preference, age, …. 7) Racism means falsely ascribing inherited characteristics of personality or behavior to individuals of a particular…. 8) The group that assigns a racial or ethnic group to subordinate status in society is called ….

 

5. Give a short summary of the text including the definitions of the main terms.

6. Read and translate the text.

 

                   Sociological Theories of Race and Ethnicity

   Race and ethnicity are important concepts in the field of sociology and are ones that are studied a great deal. Race plays a large role in everyday human interactions and sociologists want to study how, why, and what the outcomes are of these interactions.

  Sociologists look at many questions related to race and ethnicity, including:

  What is race? What is ethnicity? Why does society treat racial and ethnic groups differently, and why is there social inequality between these groups? How are these divisions and inequalities able to persist so stubbornly, and how extensive are they?

  There are several sociological theories about why prejudice, discrimination, and racism exist. Current sociological theories focus mainly on explaining the existence of racism, particular institutional racism. The three major sociological perspectives (functionalist theory, symbolic interaction theory, and conflict theory) each have their own explanations to the existence of racism.

   Functionalist theorists argue that in order for race and ethnic relations to be functional and contribute to the harmonious conduct and stability of society, racial and ethnic minorities must assimilate into that society. Assimilation is a process in which a minority becomes absorbed into the dominant society – socially, economically, and culturally.

  Symbolic interaction theorists look at two issues in relation to race and ethnicity. First, they look at the role of social interaction and how it reduces racial and ethnic hostility. Second, they look at how race and ethnicity are socially constructed. In essence, symbolic interactionists ask the question, “What happens when two people of different race or ethnicity come in contact with one another and how can such inter-racial or interethnic contact reduce hostility and conflict?”

  Conflict theories are concerned with the links between racism and prejudice on the one hand, and relationships of power and inequality on the other. Early conflict approaches to racism were heavily influenced by Marxist ideas.The basic argument made by conflict theorists is that class-based conflict is an inherent and fundamental part of society. These theorists thus argue that racial and ethnic conflict is tied to class conflict and that in order to reduce racial and ethnic conflict, class conflict must first be reduced. Later neo-Marxist scholars suggested that racism was not the product of economic forces alone. It is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon involving the interplay of ethnic minority and working-class identities and beliefs. Racism is much more than simply a set of oppressive ideas enacted against the non-white population by powerful elites.

 

7. Put 8 comprehension questions on the text and ask them your partner.

Discussion

· Do you agree that many popular beliefs about race are mythical?

· Should the concept of race be discarded in sociology?

· How might an unprejudiced person find himself or herself acting in a discriminatory way?

 

Presentation topics

· The difference between race and ethnicity

· Ethnicity and nationality

· Is race real?

· Race and intelligence

· Race (ethnicity) and health

Unit 2             

Discussion

· What do you know about ‘political correctness’? In groups do the brainstorming work and write all the associations that come into your mind when you hear the collocation ‘political correctness’ and organize the vocabulary into a mind map.

· Are there different ethnic groups in Russia? Where do they come from? Where do they live? How do they differ from the majority of people in your country with respect to customs, religion, clothing, food, music, etc.?

 

5. Read and translate the text.

Nation of Immigrants

     The United States is a country of immigrants. Since its early days, the country has admitted more than 50 million newcomers, a larger number of immigrants than any country in history. Most people came, and still come today, for wealth, land, and freedom.

      In the past, the majority of Americans considered themselves WASPs – white Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Many immigrants tried to preserve the traditions, religion, and language of their particular culture, but if they did not want to feel separate from the dominant WASP culture, they learned English and adopted English customs.

      Today America is again faced with an assimilation problem. The majority of the newest immigrants come from Mexico, Latin America, or Asia. Among these newcomers, the Asians seem most willing to assimilate. They encourage their children to speak accentless English and play American games. Mexican-Americans, now comprising about one-fifth of California’s total population, are not so easily assimilated. They generally have a strong sense of their own culture and often marry among themselves.

       Since the 1060s, with changes in the ethnic composition, American’s attitudes towards ethnic and religious differences have altered. Pressure on immigrants to Americanize and altogether forget their background has relaxed. High political offices are held by non-whites and non-Protestants. Americans are aware that the national ethnic, religious identity – WASP – which once unified the country under certain shared values, has disappeared. In a country where currently 6 per cent of the population is foreign-born, where more than 10 per cent speaks a language other than English at home, diversity is a major characteristic. The well-known picture of America as a melting pot where all groups come together, creating a new, distinct American type, is not an adequate metaphor. On the whole, a more accurate picture of American society today, one that conveys its astonishing variety of cultures, each preserving its own distinctiveness, is vegetable soup.

      Americans continue to debate the issue of immigration. Many Americans fear that immigrants may lower the quality of life in America by taking away American’s jobs and by importing the same social and economic ills that exist in the countries they left. Furthermore, they argue that tightening restrictions is a necessary measure to preserve America’s national identity. On the other hand, many Americans more optimistically emphasize the cultural wealth and diversity which immigrants have been bringing to the nation since its conception.

6. Put 10 questions on the text and ask them the class.

7. Write a 100-word summary of the text.

Discussion

· Work In groups.

· Study the case and do the task that follows.

Case study A NEWSWEEK POLL ON IMMIGRATION

The Gallup Organization interviewed 751 adults by telephone. ‘Don’t knows” not shown.

1 Do you think the number of immigrants now entering the US from each of the following areas is too many, too few or about right?

 

	Too Many	Too Few	About Right
European countries	26%	11%	50%
Latin America	53%	5%	30%
African countries	31%	12%	37%
Asian countries	49%	6%	33%

2 Do you feel that English only should be used in all public schools, public signs, government forms and official messages in the United States. Or do you support thr use of a second language in some areas to help immigrants participate in education, business, public affairs and daily life?

English only 47%                                         Second language 49%

3 Some people say the government should make it much more difficult for illegal aliens to get work in the US by penalizing companies that knowingly hire them. Others oppose such a penalty because it would restrict US businesses too much and limit opportunities for legal immigrants – especially Hispanics. Which view comes close to your own?

Penalize companies 61%                            Oppose penalties 28%

4 Some people propose that the federal government issue identity cards to all citizens and legal immigrants to distinguish them from those who are in the country illegally. Others oppose this plan on the grounds that it would give the federal government too much knowledge and control over all Americans. Which view comes closest to your own?

Issue ID Card 42%                                         Oppose ID Card 52%

5 Some people say there are too many illegal immigrants living in this country for the authorities to arrest and deport them. They feel we should have an amnesty to let most of aliens to live here legally. Others say the government should do everything it can to arrest those living in this country illegally. Which comes closer to your view?

Amnesty for Those Here 34%                     Arrest and Deport 55%

6 Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

	Agree	Disagree
Immigrants take jobs from US workers	61%	36%
Many immigrants work hard – often taking jobs that Americans don’t want	80%	17%
Many immigrants wind up on welfare and raise taxes for Americans	59%	33%
Immigrants help improve our culture with their different cultures and talents	61%	35%

· Determine whether the statements are true or false and correct the false ones with reference to the information given in the Newsweek poll.

1. About half the Americans surveyed believe that too many Asians immigrate into the US.

2. Most Americans believe that the fastest way of being integrated into American life is speaking only English.

3. A vast majority of Americans believe that firms which hire illegal aliens should be penalized.

4. Most Americans feel that the government would have too much control over them if identity cards were introduced.

5. Most Americans would not like to see illegal immigrants return to their countries.

6. There is almost unanimous agreement that illegal immigrants are hard-working people.

7. About a third of all Americans agree that many immigrants are a social and economic burden for society.

8. The notion that the culture of immigrants enriches the American culture is not shared by most people surveyed.

Writing

· Find and analyze the data on Russians’ attitude to immigrants.

Unit 3                         

Multicultural Britain

1. Read and translate the text.

    Many states in the world today are characterized by multiethnic populations. Some states are ethnically diverse as a result of long histories of changing borders, occupations by foreign powers and regional migration. Other societies have become multiethnic more rapidly, as a result of deliberate policies encouraging migration, by way of colonial and imperial legacies.

   Immediately after the Second World War, Britain looked like a prosperous and friendly country for an immigrant worker. All Commonwealth citizens were free to enter the country and look for work, which was plentiful. The influx of immigrants was aided by the adoption of the 1948 British Nationality Act, which granted favourable immigration rights to citizens of Commonwealth countries. However, since the Immigration Act of 1962, successive governments have introduced regulations to restrict the number of immigrants.

    It is difficult to get statistics on race, but the following patterns are clear. The percentage of non-whites in Britain increased quite rapidly between 1945 and the end of the 1970s and the 2001 Census will show that it had reached 10 per cent by then. In addition, the number of people seeking political asylum reached 70,000 a year in 2001.

     By now, most members of ethnic minority groups were born in the UK. This can be seen clearly by looking at the age structure of ethnic minority populations. Within the British Indian population, for example, more than 96 per cent of those aged 16 and under were born in Britain, while only 1 per cent of those aged 35 or more were born here. This marks an important shift from an ‘immigration population’ to a non-white British population with full citizenship rights.

     Ethnic minorities are concentrated in the cities. They do not live in the inner city by choice; they moved there because such areas were least favoured by the white population and empty properties became available as whites moved out.

    Black and Asian people in Britain are disadvantaged as a whole in comparison with the white population. The percentage of members of ethnic minorities who are unemployed, or in low-grade jobs, is higher than in the population as a whole. However, certain ethnic groups find greater occupational success than others. For example, African Asian men are as likely as their white counterparts to work as professionals, managers or employers, while Chinese women are twice as likely as white women to do so.

    However, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds are still faced with prejudice and racism in areas such as employment, income, housing and crime.

    Racial discrimination and poor living conditions have contributed to racial violence, especially in the day-to-day form of relations between young blacks and the police, or in the more extreme form of inner-city riots. This is despite the Race Relations Act (1976), which was designed to promote equality of opportunity for people of all races.

 

2. Answer the questions.

 

1) What proportion of the British population is non-white, and where do their families come from?

2) Where do most non-whites live in Britain?

3) Is the percentage of members of ethnic minorities who are unemployed, or in low-grade jobs, the same as in the population as a whole?

4) What contributes to racial violence?

5) What was the Race Relations Act designed for?

3. Combine the following words into sentences:

a. Multiethnic, today, states, world, by, are, in, characterized, populations, many, the.

b. But, difficult, to, it, the, get, race, patterns, clear, statistics, on, are, is, following.

c. Of, groups, the, now, members, in, ethnic, born, by, UK, most, minority, were.

d. And, people, population, Britain, Asian, as, comparison, a, with, black, are, in,, disadvantaged, in, whole, the, white.

e. Certain, however, groups, greater, success, ethnic, others, occupational, than, find.

f. Ethnic, however, from, minority, are, still, individuals, with, prejudice, and, in, such, employment, as, income, crime, housing, and, faced, areas, racism, backgrounds.

4. Rearrange the following sentences so that they logically summarize the text.

a) All Commonwealth citizens were free to enter the country and look for work, which was plentiful.

b) Black and Asian people in Britain are disadvantaged as a whole in comparison with the white population.

c) Many states in the world today are characterized by multiethnic populations.

d) This marks an important shift from an ‘immigration population’ to a non-white British population with full citizenship rights.

e) However, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds are still faced with prejudice and racism in areas such as employment, income, housing and crime, which contributes to racial violence.

f) By now, most members of ethnic minority groups were born in the UK.

g) Some states are ethnically diverse as a result of long histories of changing borders, other societies have become multiethnic more rapidly, as a result of deliberate policies encouraging migration.

h) Immediately after the Second World War Britain looked like a prosperous and friendly country for an immigrant worker.

5. Learn and reproduce the summary from Exercise 4.

6. Read and translate the text.

A mixed population

  During the last thirty years Britain has undergone a sometimes painful education about people, race, colour, prejudice and different cultural values. The experience of living in a multi-racial society has undoubtedly changed people’s attitudes. Racial prejudice still exists and occasionally flares into violence, but somehow we have become a society of mixed races.

   If you discuss the need for national groups to preserve their identity by protecting themselves against immigrants you will find most of your British friends bewildered by what they will interpret as ‘racism’. However, the desire to preserve operates in both directions. We are already asking how far the immigrant groups should try to assimilate and how far they should try to preserve their own traditions. The first language of the Asian population is not English. Should the first priority be to teach them good English, or to help them protect their native languages? How far should English schools adapt to the immigrants and their children and how far should the children be expected to take for granted a white British way of life? Here is a Muslim boy from Bradford reflecting on the problem.

   “To be a strict Muslim in Britain can at times be awkward but by no means impossible. But to be a strict Muslim and at the same time accepted by society is not so easy. Integration of any minority can be difficult, but the recent Gulf conflict has not made things easy for Muslims in Britain…The west at the moment needs an enemy, as the old favourites such as communism have gone… Of course it’s very easy to blame the West, but do the Muslim communities want integration? Unfortunately my experience suggests that some communities do not. They are quite happy to live their lives doing business with fellow Muslims. This negative attitude is just as dangerous as any racism, for in itself it’s a form of racism.

It’s important wherever integration does occur that the culture and way of life does not change much. Politically, I’m British, but my religion, culture and way of life, although influenced by the British way of life comes from my Muslim background. I have friends of various backgrounds, and continue with life normally (at least, what I perceive as normal). But friends of mine who were brought up in a Muslim community all their life have friends only of Muslim background and have in no way experienced other cultures. If this continues, integration will never come about.

The only way to reduce racism is to increase awareness, to educate people. Simple as it sounds, we’re failing…”

  This boy has no doubt that integration is desirable, but that it must be done without cutting people off from what is familiar to them. Variety of experience is the best way of education. Since variety includes strangeness it is regarded with suspicion by people on all sides. But fortunately many more, white and black, are learning to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of each other’s culture and way of life. They are trying the balancing trick of preserving both difference and harmony. As you walk about the streets and talk to people, you will be able to judge how well they have succeeded.

 

                                       (from Understanding Britain by Karen Hewitt)

7. Give Russian equivalents for:

To preserve one’s identity; the first priority; to protect one’s native language; to adapt to the immigrants; to take for granted a white British way of life; to be accepted by society;to want integration; integration does occur; to be brought up in a Muslim community; to havefriends of various backgrounds; to reduce racism; to increase awareness; to educate people; to cut people off from what is familiar to them; to be regarded with suspicion;to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of each other’s culture and way of life; to preserve both difference and harmony.

8. Give English equivalents for:

Пройти болезненный путь знакомства с различными культурными ценностями; изменить отношение людей; разгореться во вспышки насилия; защитить себя от иммигрантов; привести в недоумение; действовать в обоих направлениях; сохранить традиции; научить хорошо говорить по-английски; размышлять над проблемой; затруднительно; обвинять Западные страны; отрицательное отношение; воспринимать; не иметь опыта общения с представителями других культур; интеграции не произойдет; уменьшить проявления расизма; восприниматься всеми сторонами; сохранить равновесие; судить; преуспеть.

Discussion

Work in groups

· The first language of the immigrants from former Soviet republics is not Russian.Should the first priority be to teach them good Russian?

· How far should Russian schools adapt to the immigrants and their children?

· How far should the immigrants be expected to take for granted a Russian way of life?

· Some countries have decided to ban the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women in public places, including schools. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

· Should all citizens of national republics in Russia speak titular language?

· Discuss some ways and means for any new ethnic group to become fully integrated into national life.

Unit 4                     

Discussion

· Work in three groups. Study the case and do the task that follows.

 

Case study: Bulgarian and Romanian immigration

      As of 1 January 2014, Bulgarians and Romanians have gained the same rights to work in the UK as other EU citizens.

What's happening?

    Bulgarians and Romanians gained the right to visa-free travel to the UK in 2007, when their countries joined the EU. But there were temporary restrictions on the kind of jobs they could take. Employers had to apply for work permits and migrants for an "accession worker card". Low-skilled workers were restricted to existing quota schemes in the agricultural and food processing sectors.

  These restrictions were dropped on 1 January, having been extended to the maximum period of seven years. Bulgarians and Romanians will be entitled to claim the same benefits and NHS care as other EU citizens. However, the government has rushed through legislation to toughen the rules around migrants claiming benefits.

Presentation topics

· Present the statistical information on immigration to Russia.

· Speak on British /American/ other country’s immigration policies.

· Speak on Russian immigration policies.

 

Writing

· Write an essay of about 300 words about your attitude to emigration. What country would you choose to emigrate to? Why? If you cannot imagine yourself emigrating, explain, why.

Unit 5              

Discussion

· Work in groups. Study the cases and give your comments. Then answer the questions that follow

.

1 Case Study: Indian sailor died after attack by gang of 20 youths

Gregory Fernandes, a 32-year-old sailor from Goa in India, was walking back to the cargo ship he worked on in Fawley, Hampshire when he and a friend were set upon by a 20-strong gang of youths. It was October 2007. Mr Fernandes was his family's breadwinner. A passerby broke up the fight and drove Mr Fernandes to his cargo ship, but he dropped dead from a heart attack.

Police concluded that the attack, which took place in a normally quiet backwater of Hampshire, had clear racist overtones. The gang had been shouting "Paki" during the assault. In January 2008, the Fernandes family expressed concern at the police investigation and the failure to charge anyone in connection with his death. Three young boys were later charged with his murder. At their trial in February 2009, the three admitted lesser charges of manslaughter. In March 2009, Stephen Pritchard, 18, Daniel Rogers, 18, and Chay Fields, 16, were sentenced to six-and-a-half years. A 15-year-old boy admitted GBH on Mr. Fernandes' friend and was given a 12-month detention and training order. Another 15-year-old who admitted assault was given an 18-month supervision order.

set upon by – подвергнуться нападению

a 20-strong gang – группа из 20 человек

broke up the fight – разнял дерущихся

backwater – закоулки, глушь, захолустье

racist overtones – расистские нотки, намеки, подтекст

assault - словесное оскорбление и угроза физическим насилием

expressed concern – выразили озабоченность

to charge – обвинить

trial – судебный процесс

to admit – сознаться

lesser charges – менее серьезное обвинение

manslaughter - непредумышленное убийство

sentenced to – приговорен к

GBH – grievous bodily harm– тяжкое телесное повреждение

12-month detention and training order – год в исправительном учреждении

 supervision – нахождение под надзором                 

2 Case Study: Russian nationalists rally 'against tolerance' and immigrants in Moscow

The Independent Monday 04 November 2013

Several thousand nationalists rallied in Moscow on Monday, protesting against the migrants they accuse of pushing up the crime rate and taking their jobs.

The protest took place on Unity Day, a national holiday established in 2005 to replace commemorations of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Many demonstrators carried Russian imperial flags. One group displayed a banner reading “Young People Against Tolerance”.

Animosity against migrants from the former Soviet Central Asian republics and non-Slavs from the largely Muslim Russian Caucasus region is strong among nationalists. Migrants are widely employed in construction and low-paid jobs that Russians are not eager to do.

3 Case study: Armenian student killed in Moscow race attack

The Guardian, Monday 24 April 2006

 

An ethnic Armenian teenager was stabbed to death in a metro station in central Moscow on Saturday night - the latest attack in a growing wave of racist violence in Russia.

At least six immigrants have been killed so far this month, and many more have been wounded.

Media reports said that a man in black clothing with a shaven head had stabbed the victim several times at Pushkin Square station, not far from the Kremlin, before fleeing.

Vagan Abramyants, 17, a student, died on the spot.

A friend who was with him at the time was badly wounded in the attack.

4 Case study: Police capture Azerbaijani suspected of Moscow murder

 BBC news

15 October 2013

Russian police have captured an Azerbaijani man suspected of murdering a young Russian, whose death led to riots targeting migrants in Moscow.

Police in Moscow have named Azerbaijani man Orkhan Zeynalov as the suspected murderer of a young Russian whose death sparked major riots targeting migrants. Yegor Shcherbakov, 25, was stabbed to death in front of his girlfriend as the couple were returning home in the Biryulyovo district on Thursday. Ill-feeling has risen towards Moscow's Muslim migrants, thousands of whom gathered for street prayers on Tuesday. On Sunday, in response to Shcherbakov's murder, protesters shouting Russian nationalist slogans attacked businesses in Biryulyovo which employed migrant workers from the Caucasus and Central Asia. Riot police arrested hundreds of protesters while at least 1,200 people were detained in a follow-up raid on suspected illegal migrants in Biryulyovo. District police chief Gennady Kaverin has been sacked. No details were given. An estimated 103,000 Muslims attended mass street prayers outside a mosque in Moscow on Tuesday to celebrate the Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha, police told Russian media. The prayers apparently passed off without incident. Such huge gatherings have become a tradition in recent years in a city with few mosques and a large, often transient, Muslim population.

 

· What is your attitude to hate crimes?

· What do you think of the slogan “Russia for Russians”?

· What do you feel about being a Russian?

· Is patriotism compatible with diversity?

· How is nationalism expressed politically and culturally? Is there a

· language or set of symbols that express nationalism?

· Nationalism – 1. The desire for political independence of your own nation; 2. Love of your nation, sometimes associated with the belief that your nation is better than any other. How do you understand the following expressions:

§ aggressive nationalism

§ extreme nationalism

§ militant nationalism

§ popular nationalism

§ radical nationalism

§ black nationalism

§ cultural nationalism

§ political nationalism

§ racial nationalism

· In what countries of the world can we observe the rise or revival of nationalism?

· In your view, does immigration strengthen or weaken Russian national identity?

· Have you ever witnessed racist attitudes or behaviours amongst students, including name calling, comments, jokes, stereotyping?

· Is there a tendency in Russia to use asylum seekers and immigrants as scapegoats for a wide range of problems in society?

· Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Give your reasons.

 

· Russians have generally positive views of immigration.

· Russians have generally negative views of immigration.

· Russian attitudes about immigration are predominantly based on economic factors.

· Russian attitudes about immigration are predominantly based on cultural factors.

· Immigrants integrate well into Russian society.

· Many immigrants hold social/cultural values which are incompatible with modern Russian society.

· Immigrants generally help to fill jobs where there are shortages of workers.

· Immigrants take jobs away from native-born citizens.

· Immigrants bring down the wages of Russia-born citizens.

· Immigrants are a burden on social services like schools and hospitals.

· Prepare and carry out a debate on the motion “Russia should strictly prohibit all illegal immigration”

Presentation topic “Hate crimes in modern Russia”

 

· Statistics

· Reasons

· What to do?

 

Writing

· Watch a video on YouTube about Russian skinheads and neo-Nazis. Describe your thoughts and feelings aroused by what you have seen.

Unit 6                

Discussion

· Work in groups. Read the cases and give your comments. Then answer the questions that follow.

 

1 Case study: Discussing what it means to be British, businesswoman Shazia Awan; labour activist Rowenna Davis and web company founder Rajeeb Dey.

The Observer, Sunday 17 June 2012

We've got the naturalisation test; in 2006 we had the duty to integrate. What's the balance between integration and holding fast to your own customs and traditions?

Shazia Awan To speak the English language, that's key. Growing up with Asian parents from East Africa who came to this country, built up their businesses, sold them, created wealth, created jobs – I spoke English at school and Welsh, but at home I've never spoken a word of English. I spoke Punjabi and Urdu because our languages were important to us. But integration is very important. Only in Britain can an Asian Muslim womanlive next door to a Jew opposite a black atheist alongside a Catholic lesbian, as I have on my street.

But are the keys here affluence and education? If you go to parts of the East End, where some white working class communities feel that they are in a minority and there is resentment, how do you handle that?

Shazia Awan That is very difficult. We had a family wedding, and one of my close friends – she's very white, very blonde – wanted to wear a sari. And I said 'Fine, I'll take you to Newham', and I made a mistake, because I could obviously understand the Punjabi and the Urdu that was being spoken and they were being very, very derogatory about my friend. Maybe this is an issue of lack of education. It was a real eye-opener for me.

Rowenna Davis I had a similar case. I was sitting in the House of Lords and I was talking to one of the security guards: he said, 'I live in East London, I bloody hate the Bengalis round there'. I said 'Why is that?' and he said 'Cos they won't come to the pub and have a drink with me, and I can't date their women'. It wasn't a racial hatred at all, it was almost a feeling of being shut out from that. I've got, in Peckham, one white working class estate that I do a lot of work on, and you could never call them racist because they have more brown babies than any of the middle class areas, but they feel that there isn't any shared space or desire to integrate. That has got to be a two-way street, right?

How do you encourage that two-way thing?

Rajeeb Dey It is about providing opportunities for different communities to meet. It's about providing that level of basic education. But when we're talking about integration, I don't feel that it should be that you must learn everything about Britishness and pass a test. I think the language, yes fine, but we also need to appreciate that these people are contributing to society and the fact that our most popular dish is a curry is an example of that. So I think it's about also celebrating what they can bring to develop and enrich culture rather than saying that this is it and you must conform to this way of life.

2. Case study: Social networks and social exclusion

Daniel Alexandrov, Vlada Baranova,Valeria Ivaniushina

MIGRANT CHILDREN IN RUSSIA. / MIGRATION, ETHNICITY AND SEGREGATION IN ST. PETERSBURG

‘Ethnic majority students disregard ethnicity in forging friendships. Migrant minority teenagers, to the contrary, given a choice prefer to make friends with other migrant minority children. And as our interviews with the students and teachers show, migrant minority children in schools do not always find friends among children from the same ethnic groups: for instance, Azerbaijanis can form friendships with Armenians or Kyrgyz – depending on the ethnic groups present in the class.

This preference may be explained by minority children’s wish to find friends with a similar experience of migration and of living in different culture/language.

Besides, external categorization – the appraisals by teachers and local children –may contribute to the forging of new, supra-ethnic identities (“from Caucasus”,“migrants”, etc.) among migrant children. Still, there is no evidence for social exclusion of ethnic minority children in school networks.’

· Are there many or few people from black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds in your region?

· Do you think that any of the different groups of people are disliked by other groups of people in your region?

· Which groups of people are most disliked and why?

· In Britain people of all ages use racist terminology to describe “Paki Shops” and “Chinki restaurants”; there may be situations when a white child shouts “Here comes the Taliban” as an Asian girl enters the room. Racist terminology is used as an insult between white pupils, for example; “Haven’t you got that Paki in goal?” One school teacher explained: “Surely, using the term “Paki” is just a shortening of the word, like using “Marksy’s” instead of Marks and Spencers.” One of the students said “Chinki is not a racist term, if I called them “slanty-eyed yellow men” that would be racist” at which the majority of the group had laughed.

· Give similar examples of using such kind of terminology to refer to ethnic minorities in Russia.

· Do you think it is okay to dislike or call people names because they happen to be a different colour, religion or from another country than you?

· To what extent do you think immigrants of different ethnic backgrounds should be integrated into society? How do ethnic minorities themselves feel about this issue?

Writing

· Describe positive examples of ethnic integration in your region.

Unit 7                                  

Identity

 

1. Read and translate the text.

      The concept of identity in sociology is a multifaceted one, and can be approached in a number of ways. Broadly speaking, identity relates to the understandings people hold about who they are and what is meaningful to them. Some of the main sources of identity include gender, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnicity, and social class.

    There are two types of identity often spoken of by sociologists: social identity and self-identity (or personal identity ). These forms of identity are closely related to one another. Social identity refers to the characteristics that are attributed to an individual by others. They place that person in relation to other individuals who share the same attributes. Examples of social identities might include student, mother, lawyer, Catholic, homeless, Asian, married and so forth. A person can simultaneously be a mother, an engineer, Muslim and a city councilor. Multiple social identities reflect the many dimensions of people’s lives. They mark ways that individuals are “the same” as others.

   Self-identity, on the contrary, sets us apart as distinct individuals. Self-identity refers to the process of self-development through which we formulate a unique sense of ourselves and our relationship to the world around us. The social world confronts us with an array of choices about who to be, how to live and what to do. The decisions we take in our everyday lives – about what to wear, how to behave and to spend our time – help to make us who we are. The modern world forces us to find ourselves. Through our capacity as self-conscious, self-aware human beings, we constantly create and recreate our identities.

2. Give Russian equivalents for the following:

 

Multifaceted concept; can be approached; to hold understanding; meaningful; simultaneously; multiple social identities; to share attributes; social identity; self-identity; dimensions of life; to mark the ways; to set apart; a unique sense of ourselves; an array of choices;capacity; self-conscious, self-aware human beings; to create and recreate our identities.

3. Use the vocabulary from exercise 2 in the summary of the text.

4. Read and translate the text.

Identity and Ethnicity

Ethnic identity: The extent to which one identifies with a particular ethnic group(s). Refers to one’s sense of belonging to an ethnic group and the part of one’s thinking, perceptions, feelings, and behavior that is due to ethnic group membership. The ethnic group tends to be one in which the individual claims heritage (Phinney, 1996). Ethnic identity is separate from one’s personal identity as an individual, although the two may reciprocally influence each other. 4 major components of ethnic identity:

 Ethnic awareness (understanding of one’s own and other groups)       

 Ethnic self-identification (label used for one’s own group)

 Ethnic attitudes (feelings about own and other groups)

 Ethnic behaviors (behavior patterns specific to an ethnic group)

 

       Reference group identity: Identifying oneself by aspects of groups to which one aspires to belong (professional groups, etc.). Identity with such a group is a legitimate substitution for persons for whom ethnicity is not salient. Ethnic groups may also serve as a reference group, especially when members of the desirable group hold power and prestige within society.

     How does a sense of ethnic identity emerge? Erickson (1964) has noted that “true identity depends on the support that the young receive from the collective sense of identity characterizing the social groups significant to [them]: [their] class, [their] nation, [their] culture”. Being a member of a particular ethnic group holds important identity implications. Young children are certainly aware of differences in ethnicity and culture. But it is during adolescence, with capacities for reflecting on the past and on the future, that one may develop a greater interest in one’s own ethnic background. And it is during adolescence that one may have wider experiences within multicultural groups and experience ethnic discrimination. (over three fourths of subjects in Chavira and Phinney’s [1991] study of Hispanic adolescents reported experiencing discrimination, and nearly 90% believed society held negative stereotypes of Hispanics). Experiences of discrimination complicate efforts by adolescents to develop a strong sense of cultural pride and belonging. Spenser and Dornbusch (1990) have noted how adolescent awareness of negative appraisals their cultural group can negatively influence the adolescent’s life choices and plans for the future.

     In studies with adolescents from various ethnic backgrounds, Phinney has proposed a three-stage developmental process: unexamined ethnic identity, ethnic identity search, and achieved ethnic identity. These stages of ethnic identity development have correlated positively with measures of ego identity-status development. The stages are also found among adolescents of many cultural minority groups.

         How do adolescents of mixed minority and majority group parentage experience the identity formation process? In a study including small samples of Asian, Asian/White, and White college students, the Asian/White group rated race as significantly less important to their sense of identity than did the Asian group. Results from Identity Status Interview did not find significant differences in identity status distribution across the three ethnic groups. From qualitative accounts, Grove (1991) suggests that being partially White allowed those in the Asian/White group to question their Asian identity from a “safe place”. In fact, being of mixed racial origins was often regarded positively by these students. Because they were not easily stereotyped by physical appearance, Asian/White students often reported feeling freer to choose their own ethnic identity commitments.

       Some specific interventions need to be provided to assist in promoting a sense of identity achievement, ethnic group pride, keep minority youth in school and academically oriented, because lack of education ensures future socioeconomic disadvantages for these teens. Also important are affirming constructive social networks and support systems for minority families and promoting the teaching of native languages in schools in an atmosphere of biculturalism. Additional suggestions are offering special training for teachers of ethnic minority students and offering a media-focused cultural emphasis that affirms ethnic Identity and group pride for all youths.

 

5. Answer the questions.

1) What does ethnic identity refer to?

2) What are the major components of ethnic identity?

3) Of what other facets is individual’s identity composed?

4) What groups can serve as reference ones?

5) When does a sense of ethnic identity emerge?

6) What complicates developing by adolescents a sense of cultural pride and belonging?

7) What can negatively influence the adolescent’s life choices and plans for the future?

8) ‘…being partially White allowed those in the Asian/White group to question their Asian identity from a “safe place”.’ What does this mean?

9) Why is it important to keep minority youth in school?

10) Is it important to affirm ethic identity and group pride for only ethnic minority students or for all youth?

 

6. Give Russian equivalents for the following expressions.

To identify with a particular ethnic group(s); one’s sense of belonging to an ethnic group; ethnic group membership; to claim heritage;ethnic attitudes; ethnic behaviors; social/cultural background; to aspire to belong; legitimate substitution; ethnicity is not salient; to hold power and prestige within society; the collective sense of identity; to hold important identity implications; to be aware of differences in ethnicity and culture; capacities for reflecting on the past and on the future.

 

7. Translate into English using the vocabulary from the text.

1).Личная и этническая идентичности отдельны друг от друга, но взаимно влияют друг на друга. 2) Развитие этнического самосознания проходит несколько этапов. 3) Этническое осознание и этническая самоидентификация – это два этапа развития этнического самосознания. 4) Человек - разностороннее, многогранное существо.
5) Референтная группа, к которой стремится принадлежать подросток – это группа значимых для него людей. 6) В подростковом возрасте, вместе с умением размышлять о прошлом и будущем, приходит интерес к этническому происхождению. 7) Подростки из семей национальных меньшинств чаще сталкиваются с дискриминацией. 8) Общественные предрассудки в отношении какой-либо этнической группы затрудняют стремление подростков к развитию в себе гордости за свою культуру и за принадлежность к ней. 9) Необходимо принимать конкретные меры, способствующие развитию у подростков этнического самосознания и гордости за свой народ. 10) Необходимо через средства массовой информации пропагандировать своеобразие культур и способствовать формированию у молодежи этнического самосознания и национальной гордости.

8. Translate the text, paying attention to the italicized words and expressions.

 

  “I believe that for minority youths, the need to discover their ethnic identity is a crucial prerequisite for discovering and developing their personal identity. ”

(Sophia, a 19-year-old university student).

Thinking about one’s ethnic origins is not often a key identity quest among Caucasian North American adolescents; because cultural values for these adolescents in the home are generally similar to mainstream values for these adolescents, concerns with one’s ethnic identity often do not arise (Rotheram-Borus, 1993). However, for many adolescents of cultural minority groups, ethnic identity concerns become central to the identity formation process, as illustrated in the quotation cited above. In a study of ethnic identity search among college students, the researchers found that ethnic identity exploration was significantly higher among the three ethnic minority groups (Asian American, Black, And Mexican Americans) than the comparison White majority group. Also, all minority groups rated ethnicity as significantly more important to overall identity compared with White college students. Self-esteem was also related to the ethnicity in a higher degree among minority group students.

Growing up as an ethnic minority group member within a larger culture complicates the identity-formation process for many adolescents by the availability of varied role models holding possibly conflicting cultural values.

Ethnic identity emerges as adolescents experience a sense of difference. As a result, youths often immerse themselves in their own ethnic group values and reject the mainstream culture. Optimally, however, adolescents learn to integrate their own personal and cultural identities, achieving a sense of tolerance for and consideration of all people.

Steps to enhance ethnic identity might include finding methods to keep ethnic minority group adolescents involved with school and having schools that, in turn, promote an atmosphere of biculturalism.

9. Learn the italicized vocabulary from the text and be ready to use them in the discussion.

Discussion

· Work in groups. Comment on the cases, then answer the questions.

1 Case study : 18-year-old female university student

When my family first migrated here, our parents separated us from the majority culture largely because they know so little about it. Physical appearance for us was always a barrier, too. Our mother strictly forbade us girls ever to date a “European boy”, and with us living at home, she was easily able to do this. But last year I left home for university, and that was a year full of experimentation and exploration. I was curious to discover what I was doing here, and who I really was. I wanted my own set of morals and beliefs. Questions like “Where am I going?” and “Who will I become?” are still unanswered, but I feel certain that I will one day find some answers. I think feeling comfortable with my ethnic identity is a