Introduction to Sociology

Race in Everyday Life

Race expresses itself in many ways in US Society; from names, clothing and advertising, to language, symbols and norms.

Race is an important part of society that helps us manage our relationships and behaviors. It is important, however, to recognize the things that we’ve been raised to do as a result of your race. There are many racial stereotypes present in US Society that have been so internalized that we no longer recognize them.

For one full day, keep a list of the actions and behaviors you do that are a result of your race. Aspects of daily life that you should pay attention to are:

• Getting ready

• Clothing

• Eating

• How you speak

• How others speak to you

• Primary group interactions

• Secondary group interactions

• Interactions with strangers

• Shopping

• Household tasks

• Roles

• Norms

• Values

• Media

• Advertising

At the end of the day, take a look at your list and then answer the following questions.

1. How many items are on your list? Do you think you were able to write down every race action?

2. Were there any types of behaviors that were easy to recognize as race based?

3. Which areas of your life do you feel are the most impacted by your race?

4. Which areas of your life to you feel are the least impacted by your race?

5. Once you started watching for race actions, what did you notice about your behavior?

6. In general, how much of an impact do you think your race has on your everyday life?

Your submission should meet the following criteria:

1. 1 – 2 pages long

2. APA format with works cited page

3. At least one reference to the textbook

4. Submitted on D2L before the deadline: