CSP Social Inequality & Diversity 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which theoretical perspective would most likely view racism as a tool used by the ruling class to divide the working class and prevent solidarity?
- Structural functionalism
- Symbolic interactionism
- Conflict theory (Correct answer)
- Exchange theory
Correct answer: Conflict theory
Conflict theory, rooted in Marxist tradition, views racism as a mechanism that divides workers along racial lines, benefiting capitalist elites.
Question 2: A Gini coefficient of 0 would indicate:
- Complete income equality (Correct answer)
- Complete income inequality
- Moderate inequality similar to most nations
- Zero national income
Correct answer: Complete income equality
The Gini coefficient ranges from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality), so 0 means every individual has exactly the same income.
Question 3: In the context of disability studies, the 'social model of disability' argues that:
- Disability is a medical condition requiring clinical treatment
- Disability is primarily caused by genetic factors
- Disability results from society's failure to accommodate physical and mental differences (Correct answer)
- Disabled people should adapt their behaviors to fit mainstream society
Correct answer: Disability results from society's failure to accommodate physical and mental differences
The social model distinguishes between impairment (physical difference) and disability (social barriers), placing responsibility on society to remove obstacles.
Question 4: 'White privilege' as a sociological concept was most influentially articulated by which scholar?
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- Peggy McIntosh (Correct answer)
- Patricia Hill Collins
- Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
Correct answer: Peggy McIntosh
Peggy McIntosh's 1989 essay 'White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack' popularized the concept of unearned racial advantages.
Question 5: Which type of mobility describes movement between social classes across generations?
- Horizontal mobility
- Vertical mobility
- Intragenerational mobility
- Intergenerational mobility (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Intergenerational mobility
Intergenerational mobility refers to changes in social class position between parents and their children across generations.
Question 6: The concept of 'environmental racism' refers to:
- Discrimination against people who advocate for environmental protection
- The disproportionate exposure of racial minorities to environmental hazards (Correct answer)
- Cultural beliefs that nature is racially categorized
- International disputes over environmental resources
Correct answer: The disproportionate exposure of racial minorities to environmental hazards
Environmental racism describes how communities of color are disproportionately located near toxic waste sites, polluting industries, and other environmental hazards.
Question 7: Which practice occurs when employers use race, gender, or ethnicity as a proxy for job qualifications without evidence of actual performance differences?
- Statistical discrimination (Correct answer)
- Meritocracy
- Affirmative action
- Human capital investment
Correct answer: Statistical discrimination
Statistical discrimination occurs when employers use group characteristics as shortcuts to infer individual productivity, perpetuating inequality even without explicit prejudice.
CSP Social Inequality & Diversity 3
Which theoretical perspective would most likely view racism as a tool used by the ruling class to divide the working class and prevent solidarity?