Disucussion on the Noel and Blauner Hypotheses

When two distinct groups first come into contact with each other. the conditions of that meeting can find the destiny and mold the dealingss of the two groups for coevalss. This is called the “Contact Situation. ” Donald Noel and Robert Blauner have analyzed this initial contact and developed hypotheses that aid in the apprehension of this stage of the inter-group dealingss.

Donald Noel and Robert Blauner

The Noel hypothesis recognizes that there are three sections to the contact state of affairs. that when working together. lead to some kind of inequality between the groups. The hypothesis provinces: If two or more groups come together in a contact state of affairs characterized by ethnocentrism. competition and a difference in power. so some signifier of racial or cultural stratification will ensue ( Noel. 1968. p. 163 ) . In other words. if the contact state of affairs contains all three of the state of affairss. ethnocentrism. competition. and a difference in power. so some kind of dominant-minority societal construction will be created.

Ethnocentrism is defined as the inclination to judge other groups. societies or life styles by the criterion of one’s ain civilization ( Healy. 1999. p. 175 ) . At some degree. ethnocentrism is a necessary portion of human civilization. Without it. people would be given to non obey Torahs. societal norms or work with others in every twenty-four hours life. Ethnocentrism can besides make a negative consequence. At the utmost terminal of it. it can make the position that other civilizations are non merely different. but are besides inferior. When ethnocentrism exists at any degree. most people follow group lines and tend to distinguish between “us” and “them” ( Healy. 1999. p. 175 )

Competition is a battle over a scarce trade good ( Healy. 1999. p 175 ) . and normally leads to prejudice and favoritism. In contact state of affairss. the dominant group is the 1 that come out on top of the competition. Competition can be over anything that is desired by either group. or what one group has that other wants. The dominant group serves its ain involvements by stoping the competition and exploiting. commanding. extinguishing or ruling the minority group ( Healy. 1999 p. 176 ) .

Differential in power is the 3rd constituent in a contact state of affairs. There are three things that can find the derived function of power: the size of the group. the organisational accomplishments. and group leading accomplishments. and the controlling of resources. A larger. better organized group with more resources will by and large be able to enforce its will on the minority group ( Healy. 1999. p. 176 ) .

The Blauner hypothesis. analyzed in his book Racial Oppression in America ( 1972 ) . identifies two other types of contact state of affairss. colonisation and in-migration. Blauner’s hypothesis provinces “minority groups created by colonisation will see more intense bias. racism. and favoritism than those created by in-migration. Furthermore. the deprived position of colonized groups will prevail longer and be more hard to get the better of than the deprived position faced by groups created by immigration” ( Blauner. 1972 ) .

Colonized minority groups such as African Americans are normally forced into minority position. The position is forced upon them by the military and political powers wielded by the bulk group. One illustration is the slave position. Colonized minorities have virtually no opportunity for assimilation and are typically identified by extremely seeable physical features.

Most immigrant minority groups have some gloss of control over where they are immigrating to. For this ground. they normally keep sufficiency of their civilization and resources to assist them accomplish that which they strive for. While immigrants will confront jobs seeking to absorb. they normally have a better opportunity than those that have been colonized.

Plants Cited

• “Bob Blauner. ” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. nut. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bob_Blauner.
• Licinio. J. . and Ma-Li Wong. Biology of Depression: from Novel Insights to Therapeutic Strategies. Weinheim. Wiley-VCH. 2005.