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Assimilation: Documentary Summary

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Assimilation: Documentary Summary
Assimilation is not as conspicuous throughout the documentary, but power conflict is very distinct. Historians discuss the gruesome time in a way that shows precisely how power conflict is transpired. Power conflict theory is defined as the racial and ethnic theories that accent persistent and great inequalities and conflicts over the power and resources distribution associated with racial and ethnic subordination in a society (Feagin, Feagin 2011). In this documentary, it is discussed as such: whites had all the power, education, land and livestock. Blacks didn’t have anything! Power conflict theory is clearly evident when blacks can be arrested for no reason and thrown in jail with no way out because of the lack of resources.
Institutional …show more content…
Owners of the companies had the ability to do whatever they wanted with the convicts. There were no regulations on the convict leasing system. Many of the historians in the documentary explain how this time was worst than slavery. Not only is institutional racism shown throughout the documentary, but it is shown in todays society. However, racism is not as apparent today; people are subtler about their feelings.
Institutional racism is linked to social construction of race because based on historical ideas minorities were seem as lesser and not as important as their white counterparts. Because of this they were given inadequate treatment; leading to health issues, no political say, and a lower social class. This mindset will always be in the back of people’s minds.
When thinking back on the documentary, race is socially constructed to keep people separate. Race is not a biological term, it is a social term used as a form of oppression and segregation of ethnic groups based their physical traits. In the movie we see a superior group (whites) having all the wealth and the education, and freedom. We also see Blacks having nothing at all, there was no way for southern blacks to advance and try to fit in with the
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