Chapter 5 Overview

This chapter begins with a discussion of multiculturalism in Canada and then explains how race and ethnicity are two different concepts used to categorize people’s identity. Those who believe race and ethnicity are natural and permanent emphasize these aspects of identity and give them real power. However, most sociologists argue that race and ethnicity are not real, natural, or permanent, and that they are, in fact, social constructions made by human societies.

Despite being socially constructed, ideas about race and ethnicity have real consequences for individuals and groups, which is known as the Thomas principle. One of those consequences is racism, an organized system of ideas based on racial supremacy that leads to privileges and sanctions. Racism has been detrimental to Indigenous peoples in Canada, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. The Indian Act, residential schools, and social inequality in Indigenous communities are all founded on racism against Indigenous peoples by the Canadian state and its citizens.

Other consequences of the social construction of racial and ethnic categories are prejudice—a negative attitude towards an individual based on their membership in a certain group—and discrimination—the negative or positive treatment based on their belonging to a certain group.

Finally, this chapter explains the categories of immigrants in Canada: economic, family, and refugee. Economic immigrants are skilled workers, entrepreneurs or investors; family immigrants are sponsored by family members already in the country; and, refugees are fleeing persecution.