Coping with Minority Status: Responses to Exclusion and Inclusion - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521671159 ISBN 13: 9780521671156

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2009

Synopsis

Society consists of numerous interconnected, interacting, and interdependent groups, which differ in power and status. The consequences of belonging to a more powerful, higher-status 'majority' versus a less powerful, lower-status 'minority' can be profound, and the tensions that arise between these groups are the root of society's most difficult problems. To understand the origins of these problems and develop solutions for them, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of majority-minority relations. This volume brings together leading scholars in the fields of stigma, prejudice and discrimination, minority influence, and intergroup relations to provide diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives on what it means to be a minority. The volume, which focuses on the strategies that minorities use in coping with majorities, is organized into three sections: 'Coping with Exclusion: Being Excluded for Who You Are'; 'Coping with Exclusion: Being Excluded for What You Think and Do'; and 'Coping with Inclusion'.

About this title

Review

“Fabrizio Butera and John Levine have gathered an illustrious group of world-renowned scholars. Their Coping with Minority Status gives us solid theory, intriguing research findings and, last but not least, scores of practical insights. A must-read for anyone seeking a better understanding of the roles ethnic, social, religious, or political minorities have in these turbulent times.“
– Carsten K.W. De Dreu, University of Amsterdam
“Coping with Minority Status offers unique and valuable perspectives on an important yet still largely understudied aspect of intergroup relations: how minority group members adapt to or actively try to change their group’s status. The chapters, written by leading international scholars on intergroup and intragroup processes, consider how being a member of a minority group affects the ways people think, feel, and relate to others, as well as examine the broad range of responses (including terrorism) that minority groups use to influence dominant groups. The volume is impressive in its scope, but even more impressive is the depth and originality of insights that it presents. It is essential reading for anyone interested in this area and will help shape the course of scholarship on this topic for many years to come.“
– John F. Dovidio, Yale University
“There is a lot to like about this volume, which presents an informative overview of the current work of influential researchers in the field of minority-majority relations. The collection of chapters reflects the spectrum of theoretical and methodological approaches that contemporary psychology, and especially social psychology, contributes to the study of such important phenomena as stigma, prejudice and discrimination, and minority influence. In dealing with phenomena of high social and political import, the volume is a timely reminder that it is the raison d’être of social psychology to deepen our understanding of the connection between the individual/personal and the social/political.”
– Bernd Simon, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel
"...Employing social psychological precepts from a minority rather than the conventional majority point of view, editors Butera (Univ. of Lausanne) and Levine (Univ. of Pittsburgh) present a captivating rendition of minority experience in this anthology... provide novel insights on intransigent problems, including terrorism... Must reading in group relations and minority studies... Highly recommended..."
– G. Parangimalil, Texas A&M University--Texarkana, CHOICE

Book Description

Society consists of numerous interconnected, interacting, and interdependent groups, which differ in power and status. The consequences of belonging to a higher-status 'majority' versus a lower-status 'minority' can be profound. To understand the origins of the problems caused by majority-minority tensions and develop solutions, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of majority-minority relations. This volume brings together leading scholars in the fields of stigma, prejudice and discrimination, minority influence, and intergroup relations to provide diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives on what it means to be a minority.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0521671159
• ISBN 13: 9780521671156
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368
• Editor: Butera Fabrizio