The study of race and ethnic conflict historically has been hampered by inadequate and simplistic theories. I contend that the central problem of the various approaches to the study of racial phenomena is their lack of a structural theory of racism. I review traditional approaches and alternative approaches to the study of racism, and discuss their limitations. Following the leads suggested by some of the alternative frameworks, I advance a structural theory of racism based on the notion of racialized social systems. "The habit of considering racism as a mental quirk, as a psychological flaw, must be abandoned." -Frantz Fanon (1967:77) he area of race and ethnic studies lacks a _ sound theoretical apparatus. To complicate matters, many analysts of racial matters have abandoned the serious theorization and reconceptualization of their central topic: racism. Too many social analysts researching racism assume that the phenomenon is selfevident, and therefore either do not provide a definition or provide an elementary definition (Schuman, Steeh, and Bobo 1985; Sniderman and Piazza 1993). Nevertheless, whether implicitly or explicitly, most analysts regard racism as a purely ideological phenomenon.

Rethinking racism: toward a structural interpretation *

What is the relationship between common sense categories of experience and analytical concepts developed in order to understand the processes that produce such categories and effect their taken-for-grantedness? This question is crucial for those working on nationalism, ethnicity, and state formation. Much of the misplaced concreteness that bedevils this scholarship results from an uncritical reproduction of common sense that poses intellectual as well as political problems_

The Politics of Space, Time and Substance: State Formation, Nationalism, and Ethnicity

“Diaspora” is the term often used today to describe practically any population that is considered “deterritorialized” or “transnational”—that is, which has originated in a land other than that in w...

Three Meanings of "Diaspora," Exemplified among South Asian Religions

Intercultural personhood: Globalization and a way of being☆

International students frequently encounterproblems in adjusting to their new social environmentwhen studying at American institutions of highereducation. This paper contends that an importantstrategy used by international students in theadjustment process is to establish social relationshipswith other persons with a similar cultural background ornationality and form ethnic communities within the context of the university. Participation insuch an ethnic community serves to buffer internationalstudents from problems associated with a lack ofassimilation of American culture and an inability to effectively interact with Americans. This papertests the conditional hypotheses that assimilation ofAmerican culture and the establishment of social tieswith Americans influence the personal adjustment of an international student, only when thestudent has not established strong ties with otherpeople from a similar cultural background. The number ofstrong ties established with other coculturals was found to have the strongest relationship withthe personal adjustment of international students. Therelationship between assimilation of American cultureand personal adjustment was found to be conditional on the number of strong ties established withother coculturals whereas the establishment of strongties with Americans was found to be independentlyrelated to personal adjustment.

ETHNIC COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY: An Examination of Factors Influencing the Personal Adjustment of International Students

Preface John Rex Introduction. Controversies and continuities in race and ethnic relations theory David Mason 1. Intersecting strands in the theorisation of race and ethnic relations J. Milton Yinger 2. Epistemological assumptions in the study of racial differentiation Michael Banton 3. The role of class analysis in the study of race relations - a Weberian perspective John Rex 4. Varieties of Marxist conceptions of 'race', class and the state: a critical analysis John Solomos 5. Class concepts, class struggle and racism Harold Wolpe 6. A political analysis of local struggles for racial equality Gideon Ben-Tovim, John Gabriel, Ian Law and Kathleen Stredder 7. Ethnicity and Third World development: political and academic contexts Marshall W. Murphree 8. Social anthropological models of inter-ethnic relations Richard Jenkins 9. Pluralism, race and ethnicity in selected African countries M. G. Smith 10. Ethnicity and the boundary process in context Sandra Wallman 11. Ethnicity and the sociobiology debate Pierre L. van der Berghe 12. Rational choice theory and the study of race and ethnic relations Michael Hechter 13. The 'Chicago School' of American sociology, symbolic interactionism, and race relations theory Barbara Ballis Lal 14. The operationalisation of identity theory in racial and ethnic relations Peter Weinreich Bibliography Index.

David Mason

Papers

Theories of race and ethnic relations