Racism resource from Wikipedia
Racism is the belief that there are inherent differences in people's traits and capacities that are entirely due to their race, however defined, and that, as a consequence, racial discrimination (i.e. different treatment of those people, both socially and legally) is justified.
In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature (i.e. which harms particular groups of people), and which is often justified by recourse to racial stereotyping or pseudo-science. Modern usage, in fact, often equates "racism" and "racial discrimination" and defines the latter term only as applying to pernicious practices. Differential treatment of racial groups that is intended to ameliorate past discrimination, rather than to harm, goes by other names (e.g. affirmative action); the characterization of this practice as "racism", "racial discrimination" or "reverse discrimination" is normally only done by its opponents, and typically implies a belief in the harmful nature of the practice with respect to the groups not receiving assistance.
Racism is popularly associated with various activities that are illegal or commonly considered harmful, such as extremism, hatred, xenophobia, (malignant or forced) exploitation, separatism, racial supremacy, mass murder (for the purpose of genocide), genocide denial, vigilantism (hate crimes, terrorism), etc.
"Racism" and "racial discrimination" are often used to describe discrimination on an ethnic or cultural basis, independent of their somatic (i.e. "racial") differences. According to the United Nations conventions, there is no distinction between the term racial discrimination and ethnicity discrimination.
In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature (i.e. which harms particular groups of people), and which is often justified by recourse to racial stereotyping or pseudo-science. Modern usage, in fact, often equates "racism" and "racial discrimination" and defines the latter term only as applying to pernicious practices. Differential treatment of racial groups that is intended to ameliorate past discrimination, rather than to harm, goes by other names (e.g. affirmative action); the characterization of this practice as "racism", "racial discrimination" or "reverse discrimination" is normally only done by its opponents, and typically implies a belief in the harmful nature of the practice with respect to the groups not receiving assistance.
Racism is popularly associated with various activities that are illegal or commonly considered harmful, such as extremism, hatred, xenophobia, (malignant or forced) exploitation, separatism, racial supremacy, mass murder (for the purpose of genocide), genocide denial, vigilantism (hate crimes, terrorism), etc.
"Racism" and "racial discrimination" are often used to describe discrimination on an ethnic or cultural basis, independent of their somatic (i.e. "racial") differences. According to the United Nations conventions, there is no distinction between the term racial discrimination and ethnicity discrimination.
DEFINITIONS OF RACISM
rac·ism: ('wmode','transparent');interfaceflash.write(); /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled[rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
Racism defined: Prejudice, discrimination or antagonism, directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief.
or: discriminatory or abusive behaviour towards memebers of another race.
QUOTES:
Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means,
warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer
as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us,
do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?
If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility?
Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his
sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge.
The villainy you teach me, I will execute,
and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
(Act III, scene I)
"In the rialto you have rated me.... You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog and you spit upon my Jewish Gaberdine..." - Shylock (Act I, scene III)
"I am as like to call thee so again.." - Antonio (Act I, scene III)
HOW DOES RACISM AFFECT PEOPLE IN THE TEXT:
Shylock, in being called a "Cur" (dog) and always discriminated against is led to give the speech above( "Hath not a jew eyes"). Through this constant bullying he is driven mad to gain power from his bond. In being offered three thousand ducats instead of "cutting a pound of flesh" from the "nearest his heart" he does not take the money but intends on taking Antonio's life because he was the man, who was racist, towards Shylock beacuse of his beliefs and culture. Another case of racsim which is also linked to the reason why Shylock is driven mad (the loss of his welth through the loss of his daughter) is Jessica that has to become a Christian in order to marry Lorenzo and because the two cannot marry because of beliefs and religion, a maild case of racism means that Jessica must become a Christian because that was the 'Proper life' in the elizebethan times. Any person who was not a Christian had to wear red hats in public and be back in the 'geto' by nightfall. Racism was a fact of everyday life and many jews were ignored, spit upon or rediculled because of the clothes they wore and their culture and beliefs.
Judgements: What does this evidence tell me about Human nature?
I think that in reading through this play and looking at the examples of racism we begin to see how much tolerance people do not have for other cultures and beliefs. It is fair to say that even Shylock, the Jew, is less tolerant of the Christians as he will not eat or pray with them, however this is because of his beliefs in his God and ways of living. I think the intolerance of the Jew is because of Antonio's belief in the Catholic church and his lending money for no interest, he is intolerant, just as Shylock is towards Antonio for not having interest, and the intolerance is through each others cultures. Human Nature is a funny thing, we do not accept other peoples views so easily. We are Judgmental.
Famous cases of Racism.
AFrican americans were sold and used for slave labour. After all of the years of slave labour, the african people or darked skin in general became part of the same race (Racism concpet in itself) and people, because of seeing the dark skinned people being slaved and made to work, it was easy to treat them, even well after the days of slave labour had passed, as such. Slaves. They were treated as if they were beneath the 'white man' and found it hard to get jobs in higher positions such as a business man or successful, an entrepeneur. However because of people who discriminated them for the colour of their skin, this was nearly impossible until right up to the days of Martin Luther King with his speech of 'I have a dream'.
Also so many dark skinned people are subject to racism just because of a few people in their race, who are bad. This racism is very close to home and is easy to slip into.
"They all look the same" Sound familiar? Racism is more common than you think and is still very much used in todays society. This is a famous thing that people say when it comes to people of Japan, China, asian races.
A great example of Racism against the jews is in WW2 where the Nazi's were out in full force against the Jewish people (and the other important people from government) were put into concentration and work camps or death camps.
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Jews_Nazi_Germany.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust
http://www.google.co.nz/#q=nazis+and+the+jews&hl=en&safe=strict&prmd=ivns&source=lnt&tbs=tl:1&sa=X&ei=-CdUTuvzA8XjmAW0nZzzDw&ved=0CBMQpwUoAQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=b8e9ce0d339a85fb&biw=1366&bih=586
rac·ism: ('wmode','transparent');interfaceflash.write(); /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled[rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
Racism defined: Prejudice, discrimination or antagonism, directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief.
or: discriminatory or abusive behaviour towards memebers of another race.
QUOTES:
Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means,
warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer
as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us,
do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?
If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility?
Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his
sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge.
The villainy you teach me, I will execute,
and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
(Act III, scene I)
"In the rialto you have rated me.... You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog and you spit upon my Jewish Gaberdine..." - Shylock (Act I, scene III)
"I am as like to call thee so again.." - Antonio (Act I, scene III)
HOW DOES RACISM AFFECT PEOPLE IN THE TEXT:
Shylock, in being called a "Cur" (dog) and always discriminated against is led to give the speech above( "Hath not a jew eyes"). Through this constant bullying he is driven mad to gain power from his bond. In being offered three thousand ducats instead of "cutting a pound of flesh" from the "nearest his heart" he does not take the money but intends on taking Antonio's life because he was the man, who was racist, towards Shylock beacuse of his beliefs and culture. Another case of racsim which is also linked to the reason why Shylock is driven mad (the loss of his welth through the loss of his daughter) is Jessica that has to become a Christian in order to marry Lorenzo and because the two cannot marry because of beliefs and religion, a maild case of racism means that Jessica must become a Christian because that was the 'Proper life' in the elizebethan times. Any person who was not a Christian had to wear red hats in public and be back in the 'geto' by nightfall. Racism was a fact of everyday life and many jews were ignored, spit upon or rediculled because of the clothes they wore and their culture and beliefs.
Judgements: What does this evidence tell me about Human nature?
I think that in reading through this play and looking at the examples of racism we begin to see how much tolerance people do not have for other cultures and beliefs. It is fair to say that even Shylock, the Jew, is less tolerant of the Christians as he will not eat or pray with them, however this is because of his beliefs in his God and ways of living. I think the intolerance of the Jew is because of Antonio's belief in the Catholic church and his lending money for no interest, he is intolerant, just as Shylock is towards Antonio for not having interest, and the intolerance is through each others cultures. Human Nature is a funny thing, we do not accept other peoples views so easily. We are Judgmental.
Famous cases of Racism.
AFrican americans were sold and used for slave labour. After all of the years of slave labour, the african people or darked skin in general became part of the same race (Racism concpet in itself) and people, because of seeing the dark skinned people being slaved and made to work, it was easy to treat them, even well after the days of slave labour had passed, as such. Slaves. They were treated as if they were beneath the 'white man' and found it hard to get jobs in higher positions such as a business man or successful, an entrepeneur. However because of people who discriminated them for the colour of their skin, this was nearly impossible until right up to the days of Martin Luther King with his speech of 'I have a dream'.
Also so many dark skinned people are subject to racism just because of a few people in their race, who are bad. This racism is very close to home and is easy to slip into.
"They all look the same" Sound familiar? Racism is more common than you think and is still very much used in todays society. This is a famous thing that people say when it comes to people of Japan, China, asian races.
A great example of Racism against the jews is in WW2 where the Nazi's were out in full force against the Jewish people (and the other important people from government) were put into concentration and work camps or death camps.
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Jews_Nazi_Germany.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust
http://www.google.co.nz/#q=nazis+and+the+jews&hl=en&safe=strict&prmd=ivns&source=lnt&tbs=tl:1&sa=X&ei=-CdUTuvzA8XjmAW0nZzzDw&ved=0CBMQpwUoAQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=b8e9ce0d339a85fb&biw=1366&bih=586