Journals Information
Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 5(8), pp. 577 - 583
DOI: 10.13189/sa.2017.050801
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When Subcultures Turn into Ghettos: The Conceptual Ghetto and Oppression
Yossra Hamouda *
Department of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the American University in Cairo, Egypt
ABSTRACT
Conceptual ghettos are closed isolated communities based on one or more prioritized aspect(s) of the individuals' identities; for example: LGBT, Muslims in Europe, African Americans in the United States and immigrants. Sometimes, the single conceptual ghetto may require more than one identity; for example: African-American LGBT Muslims. The borders between the members of the conceptual ghetto and others are not physical walls; they are rather an understanding of the self and identity. This paper addresses the question: Do Conceptual Ghettos Hinder the Decrease of Minorities' Oppression? It tries to consider whether conceptual ghettos make it more difficult to decrease the oppression of minorities or not. Literature on identity and isolation of two conceptual ghettos 鈥揕GBT and Muslims in Europe- are reviewed to examine the reasons behind the conceptual ghettoization while literature on contact hypothesis and integrated threat theory in relation to LGBT and Muslims in Europe are used to answer the paper's question. The findings of the paper show that the conceptual ghettos are the product of the oppression of the minorities and the minorities' fear of rejection and that intergroup contact is important for the support of the minorities' rights. The answer to the paper's question is that conceptual ghettos hinder the decrease of minorities' oppression. Conceptual ghettos stand against intergroup contact; they lead to the perpetuation of stereotypes, fear of the other and disagreement. They also decrease the chance of tolerance, eradicating stereotypes and supporting the minorities' rights. It is suggested that intergroup contact (both direct and mediated by a non-particularistic media) may be one way of overcoming conceptual ghettoization and decreasing oppression.
KEYWORDS
Conceptual Ghetto, Contact Hypothesis
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Yossra Hamouda , "When Subcultures Turn into Ghettos: The Conceptual Ghetto and Oppression," Sociology and Anthropology, Vol. 5, No. 8, pp. 577 - 583, 2017. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2017.050801.
(b). APA Format:
Yossra Hamouda (2017). When Subcultures Turn into Ghettos: The Conceptual Ghetto and Oppression. Sociology and Anthropology, 5(8), 577 - 583. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2017.050801.