1.Topic 5: Discrimination CHI 114 (Updated on April 11, 2008)

2. Case studies [1] Source: http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/071103/5/nje6.html, downloaded on November 3, 2007.2CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong 3. Case studies [2] 26 ESL Source: http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/ overseas/200711/03/content_7003045.htm, downloaded on November 3, 20073CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong3 4. Case studies [3] Questions: 1. What kind of discrimination that both figures faced, as mentioned in Cases 1 and 2? 2. How were they discriminated? 3. Do you think such discrimination are sensible and reasonable? 4. If you were one of them, what would you feel? Would you take actions for change? 4CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong4 5. Concepts 1.Prejudice [ ]: an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts 1.Discrimination [ ]: actions, behavior, or treatment based on prejudice. E.g., 5e.g., the Blacks are dirty and slavery, the Whites are superior and cleverest, the Yellows are diligent and obedientPositive discrimination: Some people (e.g., the yellows) behave very politely and humbly when they see the whites. Negative discrimination: Some Hong Kong people addressed those people coming from mainland China as Uncle [ ]/First Cousin [ ] in the 1980s and 1990s CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong5 6. Factors [1] 1. Influence of tradition The division of superiority/ inferiority in terms of different aspects (e.g., races, level of civilization). E.g., 6Traditional China: the Chinese regarded themselves as the most civilized race. Those living outside China were barbarians who were less civilized. 19th century: the White Mans Burden means whites changed the childlike non-European cultures CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong6 7. Factors [2] 2. Psychological need of individuals to belong to aparticular, identifiable group 7E.g., A homosexual/bisexual man pretends to have a girl friend / to hate the gays intentionally in front of his friends and relatives in order to show that he is a normal man.CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong7 8. Factors [3] 3. Building up of the ego by cultivating a feeling of superiority E.g., Some men practice gymnasium and build muscle order to show their masculine [ ], including force and solidarity.4. Usefulness of prejudice as an economic and political weapon 8E.g., Under Hitlers Germany, the Jews [ ] were prosecuted as traitors in order to make a deliberate and systematic destruction of the Jews (Genocide ).CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong8 9. Minority [ ] If various groups were different but essentially equal, prejudice and discrimination probably would not be a central concern. But as the case with social and economic stratification, racial and ethnic groups are not viewed equally Minorities are groups of people singled out for unequal negative treatment, and who regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination 9Dominant groups are groups of people singled out for positive treatment (i.e., privileges, having the vested interest). The term majority may not be appropriate because such groups may be a minority (e.g., whites in South Africa)CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong9 10. Gender discrimination [1] 1.Women are some ways subordinated to men 1.Women are not allowed to do things because they are perceived as the weaker sex 10e.g., wives are subordinated to husbands in traditional marriage. Wives are expected to be housewives instead of being career womene.g., the prohibition against women serving in fightings in almost all of the armed forceCHI114/T5/Dr. Wong10 11. Gender discrimination [2] 3.Men treat women as objects rather than human beings 4.Womens access to job is restricted and limited 5.e.g., very few female political leaders in the world. They find themselves difficult to access the real powerIf women are divorced, they tend to be treated unequally 11e.g., pornography, advertisement of female body slimminge.g., The disturbed gossip blackens and humiliated the divorced women (She is not a qualified wife. She is so ugly so that her husband abandoned her, etc.) CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong11 12. Sexual orientation discrimination 1.Including lesbians, gays (homosexuals), bisexuals. 1. 2. 3.They are forced to hide their own preference so as to avoid being excluded In some cases, they are treated impolitely and rudely with violence and humiliation The labeling effect of the authorities, regarded them as abnormal, immoral and even illegal 12Queers: means 'strange', 'unusual', or 'out of alignment'.E.g., religion, government, tradition, schools, familiesCHI114/T5/Dr. Wong12 13. Racial discrimination According to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent [ ], or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying [ ] or impairing [ ] the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.This definition does not make any difference between prosecutions based on ethnicity and race, in part because the distinction between the ethnicity and race remains debatable. 13According to British law, racial group means any group of people who are defined by reference to their race, color, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin. E.g., Hong Kong Chinese and mainland Chinese are two different ethnicities. CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong 14. Hong Kongs Case [1] According to International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination [ ], each state/party shall prohibit and bring to an end, by all appropriate means, including legislation as required by circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organizationThe colonial government extended the Convention to Hong Kong in 1969. It continues to apply to Hong Kong after 1997 14CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong14 15. Hong Kongs Case [2] According to 2001 Census, 5% (or 344,000) of Hong Kongs residents are non-Chinese. Largest subgroups are of South and Southeast Asian origin. Most of these belong to the lower socioeconomic level.Based on Racial Discrimination in Hong Kong Prevalence and Impact by CUHK in 2004, forms of discrimination were as 15an inability to benefit from their rights (43%), hatred towards other races (42%), being ignored (41%), misunderstanding of others cultural traditions (40%).CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong15 16. How discriminated? [1] 1.Employment 2.Admission to Facilities 16Majority employed as Foreign domestic workers 1/3 of them worked in elementary occupations (e.g., cleaning, domestic workers, waiters) Encounter difficulties in finding jobs, job interview and promotion Huge difficulties in entering private facilities. Sliding-scale of entrance fees based on color-coding system, especially in nightclubs and barsCHI114/T5/Dr. Wong16 17. How discriminated? [2] 3.Sale/Delivery of goods & services 4.Accommodation 17Discrimination occurs mainly in shops, markets and restaurants: they receive impolite services, and priority often given to Chinese and Westerners Reluctant services from property agents and unwillingness of landlords to rent flats to minorities due to a stereotype image of being poor and dirtyCHI114/T5/Dr. Wong17 18. How discriminated? [3] 5.Receiving social services 6.Education 18Discrimination occurs mainly in Labour Department and in public hospitals Language barriers, insensitivity of government officials, and discrimination by community residents limit their access to social resources. There are limited school choices and places. The mother tongue teaching policy has limited the numbers of schools available for non-Chinese speaking students Heavy burden of school feesCHI114/T5/Dr. Wong18 19. Examples: Narzeen 4 62 Rana (Source: http://hkcs.org/news/press/2007press/ press20070303.htm, accessed on April 10, 2008) 19CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong 20. Measures [1] 1. Bill of Rights Ordinance [ ] 20Applied to Hong Kong since 1991 Under Article 22: prohibits the Government and all public authorities, and any person acting on behalf of the Government or a public authority, from engaging in practices that entail racial discrimination.CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong20 21. Measures [2] 2. Public education 21An Equal Opportunities Funding Scheme [ ] which the government sponsors NGOs and grassroots organizations annually, to disseminate the message through community projects: Leaflets, poster campaigns, and school talks. In June 2002, the Committee on the Promotion of Racial Harmony [ ] was established by the Secretary for Home Affairs [ ]. Initiation of promotional and educational measures and activities.The Race Relations Unit [ ] established, as secretariat of the committee. Hotline, radio programs in minority languages and thematic Sunday cultural program. CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong21 22. Measures [3] 3. School education 22After-school support and self-help team. Inclusion of non-Chinese speaking students policy by the Education Bureau introduced to public. Language classes and service guidebooks providedCHI114/T5/Dr. Wong22 23. Measures [4] 4. Employment 23Same rights and benefits under the labor laws as local citizens Code of Practice Against Discrimination in Employment on the Ground of Race [ ] was issued in 1998 to encourage employers to apply consistent criteria through out the employment process. Youth Pre-employment Programme [ ] and the Young Ambassador Scheme [ ]CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong23 24. Measures [5] 5. Social services 24All eligible Hong Kong residents have access to welfare benefits, under the Bill of Rights and Article 36 of the Basic Law. Social Welfare Department is responsible to provide a wide range of services include childcare, community support, and so forth to help all ethnic minorities and other citizens.CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong24 25. Measures [6] 6. Legislation 25Hong Kong has an obligation to legislate under International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD ) No legislation that prohibits all forms of racial discrimination on the part of private individuals or organizations at present In 2003, the Home Affairs Bureau announced plan of legislation and drafted on consultation paper. A Consultation Paper entitled Legislating Against Racial Discrimination [ ] was introduced to public in September 2004. First reading in the Legislative Council was done on December 13, 2006.CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong25 26. Reflection Do you agree that the present measures have been effective in curbing racial/ethnical discrimination in Hong Kong? 1. 2. 3. 4.26Are measures adequate to stop and prevent discrimination? Law enforcement? The power of punishing those people who have made discrimination? Education (school and public, like mass media ones) is sound and meaningful? Behavioral, language and cultural changes towards those who are regarded as different?CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong26 27. References http://www.hkhrm.org.hk/ (Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor) http://www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/GraphicsFolder/default.asp x (Equal Opportunities Commission) http://hkpoverty.oxfam.org.hk/issue3/issue3_eng/issu e3_eng.htm (Ethnic minority and social exclusion in Hong Kong) http://www.un.org/rights/ (Human rights, the United Nations) 27CHI114/T5/Dr. Wong27