Civil rights are shaped not only by individual choices but also by the rules, routines, and institutions that distribute power and opportunity. This lesson examines how discrimination can become embedded in government and why people’s overlapping identities matter.
Institutional racism refers to racist laws, policies, practices, or norms embedded in institutions. It can operate through formal rules, such as laws, and informal routines, such as patterns in how officials apply rules. Because these practices become familiar, people in the majority may not recognize their discriminatory effects.
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Institutional racism
Racist laws, practices, or norms embedded in institutions that can produce unequal effects over time.
Justice gap
The inability to obtain justice for legal problems despite the existence of political institutions.
Fourteenth Amendment citizenship clause
Defines U.S. citizenship for people born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction.
Equal Protection Clause
Restricts states from denying any person within their jurisdiction equal protection of the laws.
Formal and informal executive power
Formal power uses official authority; informal power influences debate or political behavior without necessarily changing law directly.
Quiz questions
What was the central citizenship ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)?Answer: The Court held that Black people were not citizens under its interpretation of the Constitution.
How did public interest litigation in India make it easier to raise public-rights concerns?Answer: It relaxed standing requirements and allowed claims to be brought in higher courts.
What did the Supreme Court decide in Loving v. Virginia (1967)?Answer: It invalidated Virginia's ban on interracial marriage.
Which action is an example of informal executive influence?Answer: A vice president publicly expresses support for a policy in an interview.
What did the Supreme Court's 2018 discussion of Korematsu in Trump v. Hawaii state?Answer: Korematsu was gravely wrong and had no place in constitutional law.
Based on Introduction to Political Science by Mark Carl Rom, Masaki Hidaka, Rachel Bzostek Walker (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.