Labor market discrimination Gender and Racial based Essay

Labor market discrimination Gender and Racial based - Essay Example Discrimination refers to distinction, restriction, differential treatment or exclusion which makes a person or a group in position of disadvantage when compared to others who are in similar circumstances or situations. Discrimination is part and parcel of social life and it is impossible to find any aspect of social life without discrimination. There are several types of discrimination and these include race, religion, age, ethnicity, gender, sex, language and disability (United Nations Economic and Social Council, 2009).. Basically, discrimination manifests itself through prejudices advanced against or in favor of another person, depending on the reasons stated above. The occurrence of prejudice normally refers to rejection of a person because the person belongs to discriminated group. Discrimination is also a matter of attitude among those who either practice it or become a victim to it. Since discrimination is something that is highly dependent on one’s attitude, it ought t o be considered in terms of both the one who is discriminated against and the one who is doing the discrimination. Though different types of discrimination exist all over the world with differences in intensity and magnitude, racial and gender discriminations are more widely and universally present. Racial discrimination refers to the difference shown to individuals on the basis of real and perceived racial difference while gender discrimination is due to difference in the sex. This difference is because of the assigned gender roles, prejudices and social construction. Review of literature on prevalence, causes and effects of gender and racial discrimination in the labor market are discussed in the following sections. ... ial and gender intolerance appears to be every bit of the societies and hence, it is interesting to review the causes and effects of these discriminations on labor market based on the earlier studies. Review of literature on prevalence, causes and effects of gender and racial discrimination in the labor market are discussed in the following sections. Prevalence of Racial and Gender based Discrimination in the Labor Market Large number of studies reveals that there is intensive racial discrimination in the US labor market. This kind of discrimination is essentially occurs through allocation of disadvanges and privileges depending on the color of one’s skin, or in other words, it is called as ‘colorism’(Hersch 2008). Racial discrimination is found across the job market, both in the industries; field as well as in the domestic chores. According to Ingram (2008), racial discrimination also manifests itself in the labor market through house hold chores. He argues that the time spent for attending the household chores should be considered as labor hours. He also presents evidence to the effect that US Blacks as well as non-white couples (heterosexual) tend to be discriminated against by being given extra workload in the house. The study is the evidence of pre-labor market discrimination as the labor for household chores is more discussed in it. As with racial discrimination in the market, there are a quite a number of empirical studies which shows the existence and effects of gender based discrimination in the labor market. Gender based discrimination is predominant in the domestic labor market with women normally working overtime and extra hours (Banton, 1998). Studies have also attempted to identify forms in which discrimination occurs. Along to Banton (1998), gender