Social in the United States

Social Distance in relation to Crime and Race

Social Distance is included in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (1), beginning with: Social distance calls to mind several competing images: spatial distance between individuals or groups of individuals, psychological distance, emotional distance, empathy or lack thereof, and many more. This section defines social distance, as it is used by sociologists and other social scientists; traces its historical development; and describes its measurement and outcomes. Social distance is thought of as a measurable feeling of intimacy between individuals and other socially defined groups. The term is most often used when describing interracial or interethnic relations, but it has also been applied to other social groups characterized by occupation, education, socioeconomic status, and the like. As originally conceptualized by Georg Simmel in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social distance incorporated both spatial (or physical) distance and metaphorical (or symbolic) distance.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Entry about Social Distance in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime

See Also