In the film "American History X" there were numerous social institutions that stuck out to me while watching the movie. One major institution that is portrayed throughout the entire movie is the fact that the main character Derek was involved in an anti non-caucasian group "skin heads". This group certainly shaped Derek's world views. He was raised by his father who viewed minorities as a nuisance and later was killed. Derek blamed his death on the people he learned to hate, and continued his hatred until incarceration. While in jail, Derek was forced to have a change of heart. Unfortunately he was "forced" to change his views in a very degrading way. Racism contributed to Derek's outlook on life greatly, from being the head of a racial discrimination group, to going to jail and learning to accept ethnic groups as equals.