In today’s modern society, we live in a world where racism amongst people of different races has the ability and potential to express itself in a variety of ways. This expression of racism could vary depending on geography, culture, time period, etc. Nevertheless, regardless of these possible factors, racism is likely taking shape in some way or form, whether one is cognizant of it or not. This racism that seems to be occurring throughout the world, has had and continues to have a profound effect on the way we live today, not only economically and politically, but socially as well. Many philosophers have studied racism, looking at the situation from various standpoints and perspectives. In an attempt to get a full understanding, racism is often studied by means of both white and black people, while being analyzed and critically evaluated from both such perspectives as well. In his piece “The Bad Faith of Whiteness,” Robert Birt is one such philosopher who elaborates and expands upon this term “bad faith” from which racism has the ability to stem. In Lewis Gordon’s book “Existencia Africana” he claims, “that racism is a form of dehumanization, and that dehumanization is a form of bad faith” (Gordon 85). Such a claim sums up the concept nicely, but as others have continued to write about in their works, there is more complexity to this issue, and that other racist ideas and explanations can further be connected back to this matter. The argument made by Robert Birt starts off by explaining particularly what is occurring in this interaction between white and black people that leads to this idea of bad faith. The author claims, “the self-deceptions of bad faith often originate in a project of denying the freedom of others” (Birt 58).... ... middle of paper ... ... as many of these philosophers have explained and as we have learned in this class, the predicament is complex, but nevertheless, as we also discussed in class, can be amended. Works Cited Birt, Robert E. "The Bad Faith of Whiteness." What White Looks Like: African-American Philosophers on the Whiteness Question. By George Yancy. New York: Routledge, 2004. 55-64. Print. Fanon, Frantz. "II- Racism and Culture." Toward the African Revolution: Political Essays. New York: Grove, 1967. 31-44. Print. Gordon, Lewis R. "Chapter 4- What Does It Mean to Be a Problem." Existentia Africana: Understanding Africana Existential Thought. New York: Routledge, 2000. 62-95. Print. McIntosh, Peggy. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." Independent School Winter (1990): n. pag. Print. Mills, Charles W. The Racial Contract. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1997. PDF.
Shelby, T. (2002) “Is Racism in the Heart?” In G. L. Bowie, M. W. Michaels, and R. C. Solomon (Eds.), Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (479-483). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Wilkins, Roger. “Racism.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 572 (2000): 159. Sage Publications, Inc. Web. 25 Mar. 2014
The word racism is a term used to describe the believed differences between people of different colors, because of traits, morals, or intellectual prowess. These perceived differences cause a racist person to treat a person of color in ways that would be unaccepted by most people in their own race. [1] This practice, racism, was initiated in the 17th century to promote or justify the use of slaves in what was to become the United States. Racism is justified by many means including the bible, science, and hypothetical theories. A widespread religious following in the Americas became the basis for acceptance of racism using the bible for justification. It ran into c...
Back, Les, and Solomos, John, Theories of Race and Racism: A Reader, (New York: Routledge, 2000).
The black man is hence for white culture the “the burden of original sin” (Fanon 168). Racism in this way is essentially a kind of defense reaction, which, in a way, explains why racism so powerfully enforces and reaffirms relations of separation and distance – the white man wants as much distance
Routledge, Clay . "Exploring the psychological motives of racism." More Than Mortal. N.p., 31 July 2010. Web. 30 June 2014. .
The 18th century marked the onset or foundation of this epidemic, this disease which is ingrained in all of us. Slavery became endemic in many parts of the world, especially in Africa. It can be presumed that this movement to subdue this unknown kind to its own akin began the whole notion of racism and constructed these two parallel structures that discriminated purely on the basis of race, sex, class, color and national origin. The memory of having been capital -Africans who were bought and sold and traded lingers on in the present. The 19th century had shown development which further fueled this divide, where scientists subscribed to the belief that human population can be divided into races. With racism came the dismissal of one’s culture, tradition, beliefs, individuality, identity, their experience and beliefs. The slavery of blacks is a term that’s blotted with irreplaceable brutal history. Many
Racism (n): the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other race (Wordnet search, 1), a controversial topic in today’s society, a subject that many people try to sweep under the rug, but yet a detrimental problem that has been present in America since the colonial era. Will this dilemma come to a halt? Can all Americans see each other as equals despite their skin color and nationality; and what role has it played in past generations versus today’s generations and how will it affect our future? Has this on going way of thinking gotten better or worse? These are questions raised when many think about the subject; especially members of American ethnic groups and backgrounds, because most have dealt with racial discrimination in their life time.
As the world turns, so do the minds of people who embrace the idea of equality and fairness to all. While society has many ills that prevent its potential growth, racism remains the most prevalent and consistent issue that hurts society’s ability to create unison. From the western to the eastern hemisphere, this ‘ism’ has manifested itself in every aspect of social life; even today, it still marks people’s philosophy and so much so that it influences practices, laws and social action across the world. Although there have been substantial gains in racial equality over the past century, racism still remains a deeply embedded and enduring ideology because of the creation of social divisions that allows power over a certain group of people and
Racism comes in many forms and fashions. Reasons for this intolerance, are just as varied and numerous. Intolerance is displayed by humans toward one another in regards to skin color, ethnicity, religions and personal sexual habits, among a few. Comparably, some are taught through environment, the temperament that was prevalent in the households were one was reared, from acquaintances and from revered people that one connects with on life’s journeys, and from world views, among a few.
Blum defines racism as “referring both to an institutional or social structure of racial domination or injustice-as when we speak of a racist institution-and also to individual actions, beliefs, and attitudes, whether consciously held or not, which express, support or justify the superiority of ones racial group to another”.(16)
In this paper I will be arguing that racist beliefs are cognitive problems according to Appiah’s account of racisms. In order to defend this position, I will first explain Appiah’s account of how racism is heritable through genes, focusing specifically on what he thinks the connection between extrinsic racists and intrinsic racists are. Then, I will define what Appiah takes a extrinsic and intrinsic racists to be, and show how his definition of what an “insincere” extrinsic is distinctive by contrasting it with other ways one could interpret or define as an “insincere” racist. I will then present an objection that explains why I think that racialism is not heritable through genes and that an “insincere” extrinsic racist should not change their minds.
Racism is based on the belief that one’s culture is superior to that of others, and this racial superiority provides justification for discrimination. Racism begins with categorising by race, and therefore stereotyping particular cultures. A simple definition of prejudice given by St Thomas Aquinas states prejudice as “thinking ill of others without sufficient cause” (1. pg 21). Racism is a major issue in today’s society, affecting a large number of the world’s population and causing political and social turmoil. To evaluate the true meaning, effects and views concerning racism in today’s world, a number of literature sources were researched including novel, films, short stories, poetry, song lyrics, textbooks and magazine articles.
Racism is one of the most revolting things within the vicinity of humanity. Many times it haunts our past, degrading our future. However, a good fraction o...
Guess contends that conventional theoretical approaches to race fail to account for the “historical consciousness of whiteness as social norm” (650:2006). They tend to ignore whiteness and treat it as a given or a prerequisite (651:2006). This then results in an automatic social devaluation imposed on those that do not meet this norm. Guess contends that racism and colourism work on two levels. Firstly, racism by intent works on an individual level of belief and values that stem from historic events such as slavery and Jim Crowe laws (Guess 661:2006). Racism is then internalized into the framework of society, which Guess calls ‘racism of consequence’. Racism of consequence is reflected in differing educational, economic and residential opportunities between races, as well as differing health care standards (652:2006). Such structural inequalities are extremely problematic because they are so deeply internalised that many people may not even realise that they exist (Guess