Читать книгу Understanding Racism - Hephzibah Strmic-Pawl - Страница 45

The study of racism often compares how people of color fare in relation to Whites on a host of indicators, such as education, employment, and pay. This comparative framework is common because inequalities become clear by comparing the group facing the problems—people of color—to the people who are deemed “normal”—Whites. This framework, however, often leads to a mistaken view of and/or singular focus on people of color “as the problem,” rather than Whites’ role in racism as the problem. Whites may be aware that racism, to some degree, exists but are unaware of how they benefit from that racism. The theory of White privilege, therefore, focuses on how Whites (1) participate in and perpetuate racism, intentionally or not, and (2) are oblivious to the benefits they receive because of racism. A greater goal of using this theory is helping Whites recognize their White privilege to help combat racism.¹

Like other contemporary racial theories, the theory of White privilege emerged after the 1960s Civil Rights Movement to explain how racism persists despite existing laws against racial discrimination. Whites began looking inward to dissect how they experience privilege throughout their lives, both in daily interactions and at significant life moments, such as buying a house or getting a job. This chapter relies on the work of four White scholars: Robert Amico, Peggy McIntosh, Paula Rothenberg, and Tim Wise, all of whom have analyzed their own White privilege and who have systematically studied how White privilege sustains racism.