the path to transformation: building a multiracial movement
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The Path to Transformation: Building a Multiracial Movement
john a. powell
Director, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
Williams Chair in Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, Moritz College of Law
ISAIAHApril 16-18, 2009
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Presentation Contents Analyzing how we think, talk, and act on race
Talking about race Identity and the self Framing, implicit bias, priming
The role of whiteness
Space and institutional arrangements
Recognizing our interconnectedness Targeted universalism Coalition building
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Analyzing How We Think, Talk, and Act on Race
Source: Lester, Julius. Let’s Talk About Race
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The Social Construction of Race
People talk about race as though it is essential, even though it is socially constructed
This provokes some important questions: How is race constructed? By whom? For what purpose?
The fact that race is constructed implies that it has a history and that it is constantly changing.
How does our perception of race change? What forces are causing these changes?
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Analyzing How We Talk About Race
We often think about and talk about race within false dichotomies.
1) Black / White The public has generally not adopted the notion of a continuum
2) Civil Rights / Post-Racialism Older Americans often look at race from a Civil Rights angle Younger Americans tend to use a post-racial perspective Whites tend to be absent from this discussion
3) Affirmative Action, School Integration: Race / Class Race and class are both multidimensional
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Hesitancy to Talk about Race
Most people do not know how to talk about race in constructive and transformative ways.
Reasons for the hesitancy include: Fear of stigmatizing groups and creating self-fulfilling
prophecies Concern about reinforcing negative stereotypes Fear of stimulating frames that create resistance to social-
justice policy and encourage inter-group conflict Ignoring similar stresses of whites
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Why We Need to Talk about Race
To not talk about race is to talk about race.
Race plays a critical role in the creation and perpetuation of many social, political, and organizational structures that control the distribution of opportunities.
Race affects all aspects of our lives. Where we live, who our children’s friends are, what social programs
we support, how we vote, etc.
We must address race to understand the history of our nation’s democracy and the future well-being of its people.
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Consequences of Not Talking about Race
Racial disparities are masked
Misperceptions about equality are reinforced
Support for equitable interventions is decreased
Diversity becomes less valued
“Color-blindness” gains salience
Inadequate proxies, such as class, become more visible
Understanding of “linked fate” is weakened (we fail to see that institutional arrangements are functioning poorly for everyone)
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Framing
How messages are framed affects how they are perceived.
Conversations about race and diversity must be honed to ensure that messages are effective.
We need to start from the assumption that an awareness of racial disparities is fundamental to fostering race-conscious approaches to social justice policy. This is the first step in proactively achieving and maintaining
diversity in our public institutions.
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Another Example: Binary Frames Shaping How We Think About Race
False Dichotomy: Civil Rights / Post-Racialism Civil Rights mindset – We have yet to entirely overcome
historical challenges. Post-Racialism mindset – Racial problems were more notable
in the past.
Implications: What should we do? Civil Rights mindset – Nothing. We are stuck in the past. Post-Racialism mindset – Nothing. Our problems are largely
solved.
Both perspectives yield racial apathy. These are the dominant frames in our society.
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Implicit Bias
We unconsciously think about race even when we do not explicitly discuss it. Implicit thoughts can overpower our explicit positions.
People have multiple networks that may be activated without our awareness. Depending on the situation, one network becomes dominant over
the others.
Race is part of how we process information. Research indicates that we categorize people we see by their race
in less than a tenth of a second.
Nicholas D. Kristof. “Our Racist, Sexist Selves.” Nicholas D. Kristof. “Our Racist, Sexist Selves.” New York TimesNew York Times 6 April 2008 & 6 April 2008 & Barbara Reskin. “Unconsciousness Raising.” Regional Review, 2005 & Barbara Reskin. “Unconsciousness Raising.” Regional Review, 2005 & Drew Drew Westen’s Westen’s The Political BrainThe Political Brain (2007)
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Priming
Our environment affects our unconscious networks.
Priming activates mental associations. Telling someone a scary story activates a frame of fear
Claude Steele’s “stereotype threat”: For example, tell students about to take a test that Asian
students tend to do better than whites, the whites will perform significantly worse than if they had not been primed to think of themselves as less capable than Asians.
http://www.eaop.ucla.edu/0405/Ed185%20-Spring05/Week_6_May9_2005.pdf
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Identity Identities can be multiple and conflicted
The British did not become “white” until Africans became “black”
Both internal and external pluralism is supported by a healthy society
We may experience an uncomfortable awareness of our own multiplicity W.E.B. DuBois’ double consciousness
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Identity, Groups, & Structures
Identity reflects group positioning rather than actual group identity.
Groups are often seen as possessing some distinct personal or social attributes that differentiate group members from non-group members.
“Considered relationally, a social group is a collective of persons differentiated from others by cultural forms, practices, special needs or capacities, structures of power or privilege.” (p. 90)
“… a structural social group is a collection of persons who are similarly positioned in interactive and institutional relations that condition their opportunities and life prospects.” (p. 97)
Inclusion and Democracy by Iris Marion Young (2000); chapter 3
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The Self – Hobbesian View Current paradigm: Hobbesian, isolated
Perceives individuals as autonomous-independent selves Egoistic, possessive, separate, isolated, rational
This has led to increasing isolation and fear of the other This framework creates and marginalizes the racialized other Racial disparities are seen as a subjective, personal experience Creates false separations – negates shared humanity
Whiteness is a social category that has been inscribed in the separate Hobbesian self.
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The Self – A New Paradigm
What is the alternative vision? A model of connectedness Individuals as part of something bigger Inter-being, unified, not egoistically separate
Individualism and interconnectivity are not mutually excusive When a linked correctly, interconnectivity supports individuality
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The Role of Whiteness
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Whiteness and the Continuum
There is a perception that minority populations are surpassing white populations.
When considering racial identities, we must address the role of whiteness and white space.
The fluidity of other races’ locations in the continuum depend on how we think about whiteness.
This continuum is becoming more
complicated, yet it is stable.
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Defining Racial Categories
The Census has been a tool for defining “whiteness”
“Whiteness” is not a stable category i.e., Irish Americans were once considered non-white Are Hispanics/Latinos considered white (yet)?
Given that racial categories are dynamic, there is no way to know whether whites will be a numerical minority
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Deconstructing Racial Categories
Our collective failure to deconstruct racial categories, especially the “white” category, has two main ramifications: The racial hierarchy is maintained Whites who want to reject the white category need an
alternate identity
What is the meaning of being in these categories? These categories are constructed, sorted, and policed
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Not Just a Typology These categories of racial identity are more than just a typology.
They give social meaning and social significance to race.
These categories are reflected in institutional arrangements. Ex: Privilege is sorted through institutional arrangements,
which are never neutral There is a tendency to favor one group over another
Ex: U.S. holidays arranged around Christian beliefs
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Space & Institutional Arrangements
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The Arrangement of Structures
How we arrange structures matters The order of the structures The timing of the interaction between them The relationships that exist between them
We must be aware of how structures are arranged in order to fully understand social phenomena
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Transformational vs. Transactional
Transformational: Institutions need to be rearranged to support individual and collective values of (mutuality, equity, and democracy…)
vs. Transactional: Institutions are arranged appropriately; individuals just need to negotiate them better
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The Process of Transformation
Moving people to a transformative place is not just an internal project.
It is both interpersonal and institutional.
One may be easier than the other at times.
You may be able to change the interpersonal but not institutional policies, or vice versa.
“Be hard on structures but easier on people.”
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Individuals as Social Actors Often individuals are regarded as inert entities separate from
society This should not be our view
Questions of agency: One perspective: “I am acting on the world. If I become part
of the world, do I lose my agency?”
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Relationships with Institutions We have relationships with institutions and responsibilities to
them. This responsibility is shared with others.
We adapt to institutions as they adapt to us. Co-created Co-constituted
Q: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? A: The farm
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Recognizing Our Interconnectedness
“We are all caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
-The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Creating Empathetic Space Everyone needs help now and then; we all want to do better We share deep values, concerns, and hopes
Addressing the problems that have a racial footprint has implications and benefits for all members of society, not just marginalized groups – linked fate
It’s not “robbing Peter to pay Paul;” instead, everyone benefits
http://www.equaljusticesociety.org/2008/12/talking-about-race-in-the-obama-era/
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Targeted Universalism Targeted Universalism recognizes racial disparities and the
importance of eradicating them, while acknowledging their presence within a larger inequitable, institutional framework
Targeted universalism is a common framework through which to pursue justice. A model which recognizes our linked fate A model where we all grow together A model where we embrace collective solutions
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Interconnectedness
Recognize the interconnectedness of our being and our fate
Develop and implement solutions that benefit ALL members of society
Reject the myth of scarcity
Strengthen our democracy
Collaborate and focus on coalition building
Interconnectedness provokes both political and
spiritual questions.
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Coalition Building
We need to move from transactional level to a deeper transformative level What would this look like? What are the costs and consequences of this transition?
Coalition across groups, space, ideology
Ethics of connectedness and linked fate Structures, policies, institutions actively disconnect us whereas
they could proactively connect us
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The Path to Transformation Moving from a transactional to a transformational paradigm
requires redefining the self in relation to others
Moving beyond the self: “In every major religious tradition the ideal is unity, and separation leads to suffering.”
* * * * * * * * * *
What interferes with building these transformational relationships?
What kind of leadership is required of us?
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Transactional v. Transformational Leadership
Transactional Leadership
The approach emphasizes getting things done within the umbrella of the status quo; almost in opposition to the goals of the transformational leadership.
It is considered to be a "by the book" approach in which the person works within the rules.
As such, it's commonly seen in large, bureaucratic organizations.
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Transactional v. Transformational Leadership
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is about implementing new ideas
These individuals continually change themselves They stay flexible and adaptable They continually improve those around them
Transformational leaders have been written about for thousands of years--being both praised (Christ and Buddha) and cursed (Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan)
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A Transformative Agenda
Transformative change in the racial paradigm in the U.S. requires substantive efforts in three areas:
Talking about race: Understanding how language and messages shape reality and the perception of reality
Thinking about race: Understanding how framing and priming impact information processing in both the explicit and the implicit mind
Linking these understandings to the way that we act on race and how we arrange our institutions and policies
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Linked Fates…Transformative Change
Our fates are linked, yet our fates have been socially constructed as disconnected, especially through the categories of class, race, gender, nationality, region…
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Questions or Comments? For More Information, Visit Us On-Line:
www.KirwanInstitute.org