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“We
recognize and affirm that, at the outset of the third millennium,
a global fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance and all their abhorrent and evolving
forms and manifestations is a matter of priority for the international
community…”
-- From the Report
of the World Conference against Racism, South Africa 2001,
p.10
"The decision to incarcerate all
individuals of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast
in 1942 was influenced by decades of anti-Asian attitudes--ingrained
in U.S. institutions, laws and the majority population. During
a time when discrimination was accepted by many as part of
American culture, special-interest groups formed to stir anti-Japanese
feelings and actions. Racial discrimination was legal and
established in policies and laws at the city, state and federal
level. Media perpetuated negative myths and stereotypes of
Japanese people as less than human."
-- From Densho
> History of Racism 12/20/2004 |
Jump to:
Definitions | Why
We Need to Talk |
Why We Need to Take a Global Perspective |
Organizations |
Documents & Reports on the Web | Get
Involved!
What is racism? Words such as prejudice, discrimination,
stereotypes, and exclusion come to mind; but is it more than these
things? One of the problems when talking about racism is that people
disagree on its very definition. Here is the way some people and
organizations have defined racism:
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Most dictionaries define racism as a belief that race is the
primary determinant of human traits and capacities, and thus
some people are superior because they belong to a particular
race. Often this results in discriminatory or abusive behavior
towards members of another race. Institutionalized racism
is when racial prejudice and discrimination have become part
of the normal behavior of people within an organization.
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A definition commonly used by antiracist activists is "prejudice
plus power." This captures the idea that racism is more
than individual beliefs and attitudes. Certain racial groups
have power because they have access to social, cultural, and
economic resources, while other racial groups are denied this
same access.
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Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a psychologist whose expertise
is the development of racial identity. In her bestselling
book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the
Cafeteria?, Dr. Tatum comes to the conclusion that racism
is a system of advantage based on race. This is an important
distinction from definitions that are based solely on prejudice
because it implicates everyone who benefits from
the racial system of advantage in the problem of racism.
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The Australian Human Rights and
Equal Opportunity Commission defines racism as "an ideology
that gives expression to myths about other racial and ethnic
groups, that devalues and renders inferior those groups, that
reflects and is perpetuated by deeply rooted historical, social,
cultural and power inequalities in society."
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It is important when talking about racism around the world
to be aware that it takes different forms in different societies,
according to history, culture and other social factors. In
some places racism results in violent conflict, while in other
countries it can be more subtle, a system of advantage that
is hidden beneath the surface.
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| Why We
Need to Talk about Racism |
"Racism is the single most critical barrier
to building effective coalitions for social change. Racism has been
consciously and systematically erected, and it can be undone only
if people understand what it is, where it comes from, how it functions,
and why it is perpetuated."
--The People’s
Institute, http://www.thepeoplesinstitute.org/principles.html
"No country or society is
completely free of racism, discrimination or ethnocentrism. None
can claim to have achieved complete success in the protection and
promotion of human rights, and, therefore, all should welcome open
dialogue and constructive criticism."
--From the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/cerd_report/cerd_report.pdf
"There is always someone
who hasn't noticed the stereotypical images of people of color in
the media, who hasn't observed the housing discrimination in their
community, who hasn't read the newspaper articles about documented
racial bias in lending practices among well-known banks, who isn't
aware of the racial tracking pattern at the local school, who hasn't
seen the reports of rising incidents of racially motivated hate
crimes in America--in short, someone who hasn't been paying attention
to issues of race. But if you are paying attention, the legacy of
racism is not hard to see, and we are all affected by it."
-- Beverly Daniel Tatum,
Ph.D. in Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the
Cafeteria? p.3
"Institutional racism is often the most difficult
to recognise and counter, particularly when it is perpetrated by
institutions and governments who do not view themselves as racist.
When present in a range of social contexts, this form of racism
reinforces the disadvantage already experienced by some members
of the community. For example, racism experienced by students at
school may result in early school dropout and lower educational
outcomes. Together with discrimination in employment, this may lead
to fewer employment opportunities and higher levels of unemployment
for these students when they leave school. In turn, lower income
levels combined with discrimination in the provision of goods and
services restrict access to housing, health care and life opportunities
generally. In this way, institutional racism may be particularly
damaging for minority groups and further restrict their access to
services and participation in society."
-- Racism. No way!,
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/library/understanding/index-What.html
"The good must be extended to all society
before it can be held secure by any one person or class."
-- Miss Jane Addams,
Founder of Hull House, http://www.hullhouse.org/
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere."
-- Martin Luther King
Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
| Why We
Need to Take a Global Perspective |
In 2000, Dr. Clarence Lusane wrote a paper entitled
"Shift Happens: Contemporary Racism and African Americans,"
which he presented at a conference on Racism and Racial Discrimination
in a Globalized Era. In the paper he proposed three reasons why
we should to take a global perspective of racism.
Too often, racism in the United States is thought of in isolation
from the rest of the world. There are a number of reasons,
however, why U.S.-based anti-racist activists should reframe
their conceptions and approaches to their efforts that incorporate
international experiences and views.
First, it is important to understand the many
different ways in which race is conceptualized and lived.
While the historically-dominant paradigm of viewing race in
the United States as primarily black and white has been broken
as other people of color have effectively and correctly noted
a more complex racial landscape, the notion of different concepts
of "black," for instance, has not been fully grasped.
The fact that "black" means very different things
in Brazil, England, South Africa, and the United States indicates
not only the constructed nature of the racial concept, but
also the impropriety of attempting to impose a U.S.-centric
racial paradigm on other societies.
Second, the effort to combat racism across the world has
generated many models of anti-racist struggles that should
be studied and shared. Many of the issues that confront U.S.
activists – police brutality, racial profiling, political
access, access to social services, etc. – are experienced
by oppressed racial and ethnic minorities and groups in other
societies. The successes and even failures of these campaigns
that have occurred are important resources for the global
community.
Third, new technologies and political globalization afford
an opportunity to construct a progressive global network of
anti-racist and human rights activists unseen in world history.
From local grassroots groups to international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), Websites, email networks, and listserves
allow for a rapid exchange of ideas and communications regarding
issues of common concern. Breaking the boundaries of nation
creates extraordinary prospects for international collaboration
as well as moral, material, and political support for localized
campaigns.
To read Dr. Lusane's entire
paper, visit http://www.ipunlimited.org/Media_Center/Shift_Happens/shift_happens.html
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AntiRacismNet
http://www.antiracismnet.org/
AntiRacismNet provides both an online resource for the activist
community and a portal offering information about anti-racism activities
to the general public. This includes an international online directory
of social justice organizations,
both issue-specific and news digest listservs, and a calendar for
posting regional, national, international events. As a public portal,
AntiRacismNet features news that contextualizes present day racism,
promotes anti-racism organizations, and highlights actions in the
fight against racism.
Center
for Multicultural Education
http://depts.washington.edu/centerme/home.htm
The Center for Multicultural Education at the University of
Washington, Seattle WA, focuses on research projects and activities
designed to improve practice related to equity issues, intergroup
relations, and the achievement of students of color. The Center
also engages in services and teaching related to its research mission.
Crosspoint
Anti Racism
http://www.magenta.nl/crosspoint/
One of the largest collections of anti-racism links on Internet,
currently listing over 2000 organizations in 114 countries.
CURE:
Coalition to Undo Racism Everywhere
http://www.seattlecure.org/
CURE is a multi-racial, multicultural, multigenerational coalition
of community-based, and faith based organizations, businesses, students,
educators, artists and individuals. CURE's major purpose is to undo
racism through systemic and individual change. CURE mobilizes the
community to confront and transform institutions that negatively
impact people of color. CURE builds relationships, educates, develops
leaders and supports community members who are committed to anti-racist
work.
Densho: The Japanese
American Legacy Project
http://www.densho.org/
Densho's mission is to preserve the testimonies of Japanese
Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II before
their memories are extinguished. They offer these irreplaceable
firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images and teacher resources,
to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice for
all. The section of their website entitled Causes
of the Incarceration is of particular interest in the discussion
of institutionalized racism.
Hate
Free Zone Washington
http://www.hatefreezone.org/
HATE FREE ZONE WASHINGTON exists to uphold the fundamental
principles of democracy and justice. They support and mobilize targeted
immigrant communities and allies to advocate for equality, dignity,
and respect. Their work integrates four critical areas that, when
combined, become the catalyst for systemic change: political advocacy,
direct support, community mobilization, and education.
Internet
Centre Anti-Racism Europe
http://www.icare.to/
ICARE is the information disseminator for the European NGO-community
working in the field of anti-discrimination, diversity and migration,
with a focus on anti-racism. This website is an excellent source
for relevant news articles.
Racism.
No way!
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/index.html
The Racism. No way! project aims to assist school communities
and education systems to recognize and address racism in the learning
environment. The project is an initiative of the Chief Executive
Officers of education systems across Australia.
Undoing
Institutionalized Racism
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/humanservices/UIR/
UIR is a multi racial group that seeks to undo racism by identifying
and addressing institutional practices and policies which afford
privilege to whites over people of color. These are government employees
tackling racism in thier own institution.
UNITED
for Intercultural Action
http://www.unitedagainstracism.org/
An European network which has over 550 organiaations from 49 European
countries cooperating together for the rights of refugees and migrants
and to combat racism, nationalism and discrimination.
| Documents & Reports
on the Web |
The
World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance Durban, South Africa - 31 Aug.
- 7 Sept. 2001
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.htm
The
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Initial Report of the United States of America to the United Nations
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
September 2000
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/cerd_report/cerd_report.pdf
The
Return To Separate And Unequal: Metropolitan Milwaukee School Funding
Through a Racial Lens A Rethinking Schools Report,
2001
http://rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/prrac/rsprrac.pdf
Minding
the Gap: An Assessment of Racial Disparity in Metropolitan Chicago
A report funded by the Human Relations Foundation of Chicago and
the Jane Adams Policy Initiative, 2003
http://www.hullhouse.org/gap/pdfs/mindingthegap.pdf
RACE
- The Power of an Illusion A series on PBS that asks
what is this thing called "race?" This 3-part documentary
helps us navigate through our myths and misconceptions, and scrutinize
some of the assumptions we take for granted. The website is full
of information, from background readings to interviews with a team
of scholars who are experts their fields of history, science, and
society.
http://www.pbs.org/race/
“We all
have a sphere of influence. Each of us needs to find our own
sources of courage so that we will begin to speak. There are
many problems to address, and we cannot avoid them indefinitely.
We cannot continue to be silent. We must begin to speak, knowing
that words alone are insufficient.”
-- Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.
in
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
p.206 |
Ten
Steps to Take Action
http://www.tolerance.org/teens/10ways.jsp
Being a youth activist isn't easy. That's why Tolerance.org put
together this list of steps as a guide to help you along the way.
After you read this, check out their website. Their organization
believes in the power of youth to create and sustain real change
and wants to provide ideas and tools to help you break the walls
of division in your school and community.
SoundOut.org
This is an online resource center promoting meaningful student involvement
in school change. Thier website highlights examples, research, resources,
and organizations that support student voice, student empowerment,
and students as partners in school change.
Seattle
Race Conference 2004
http://www.seattleraceconference.com/links.aspx
This partial list of groups doing anti-racist work in Seattle
was part of the conference's effort to mobilize and organize the
Seattle community.
CTWO:
Center for Third World Organizing
http://www.ctwo.org/
CTWO is a racial-justice organization in California led by people
of color whose mission is to achieve social and economic justice.
Their Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP) has graduated
over 300 people of color, providing intensive training on the art
of grassroots organizing and experience working on the ground with
community and labor organizations nationwide. Visit their website
to find out more about their leadership programs and download an
application.
The
Companion Flag
http://www.companionflag.org/
The Companion Flag is a symbol of all that human
beings have in common. Displaying this flag is a simple way to increase
and sustain an active public awareness of what we have in common,
even as we deal with differences. For this is the ground for compassionate
understanding, and serves to underscore the essential dignity of
all human beings.
These Resources were compiled for the "Youth
Summit: Institutionalized Racism from a Global Perspective."
The Summit and accompanying teacher program, "The Price of
Freedom: Teaching about the Experience of Japanese Americans in
World War II" were funded by a 2004-2005 Washington State Civil
Liberties Public Education grant to the World Affairs Council Global
Classroom. We are grateful to our Global Classroom interns, Lluvia
Ellison Morales and Jesse Jahnke, for their research in compiling
these resources.
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