White Privilege, Whiteness, And Racism

Running Head: WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 1

White Privilege, Whiteness, and Racism

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WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 2

White Privilege, Whiteness, and Racism

The majority of the people’s dream is to have a fair society where race, color, gender,

tribe, and other discriminative elements do not determine access to facilities. Unfortunately, it is

evident that as human beings live and co-exist, the creation or existence of a fair society that

guarantees equality in access to the available resources remains a mystery. Regarding that, one’s

race plays an essential role hence extensive discrimination. Even if there are efforts to uproot the

problem, the foundations are deep in the society, and it is likely to take for good to eliminate. By

connecting works of literature from different cases, this discussion looks at the concepts of white

privilege, whiteness, and racism as well as their binding factors and how they impact the society.

Indeed, no community is capable enough to come up with a lasting solution towards

racial and ethnic segregation. In like manner, such divisions due to ethnic attachments have

prompted the creation of numerous castes in the society “according to the way people access

opportunities, their wealth, influences among other crucial determinants” (Rothenberg, 2008

p.16). Unfortunately, it has fuelled social inequality leading to marginalization of the less

dominant color, oppression, and at times people are discriminated by consideration about their

places of origin (McIntosh, 2010, p.10). Accordingly, it is justified to deduce that the

consequences are far-reaching, and it is crucial to come up with measures to protect future

generations. Unfortunately, the current social frameworks do not promote the realization of such

objectives and the war against the nature and impact of whiteness in the society will continue to

dominate.

WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 3

White Privilege

White privilege is all about “giving the whites access to facilities, rights, and

opportunities that other are not allowed to have” (Jensen, 2005, p. 12). Accordingly, giving

people privileges according to color codes is one way to social inequality. One of the underlying

issues is that the socialization about whiteness is very high. Many people give it a different code

hence the prime positioning of the white in the society as compared to others (Rothenberg, 2008,

p. 41). In relation, which is an unfortunate scenario, people tend to structure their message,

beliefs, values, and conducts on the current assumptions without questioning their foundations.

Consequently, many end up passing the same traditions to others, and the chain complicates the

efforts in place to deal with the impact of whiteness and racism.

Another complication in the society is that the whites set the rules, guidelines, and the

foundations of the society. They at all times remain dominant. Unfortunately, the entire

population comes to accept the preset rules as the standard for everyone else. More so, different

from other colors the whites do not need any investigation regarding their identity as racial

beings (Rothenberg, 2008, p. 22). Regarding that, they end up having “dominant access to

privileges in comparison to other less influential communities” (McIntosh, 2010, p. 96). More so,

the stereotypical depictions about others take effect, which impedes the creation of a just society

where the influence of color isn’t a determining factor in access to the resources and

opportunities available.

In other scenarios, the white race compels others into thinking that their understanding of

the world is the only “legitimate way to view the world” (Rothenberg, 2008, p. 46). As such, it

translates to having a society that one race dominates in defining core aspects such as behavior

WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 4

modeling and regulation, the definition of rules and setting laws, and distribution of resources

among other considerations. In regard to that, it is a way where the ignorance of the minor races

to question or enforcing their positioning is taken at an advantage; therefore, they eventually

idolize the white as a superior race (Jensen, 2005, p. 69).

Race and Whiteness

There is nothing that damages social interactions more than having a society that

perceives one race as superior to the others. About the depth of racism in the United States, it is

not a surprise to study black separatism as an effect in the society. From the era of slavery up to

date, there is a sustained level of racism and Black Nationalism that has become difficult to

eliminate within the social sphere. There is an ever existing notion of white skin privilege which

in turn gives rise to Black Nationalism as opposed to binding the communities together. Ideally,

the white skin is perceived as a superior inclusion in the society as compared to other races.

According to Morris & Kahlor (2014, p.38), whiteness theory recognizes whiteness as a

normalized category giving it a thought of natural phenomenon as opposed to the natural

appearance. In its capacity, the current notion of the social sphere is perceived as a form of

property which in turn gives material and symbolic privilege to the whites instead of a universal

treatment of all races. This right includes a choice of safe neighborhoods and better education

facilities. The other right ties beauty and intelligence concepts to the white skin excluding total

assumption and relevance to black or brown skin.

On the same case, white privilege is a damaging effect and is a concept that is entirely

different from centrism which denigrates the values of other cultures. However, even if it fails to

appreciate the value in other cultures it does not fix its impact on the devaluation of the non-

WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 5

whites (Rothenberg, 2008, p. 55). Although the whiteness theories are interdisciplinary, they do

not agree on a common or single methodology claim. As a note, material theories seek to

respond to queries on white privileged access to tangible goods, while discursive theories review

the meanings in language, discourses and national symbols as preferred in normal states of being.

On the other hand, institutional approaches check on combining the elements of material and

discursive methods though putting emphasis on institutions such as banks and schools while

personal/relational theories address the mechanisms in which the white privilege notion finds a

way in the homes and relationships. Furthermore, relational ones address the self-sense and other

human concepts such as morality and decency. However, the universal feature is giving

relevance to the white notion hence failing to appreciate the values of other color codes.

On a side note, unlike the case with whiteness, race converges on how a reference group

in the social category gets or lacks access to some privileges or necessities basing considerations

on their unique characteristics mostly biological or at times cultural. Most of the times, however,

a particular race gets unfair treatment from the more advantaged members of the society which

makes it easier to single them out as differential categories. Based on the societal opinions, in

turn, people are classified as white, black, albino, and others about their treatment. Consequently,

it exists as a socially constructed process since biological characteristics do not play any vital

role, but rather the historical treatment and their skin’s complexion (McKinney, 2013, p.228).

In conclusion, the relationship between whiteness and race cannot be separated in any

way, whatsoever. Often, the link exists as the identification and separation of people based on

unique characteristics, and particularly their supposed physical and the shared genetic traits. As

such, it may take place in the schools, in the society, and in places of work. Similarly, it means

that as one strives to study the elements regarding whiteness and its link to racism, there are

WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 6

unique features that distinguish one race from another which needs high consideration during

classification; color plays a critical role. Above all, it also assumes various perceptions with the

societal conceptions considering folk taxonomies to define race based on skin complexion and

related traits while disregarding the effects of biological essentialism.

WHITE PRIVELEGE, WHITENESS, AND RACISM 7

References

Jensen, R. (2005). The heart of whiteness: Confronting race, racism, and white privilege. City

Lights Books.

McIntosh, P. (2010). White privilege and male privilege. The Teacher in American Society: A

Critical Anthology, 121.

McKinney, K. D. (2013). Being White: Stories of race and racism. Routledge.

Morris, A., & Kahlor, L. A. (2014). Whiteness Theory in Advertising: Racial Beliefs and

Attitudes Toward Ads. Howard Journal of Communications, 25(4), 415-430.

Rothenberg, P. S. (2008). White privilege. Macmillan.

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