CHAPTER 4: Racism and White Privilege

1. CHAPTER 4:Racism and White Privilege Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Systems Approach Second Edition Danica G. Hays and Bradley T. Erford

2. Historical Foundations of Race and Racism • Origins of racial “differences” • Race & ethnicity are often confused • Race implies a common descent of heredity • Ethnicity refers to cultural characteristics (e.g., rituals, work ethic, social mores, values) • The U.S. Government uses racial categories as social constructs for collecting data, rather than basing categories on biological factors

3. Social Construction of Race • Racial classifications throughout history • Early racial classification systems based on physical characteristics paved the way for later forms of racism • Physical characteristics alone are insufficient to make distinctions among people

4. Defining Racism • Racism - an ongoing, multidimensional, & dynamic process inherent in the development & maintenance of an institutionalized, hierarchical racial classification system • individual, group, & systemic levels • intentional & unintentional negative & erroneous stereotypical beliefs • Racism is built to maintain itself and is enabled by racial worldview & institutional racial classification systems • Individual racism • Institutional racism/ Structural racism • Cultural racism/ Internalized racism

5. Costs of Racism for People of Color • Cognitive costs: Mental energy & psychological processes, Internalized racism • Affective costs • Frustration, irritation, hostility = antecedents for anger & depression • Stress and hypervigilance • Interpersonal costs • Segregation of people by racial classification • Creates misinformation, misunderstanding, & miscommunication • Barriers to cross-cultural relationships • Fear, suspicion, & distrust between people of color

6. Costs of Racism for People of Color • Physical costs: • Hypertension • chronic fatigue • delivery of low birth weight pre-term infants • physical violence • outcomes related to health care

7. White Privilege • White privilege- positive ways in which Whites, benefit from racism. • Benefits & privileges can be unintentional or unconscious • May cause simultaneous comfort and guilt within Whites • Allows Whites the choice to acknowledge racism • White supremacy - the belief that the superiority of Whites justifies disproportionate access to social & economic resources • Examples of unearned advantages

8. White Privilege Continued • is often invisible to Whites • contains psychological & intellectual costs to Whites • contains several myths that perpetuate privilege for Whites • differentially benefits Whites • may even benefit those who do not identify as White

9. Costs of Racism for Whites • Ways in which Whites cope with & respond to racism & racial privilege have cognitive, affective, & interpersonal costs for them • Costs are minimal compared to those for people of color • Cognitive costs: • delusion of superiority • lack of accurate awareness as a cultural being • Inability to develop a full range of knowledge of racial issues & culture

10. Costs of Racism for Whites Continued • Affective costs: • vary depending on White’s awareness of racial issues • may include irrational sense of danger & fear of non-Whites • may result in anger which can result in denial • may include anxiety due to guilt • may result in lowered self-esteem

11. Costs of Racism for Whites Cont. • Interpersonal costs: • loss of relationships with people of color or with other Whites • distorted sense of others because of reliance on stereotypes & a lack of understanding of people of color • limited interaction with people of color • severed relationships with Whites who do not work for social advocacy • limited social competence

12. Whites’ Psychological Responses to Racism & White Privilege • Great cognitive & emotional dissonance associated with racism & White privilege awareness. • Whites engage in various defense mechanisms to help them reduce costs of White racism. • Denial - holding color-blind racial attitudes, believing in myths of meritocracy, & focusing on exceptions to argue against claims of White racism.

13. Color-Blind Racial Attitudes • Color-Blind Racial Attitudes = distortion/minimization of race & racism • “I don’t see a person’s race. I only see them as a person.” • may have difficulty establishing a trusting, therapeutic alliance

14. Myth of Meritocracy & Focus on Exceptions • Myth of Meritocracy - the notion that all individuals can succeed if they “work hard enough” • Focus on Exceptions • Reverse discrimination - Whites may deflect their role in perpetuating racism by focusing on times when they were discriminated against by people of color • Projection - the preoccupation of racism of others or the intellectualization of the problem

15. Psychological Dispositions of White Racism • Affective-Impulsive Disposition • limited, stereotypical thinking about non-Whites & denial of the existence of racism • aggressive & hostile • little shame & guilt • Rational Disposition • somewhat aware of how racism exists yet they tend to engage in either-or thinking about race relations • superficial tolerance of people of color until they encounter them when they exhibit negative reactions to any policies that encourage racial integration

16. Psychological Dispositions of White Racism Cont. • Liberal Disposition • a greater understanding of racism and other forms of social injustice • insight into others’ perspectives and experiences • inaction on their part due to perception that they will experience negative reactions from others • Principled Disposition • knowledgeable about how White privilege in their lives influences racism • can site specific examples of racism • tend to integrate discussions of racism with others in a superficial manner & report that they are cynical that current racial dynamics in the U.S. will change

17. Psychological Dispositions of White Racism • Principled Activistic Disposition: • understanding of racism & are hopeful & active in creating sociopolitical change • social advocates that seek to eliminate racism in specific ways within their lives • Counselors must address racial issues within the therapeutic relationship.

18. Eradicating Racism Involves a systematic approach that focuses on: • Counselor self-awareness • awareness of one’s own attitudes & behaviors regarding racism & racial privilege • counselors of all races are encouraged to reflect on the following areas: • Cultural tunnel vision/ethnocentrism • Victim blaming • Limitations of consciousness raising • Race-based stereotyping

19. Eradicating Racism Cont. • Client services: • Address racism within counseling • Address client’s racial identity development • Explore client problems for race-related stress • Investigate intersections of trauma & other forms of oppression with race-related stress • Assist clients through race-related guilt • Address racism within the client’s school & community • Cultivate resources • Assess the degree & existing forms of racism • Develop new resources for the client

20. Eradicating Racism Cont. • Changing systems • Change existing political, legal, economic, & public health systems • be familiar with historical & current legislation & court decisions that address racial issues • Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo (1849) • Reconstruction (1865-1877) • Indian Reorganization Act (1934) • Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas (1954) • Warren-McCarran Act (1962) • Civil Rights Act (1964) • Immigration Act (1965) • Affirmative Action (post-Civil Rights Era) • Public Law 93-638 (1975) • Indian Health Care Improvement Act (1976) • No Child Left Behind Act (2002)

21. Economic & Public Health Concerns • People of color receive disproportionate incomes & job opportunities in comparison to their White counterparts • Based on individual, institutional, & cultural forms of racism • This is particularly important in career counseling with people of color • Counselors should be aware of health disparities for people of color & how racism contributes to them