Introduction
Barbara J. Fields, in her article “Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the United States of America,” examines the complex relationships between the oppressed and the oppressors. The author argues that the idea of race is not an inherent element of identity but rather a social construct created by people. Thus, a social construct of race was used by those in power to mainly justify their actions of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination of those whom they consider inferior.
Main Ideas from the Reading
What stood out to me the most was the idea delivered by the author on the concept of inferiority. Fields (1990, p.106) said, “[Being different] did not add up to an ideology of racial inferiority until a further historical ingredient got stirred into the mixture: the incorporation of Africans and their descendants into a polity and society.” To explain further, the author emphasizes that society always sees those who are different or weaker than they are as inferior (Fields, 1990, p.106). The fact that African individuals came to the country without any rights only made others use this to their advantage.
The passage made an impression on me because it showed the fragility of human rights and how people can be perceived as outcasts in other communities because they are of other races and backgrounds. It additionally impacted me because it showed me the influence of perceptions and norms. Since African individuals were seen as weak and oppressed, the idea was to sustain such norms.
Conclusion
Hence, people in positions of authority have primarily utilized the social construct of race to justify their treatment of people they deem to be inferior through abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. The author’s message on the sense of inferiority caught my attention the most. The author underlines how those who are different or weaker than they are are always viewed as inferior by society. The article had a lasting effect on me because it illustrated how frail human rights are and how people of other races and origins might be viewed as outsiders in other societies.
Reference
Fields, B. J. (1990). Slavery, race, and ideology in the United States of America. New Left Review, 181(1), 95-118. Web.