Introduction
Race relations has become one of the most relevant and disturbing topics for research. This is because, despite various measures and social movements to spread awareness about racial equality, minorities still experience pressure and bias. To gain the most complete and relevant picture of the topic under study, it is necessary to gain knowledge from representatives of various groups. However, the main problem becomes that individuals may have a different opinion in a private conversation about race than the one they broadcast to be socially appropriate. Thus, for the study of this topic, a comparison of information from research sites and national surveys on the example of racial conversation and how whiteness fits into this narrative will be conducted.
Data from Research Sites
For this research work, information was collected from three different research sites: a store, an educational institution, and public transport. The first exchange that I noted concerned the problem of racism, which was heard in the store. Two individuals said that “all these statistics about black people living in poverty are just invented to attract attention to them.” The response to this remark was consent and a statement that “it is not so difficult to just work harder to find money to ensure a better life for yourself and your family.” These were followed by the statement that “all conditions for career growth and finding a job are already being created in our camp,” and the individual noted that he did not understand why, despite all these opportunities, “black people still complain about being misrepresented in the society.” Both people participating in this exchange were representatives of the white community.
The second encounter with a conversation on this topic occurred in an educational institution between colored and white students. One of the young people noted, “I cannot even believe that despite recent events in society, the Black Lives Matter movement, for example, people still need to be explained how important it is to observe equality in society?” The second student replied, “I agree with you; I do not understand how you can divide people into black and white when it comes to work or relationships because people should not discriminate against each other just because they were born of a different race.” encounter continued with a discussion of such aspects as “the importance of the role of parents and the environment in shaping the worldview of children,” “recognition and participation by white folks,” and a discussion of “inveterate bias and racism in the political, economic and medical systems.”
The third research site was a public transport in which there was an overhead and passed between two white women. One of them noted in relation to the black driver, “I do not trust him; it seems that he can hit another car at any time or get into an accident.” The other woman was surprised, “Why do you have such strange thoughts? He was hired for a reason; he must have long experience?” The answer was, “Haven’t you read how many accidents or other incidents involving African Americans there are?” The woman replied, “No, I have not; you are reading some strange news; people of any race can be involved in such events; it is not normal to think that some of them do it more often.” Then she added that “it is like comparing the driving abilities of men and women who do not depend on gender in any way.”
Existing Survey Research
After obtaining information from research sites, the existing literature was examined, which focused on conducting a survey regarding racial relations. The keywords that were used to find scientific papers were “race relations,” “racial attitudes,” and “race.” This made it possible to find the most suitable surveys on the topic under discussion and avoid unnecessary data. Moreover, all the selected studies were written in the last five years, which ensured both relevance and relevance for this work.
The first work that provided individual opinions on race relations was “Race in America 2019.” Horowitz et al. They noted that “six-in-ten Americans (58%) say race relations in the U.S. are bad, and few see them improving, and some 56% think the president has made race relations worse” (para. 2). Thus, only a small number of Americans have the opposite opinion and believe that this aspect has undergone significant improvements. Moreover, the survey conducted by the authors showed that after the election of President Donald Trump, an increasing number of individuals consider it normal to express unacceptable opinions and discriminate against minorities. It can be highlighted that this study is supported by views expressed by the respondents and shows a trend towards non-restraint in the expression of insensitive attitudes.
The next source that provides insight into race relations is “Concern about race relations persists after Floyd’s Death.” The survey showed that “41% of U.S. adults worry “a great deal” about race relations, 29% worry “a fair amount,” while 17% worry “only a little” or “not at all” (13%)” (Saad para. 1). The main catalyst for the formation of this opinion was the murder of an innocent African American George Floyd by a policeman. Furthermore, it was also emphasized that this kind of concern about racial attitudes is less common among whites and more concerned among Blacks and Hispanic adults.
The third survey, titled “American Attitudes and race,” examined the problem of discrimination and attitudes toward race in the modern United States. Newport writes that “18% of blacks are satisfied with the way blacks are treated today, compared with 51% of whites who say they are satisfied with the way blacks are treated” (para. 9). In addition, data from other studies are provided that confirm the author’s claim regarding persistent discrimination and biases attitudes and views regarding racial minority groups.
Race Relations
Based on the collected information from personal research and existing surveys, it is possible to come to several basic concepts. First, the work carried out and the comparison of data showed that the survey literature on racial attitudes was consistent with the reports obtained. In other words, in both cases, discriminatory and unequal treatment was observed in relation to representatives of the African American community. Regarding the black population, the answers from research sites and existing surveys coincided since racial conversation did not differ from private exchanges. They argued that, to this day, people have certain beliefs and prejudices about certain qualities of blacks (Krysan 2). This manifested itself in the perception of these individuals as lazy or dangerous.
On the other hand, on the part of the white population, this kind of opinion differed, which was also shown in the surveys studied. Therefore, it was noted that white individuals believe that in modern society, there is a relatively acceptable and fair attitude towards the black race (Hughey 3). This may be based on blindness or unwillingness to pay attention to the problem that representatives of racial minorities face on a daily basis. Thus, whiteness significantly fits into this narrative and shows a lack of education and awareness regarding the topic of racial relations and attitudes.
Concerning the knowledge gained during the research, it can be concluded that the respondents’ views are not outside of mainstream public opinion. As noted in the article by Saad, an increasing number of individuals are not shy and do not self-censor their opinions regarding race. Therefore, based on the observations and what the survey literature suggests, people are honest about their views on race relations. They do not restrain themselves when speaking out in public places and freely express their beliefs in conversation with others. I believe that individuals interviewed for surveys give the most honest answers, as they reflect the current situation in the country and the world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the topic of race relations and attitudes is critically important for research. As part of this work, a comparison of data obtained from research sites and existing surveys showed a coincidence in the information provided by representatives of the black community. Individuals noted discriminative and biased attitudes in this racial minority group. On the other hand, the majority of white respondents noted that they are satisfied with the level of equality and measures that exist in modern society. This disparity may be due to a lack of education and a degree of awareness in society, which is the result of little progress in the struggle for equal rights for people. Moreover, the provoking factors may be government policies, social movements, and the actions of law enforcement in the United States of America. Therefore, this research work came to the conclusion that most of the data corresponds to surveys about racial conversation, and whiteness plays a significant role in this aspect.
Works Cited
Horowitz, Juliana Menasce et al. “Race in America 2019.” Pew Research Center, Web.
Newport, Frank. “American Attitudes and Race.” Gallup, Web.
Saad, Lydia. “Concern About Race Relations Persists After Floyd’s Death.” Gallup, Web.
Hughey, Matthew W. “Superposition Strategies: How and Why White People Say Contradictory Things about Race.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol.119, no. 9, 2022.
Krysan, Maria. “A Portrait of African American and White Racial Attitudes.” University of Illinois – Institute of Government and Public Affairs, 2021.