Racial discrimination and systemic racism present some of the most important issues affecting communities of color in modern American society. Integration of sociological research on the issue can help understand the reasons behind negative racial dynamics and their effect on society. Thus, examining, explaining, and analyzing the issue of racial discrimination from different perspectives can provide substantial knowledge on the topic of racial boundaries and their sources.
Firstly, to understand the issue of racial discrimination, it is necessary to view it as a sociological concept. According to Lewis et al. (2019), race is a social concept related to the dynamics of colonialism and slavery, which does not reflect intrinsic human nature. In other words, the concept of race was developed to define political and social groups based on their relation to power and resources. Furthermore, the reasons for racial discrimination are sourced in the prioritization of race in the organization of society. Thus, exploring the concept of race from a sociological perspective emphasizes the initial aspect of inequality in the foundation of the concept and provides valuable insight into the reasons of racial discrimination in modern society.
Furthermore, from a historical perspective, the situation with racial discrimination in modern society was significantly impacted by slavery, housing segregation, and the continuously subordinated status of Black Americans. According to Banaji et al. (2021), the prioritization of race in the organization of society in the form of housing segregation resulted in substantial limitations on the opportunities and mobility of Black Americans. Segregation and lack of funding for schools in Black neighborhoods negatively influenced the quality of education, strengthening the foundation of racial discrimination.
Next, the issue of racial discrimination is worsened by the presence of bias in institutional and social systems. According to Bleich et al. (2019), Black Americans often face discrimination in the educational system, interactions with law enforcement officers, healthcare services, and employment. Furthermore, racial discrimination can manifest in different forms, from microaggression to denial of equal pay. The situation is aggravated by the underrepresentation of Black Americans in positions of power, education, and science (McGee et al., 2021). Thus, the extent to which the Black American population confronts racial discrimination across several social institutions suggests a lack of proactive measures from the government in addressing racial bias.
Lastly, defining the reasons for racial discrimination requires explaining the aspect of cultural or interpersonal racism, which significantly contributes to the development of systemic or institutional racism. According to Saini and Vance (2020), individual racist attitudes and beliefs present a product of cultural norms and environment. Thus, it is likely that systematic racism reinforces racial discrimination by allowing the majority group to benefit from products of segregation or discrimination policies. Therefore, White citizens benefit from negative interactions of Black citizens with police officers because it reduces the chances for White citizens to be fined or arrested (Saini & Vance, 2020). Furthermore, to preserve their benefits, the majority enforces controlling measures through institutional racism and normalizing racist cultural practices.
In conclusion, the paper analyzed the issue of racial discrimination and systemic racism from different perspectives and provided important information about the issue’s roots. The exploration of the sociological perspective on the concept of race identified the aspect of inequality in the concept’s foundation. The paper defined the historical premise for racial discrimination in housing segregation and explored the sources of institutional racism in implicit bias and the normalization of racist cultural practices.
References
Banaji, M. R., Fiske, S. T. & Massey, D. S. (2021). Systemic racism: individuals and interactions, institutions and society. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 6, 1-21.
Bleich, S. N., Findling, M. G., Casey, L. S., Blendon, R. J., Benson, J. M., SteelFisher, G. K., Sayde, J. M., & Miller, C. (2019). Discrimination in the United States: Experiences of Black Americans.Health Services Research, 54(2), 1399–1408.
Lewis, A. E., Hagerman, M. A., & Forman, T. A. (2019). The sociology of race & racism: Key concepts, contributions & debates. Equity & Excellence in Education, 52(1), 29-46.
McGee, E. O., Botchway, P. K., Naphan-Kingery, D. E., Brockman, A. J., Houston, S., & White, D. T. (2021). Racism camouflaged as impostorism and the impact on Black STEM doctoral students.Race Ethnicity and Education, 25(4), 487-507.
Saini, V., & Vance, H. (2020). Systemic racism and cultural selection: A preliminary analysis of metacontingencies. Behavior and Social Issues, 29, 52–63.