Teaching About Modern Racism Using Popular Culture and Social Media

Professor Dwaine PlazaSchool of Public Policy

Modern racism has evolved from an aggressive prejudicial behavior to a more subtle prejudicial behavior. This type of subtle prejudicial behavior has advanced to a degree that is much more difficult to see, yet is regarded as more severe. This modern form of racism has entered the workplace and everyday life. It is particularly evident in popular culture and the micro-aggressions that individuals are exposed to (Its asking the question—where do you really come from—because you are brown and cannot possible be born in the USA and be American). The politically correct way to discriminate today is through a "polite" form of racism. In the past racism was easily defined by individual, institutional or systemic practices. Now a days modern racism have been naturalized in the psyche of people in the stereotypes that some folks hold and do not see as problematic.

Modern Racism– Halloween Micro-Aggressions

An example: of Micro Aggressionsin the Questions being asked

An example of Micro Aggressions Across gender

Modern Racism in Video Games– Racist

characters and role playing

Pseudo Scientific Racism Ideology Circa 18th Century

• MeSkull circumference Shape of nose, height, phenotype, Hair texture all became external features for codifying and classification of Races.

What is “Race”? And why is it still so significant today?

Rwanda Hutu killed Tutsis 1994

Nazi’s Killed Jews 1940

The pseudo science of the 19th century has left us with the legacy of racial classifications and giving us justifications in the 20th century for atrocities like Genocide and other ways of treating groups not like ourselves like the “OTHER”

Racial Hierarchical Logic put the Nordic Ethnic group at the top of all groups

Within Europe there is a hierarchy of ethnic groups– in 1890s white was not what it is today

Intelligence Tests Linked to Eugenics 20th Century

Carrie Buck and her mother EmmaBuck sterilized for the crime of being degenerate pregnant, unmarried and feebleminded

Stereotypes in the United States

Stereotypes: Prejudices are based on erroneous or inadequate group images.

Stereotypes May be described as pictures in our heads that we do not acquire through personal experience. In the case of ethnic stereotypes, distinctive behavioral traits of an ethnic group are selected by out-group members who exaggerate them to construct a shorthand depiction of the group.

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Usain Bolt Michael Phelps

All Asians are naturally smart

Who is part of the Dominant Group in the United States?

• The dominant ethnic group is the one at the top of the ethnic hierarchy, with maximal access to the society’s power resources, particularly political authority, and control of the means of economic production.

• The dominant ethnic group (WASP) is given the power to regulate the flow and composition of further immigration to the society and to determine the social treatment of other groups

as they have entered the society.

One drop Rule Applies to President Obama

Race Matters Poverty Rates in the United States

Race Matters in the United States-Health Care Access