Preventing White supremacy: an applied conceptualization for the helping professions

Abstract

This perspective paper synthesizes insights from social work research, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) to develop a strategy for preventing White supremacy and promoting racial justice. It examines the intricate feelings of White guilt and shame, advocating for introspection, comprehension, and active engagement by White individuals toward systemic reform. The paper underscores CRT principles like Interest Convergence and Critique of Liberalism to examine concepts such as Moral Injury, Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress, and White Shame Culture. Three main obstacles to racial justice are identified: perceptions of power, funding dynamics, and attitudes toward White identity. The paper argues that racial healing should not be solely the responsibility of people of color, emphasizing the crucial role of White people in anti-racism work within supportive settings that foster growth rather than stress and humiliation. Focusing on prevention, the paper argues for social work practices that eliminate conditions obstructing optimal social functioning while challenging oppressive systems. This includes implementing trauma-informed approaches and fostering group work centered on empathy, relationship-building, and reflection. Advocating a strategy that champions our collective liberation, it suggests social work praxis as central to applying interpersonal and group solutions to systemic racism. The paper stresses the need for preventative funding in social services—highlighting tangible action steps and reforming funding strategies to support long-term engagement and address root causes of marginalization and oppression. This integral strategy calls for a collective push toward an equitable society, significantly enriching the discourse on CRT and CWS within social work.