Understanding and Confronting Racial Microaggression

Abstract

Racial discrimination is a matter of public health and social justice and an issue that lies at the very heart of the social work profession. Modern forms of racial discrimination are frequently hidden, subtle, and unintended. This type of discrimination, described by the construct of racial microaggression, poses significant challenges to social work practitioners, educators, and researchers striving to promote justice and equality. The construct, however, also offers a powerful tool for understanding and intervening in discrimination. This paper defines and traces recent developments related to the concept of racial microaggression and discusses how acts of microaggression perpetuate prejudice and oppression. The tenets of Critical Race Theory, in which the construct of microaggression is grounded, is presented with a discussion for why postracial discourse may be counterproductive toward efforts aimed at deconstructing and eliminating racism. The paper concludes with specific recommendations for how the social work profession can integrate knowledge about microaggression into practice, policy, education, research, and intervention in a way that avoids potential pitfalls associated with addressing this sensitive issue.