Issues Of Race Research Articles

Resisting silence: Using developmental science to Guide conversations around Race(ism) and justice in K-12 classrooms

ABSTRACT Rac(ism) continues to be a defining feature of the US context. Alarmingly, current legislation of K-12 teachers’ classroom conversations is limiting teachers’ ability to discuss issues of race(ism) with students in nuanced, productive ways. A potential solution to this pedagogical silencing is re-centering the role of developmental science in dialogue around social issues, particularly current events related to racial injustice. Framed by Transformative-SEL, this article will highlight the utility of merging social domain theory (Nucci, 2009) with critical histories (Alridge, 2006) to meaningful engage K-12 students in difficult conversations around issues of rac (ism) in the US context. In addition, this article will discuss the transdisciplinary Educating for Democracy initiative (EFD) and the way its alignment with developmental science, emphasis on primary resources, and student led discussion supports and protects educators in the face of pernicious forces while building students’ justice-oriented citizenship capacities.

Unveiling Complexity: Cinematic Representations of Apartheid History and the Post-Apartheid Dutch- Afrikaner Relationship in <em>Black Butterflies</em> (2011) and <em>An Act of Defiance</em> (2017)

The cinematic representation of Apartheid, and in particular the tendency of using white protagonists to narrate the story of black suffering, has been the object of much scholarly enquiry but this has never included Dutch films. This article explores the representation of Afrikaner anti-Apartheid activism in Dutch cinema through an analysis of the films Black Butterflies (2011) and An Act of Defiance (2017). It investigates how these films perpetuate or challenge the paradigm of ‘white heroism’ and ‘white saviourism’ prevalent in cinematic portrayals of colonial and Apartheid history. Through a comparative study, it reveals nuanced narratives of white protagonists, highlighting their complexities as ‘tragic heroes’ rather than conventional ‘white saviours,’ yet at the same time suggesting a societal inclination towards absolving their past sins, echoing a broader post-Apartheid narrative of forgiveness and reconciliation. By contextualising these representations within broader societal discourses on colonialism and post-Apartheid reconciliation, the article sheds light on evolving Dutch attitudes towards Afrikaners, as the descendants of Dutch colonists, and their historical culpability, offering insights into contemporary Dutch engagement with issues of race, identity, and historical memory.

Racism through Ifemelu and Trevor in Americanah (2013) and Born a Crime:Stories from a South African Childhood (2016)

This research paper examines the issue of racism through a comparative analysis of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah (2013) and Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime (2016). Supporting the analysis on Critical Race Theory as a reference framework, the paper investigates how the protagonists, Ifemelu and Trevor, confront, face and resist racial discrimination within their respective socio-political contexts meaning the United States and South Africa. Thus, this analysis lays emphasis on the personal stories of thjese two characters, the historical and social contexts of racism and the formation of their racial identities. Also, by discussing the unique and shared experiences of these characters, the article aims at contributing in the analysis of the intracacies of racism and the various means to challenge and resist it.

Race, homosexuality, and AIDS in London: the response of British AIDS voluntary organizations to Black gay men’s sexual health needs during the AIDS crisis (1980s–2000)

Abstract Focusing on three specific organizations—The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), Blackliners, and The NAZ Project (Naz)—this article explores the different ways in which voluntary organizations responded to Black gay men (BGM) in Britain during the AIDS crisis from the 1980s to 2000. Illustrating how the place of BGM in Britain at this time was multidimensional and often contradictory, the first section demonstrates how they required safer-sex messaging that took account of the heterogeneous ways in which they experienced the intersection of racism and homophobia. Situated in this context, the second section explores for the first time the well-documented work of THT as it applied to BGM. It shows how although the Trust increasingly recognized the need to reach BGM, white activists struggled to grapple with issues of race. It demonstrates how their work on race was shaped by the broader context of changes to voluntary organizations’ relationship to the state. In doing so, it makes clear the challenges of intersectional activism with communities of colour for white-dominated organizations and sheds light on how the HIV/AIDS voluntary sector responded to communities with particular needs. Taking Black AIDS organizations as its focus, the final section uncovers how Blackliners and Naz centred gay men in their work and reveals their nuanced and culturally sensitive initiatives. By tracing the contrasting ways in which these organizations navigated contested understandings of race in the final decades of the twentieth century, this article demonstrates the real-world consequences of the fragmentation of political conceptions of Blackness.

The counternarrative in early Pynchon: Race and power in “The Secret Integration”

AbstractThe issue of race and power in “The Secret Integration” requires re‐examination. Politically oriented readers have characterized the plot as forms of alignment with racism and segregation, whereas readers focusing on the esthetics and development of the authorship have to some degree recognized the role of the counternarrative in this early short story. What is at stake in the debate is the function of Pynchon's textual strategies of ambiguity and unreliable narration, and the significance of the text in relation to the wider authorship. This essay maintains that the story signals counternarratives to systemic racism and power on the plot, discourse, and thematic level. Pynchon's text not only makes resistance to racist and segregationist worldviews a prominent feature of the discourse and the reading process but also locates tension between openness and narrow‐mindedness among the main characters, at the thematic and plot levels. This essay demonstrates how “The Secret Integration” moves from modes of non‐conformism so prevalent in Pynchon's early short stories to a mode of counterhistory of fundamental importance to the later work.

Decolonizar o pensamento decolonial

In the last decade, decolonial thinking has been gaining momentum in the field of human sciences in Brazil, above all through the introduction of theories produced by the Modernity/Coloniality Group and Boaventura de Sousa Santos. These authors have taken centre stage in the theoretical references of academic productions with this approach, producing a sense of hegemony over an epistemology that proposes to be counter-hegemonic. The aim of this theoretical-conceptual study is to highlight the most relevant criticisms of the hegemony and centrality acquired by the Group and Boaventura de Sousa Santos: the prominence of white men, the absence of Brazilian male and female authors among its exponents, the sidelining of gender and race issues, the predilection for epistemological studies and its excessive academicist tendency. Some contributions from other decolonial voices, positioned further south in the Global South, such as Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui and Ailton Krenak, are also analysed. It concludes that the existence of a hegemony in the decolonial field is an indication of the need to decolonise it, above all by seeking to listen to voices from further south in the Global South. It points to the need to bring different decolonial perspectives into radical dialogue, without fearing tensions or shying away from inflections.

The Great Experiment: race and authorship in Shonda Rhimes’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

Abstract In 2023, Shonda Rhimes’s Queen Charlotte premiered on Netflix. The series is a prequel to the streamer’s hit series, Bridgerton (2020–present), itself an adaptation of Julia Quinn’s popular series of romance books. In Bridgerton’s colour-conscious British Regency setting, the marriage of Queen Charlotte, who is Black, and King George, who is white, led to the racial integration of elite society. Queen Charlotte, written and produced by Rhimes, gives the context for their love story. Although Rhimes is known for the diversity of her television shows, this series represents her most sustained engagement with issues of race. It is also her most personal work. The story of young Charlotte reflects Rhimes’s own, as a Black woman who rose to power within a white-dominant institution. Queen Charlotte understands race not primarily as identity or culture, but as a tool used by institutions to distribute power. While Bridgerton preserves the optimistic attitude of the romance novels, Queen Charlotte ends with more ambivalence, reflecting both the sincerity of its concerns and the sensibility of its creator.

Putting on Sarah’s Skin: Victim Identity in the Abrahamic Stories and Beyond

Abstract This article explores the complex identities of Sarah and Hagar within the Abrahamic narratives, focusing on themes of victimhood and perpetration. It challenges feminist biblical interpretations that portray Sarah solely as a victim of patriarchal structures or postcolonial interpretations that see Sarah solely as a perpetrator, arguing instead for a nuanced understanding that recognizes her role as both a victim and an oppressor. The article highlights the unique as well as shared struggles of Sarah and Hagar against patriarchy, suggesting that their relationship is emblematic of broader issues of race, class, and gender dynamics. The analysis incorporates illustrations from the literature, urging a re-evaluation of Sarah's character in the light of contemporary discussions on oppression and complicity. By examining the narratives through the lens of cohabiting women, the article illustrates the complexities of their interactions and the implications for modern feminist discourse. Ultimately, it aims to liberate Sarah from her archetypal role, presenting her as a figure whose experiences resonate with the struggles of diverse individuals today, fostering a deeper understanding of victimhood, and promoting a non-violent response to systemic oppression.

Exploring aspects of mentoring for black and minoritised healthcare professionals in the UK: a nominal group technique study

ObjectiveMentoring plays a crucial role in career development, particularly for black and minoritised ethnic (BME) professionals. However, existing literature lacks clarity on the impact of mentoring and how best to...

Intersectional Feminism in the Selected Poems from the Jim Crow, Harlem Renaissance, and Contemporary Era by African-American Female Poets

This study aims to analyze the theme of intersectional in poetry written during three important periods: the Jim Crow Era, Harlem Renaissance, and Contemporary Era. Using close reading, this research explores how racism, sexism, and social class are intertwined and reflected in the works of poets, particularly women of color. The analysis is conducted by paying attention to the use of diction, symbolism, and poetic structure, as well as the social and historical context in which the poems were written. The results show that intersectional is a central element that shapes the experience of oppression in poetry from each era. In the Jim Crow Era, poets express racial and gender violence through strong and straightforward language, emphasizing the brutal reality of segregation and misogyny. In the Harlem Renaissance, there is an attempt to celebrate cultural identity while still considering the complexities of gendered oppression, with poets combining pride in Black identity with critiques of patriarchy. In the Contemporary Era, the complexities of intersectional identities are increasingly explored, reflecting the challenges faced by women of color in modern society, including issues of sexuality, queerness, and class dynamics. This research confirms that despite advances in social awareness, issues of racism and gender oppression remain enduring legacies, with poetry serving as both a reflection of these struggles and a form of resistance against them. Through this exploration, the study underscores the vital role of intersectional feminism in understanding the evolving experiences of African American women across time.

Young white children's (not so) innocent wonderings about skin color

Issues of race and racism in early childhood education remain under-researched in Denmark—a country where the ideology of equity is particularly prevalent. However, international research on race and racism has long shown that children as young as three to four years of age can express stereotypes and develop prejudicial attitudes related to race, leading to exclusionary social behaviors. This article presents a microsocial analysis of how skin color becomes a socially constructed site of power and access in children's social processes of differentiation. The article is written from the perspective of childhood sociology and is based on participant observations from critical ethnographic-inspired fieldwork conducted in a Danish kindergarten. The analysis shows how normative whiteness orientates two white five-year-old boys’ interpretations of a four-year-old Black girl's dark-complexioned skin. By extension, the article discusses why young white children's meaning-making wonderings about skin color should not be considered an innocent everyday part of kindergarten life. Finally, the article considers the role of early childhood educators when emphasizing the importance of recognizing early childhood education settings as critical sites in the (re)production and disruption of contemporary issues of race and racism.

Kant's conception of race and modern political science

Racial issues remained for a long time one of the marginal topics in political thought. However, in the last few decades racial questions have become a topic of discussion in political science. Modern debates about race in political science are quite multifaceted and concern both practical and theoretical issues. In this regard, participants in discussions often turn to the of thinkers of the past. Much of this research focuses on the specific issue of Kant's concept of race, which is often used as a pretext to label Kant as a ‘racist’ thinker. Why is it that Kant's concept of race has become so important for contemporary discussions of race in political science? Could the characterizing of Kant as a ‘racist’ have a negative impact on the perception of his political philosophy? Answering these questions is the purpose of this paper.

RACISMO NO FUTEBOL BRASILEIRO: UMA ANÁLISE DA LEGISLAÇÃO ACERCA DAS QUESTÕES RACIAIS NO FUTEBOL BRASILEIRO

The research "Racism in Brazilian Football: An Analysis of the Legislation regarding Racial Issues in Brazilian Football" addresses the confrontation of racism in the scenario, with a sporting focus on Brazilian legal regulations applied to football. The study analyzes general legislation against racism, such as Law No. 7,716/1989 and the Statute of Racial Equality (Law No. 12,288/2010), in addition to the specific norms of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD), which provides for sanctions for discriminatory acts in sporting competitions. The research also explores the influence of international regulations, such as FIFA's anti-racism standards, and investigates how these guidelines are innovative in Brazil. Through the analysis of emblematic cases of racial discrimination in national football, the work seeks to identify the limitations of current measures and suggestions on the application and scope of these laws, involving a more inclusive sporting environment free from prejudice.

Performance approaches to whole society resilience

In this article, we reflect on the ways in which arts practices can contribute productively to national resilience strategies. We focus particularly on the UK Government Resilience Framework (2023, UKGRF) which calls for a ‘whole of society’ approach to resilience, echoing established initiatives addressing ‘whole community’ (USA) and ‘total defence’ (Sweden, Switzerland). In this context, we ask what performance research methods offer to understandings of whole society resilience, and how existing artistic practices ‘perform’ resilience in ways that are currently not accounted for. The arts, we argue, are a nuanced means of attending to complex geo-political contexts that allow space for legacies of racism, sexism, poverty, colonialism, and terrorism to be revealed as having (had) important and differing influences in shaping the resilience of varied communities within society. The UKGRF offers a compelling opportunity to think about what whole of society resilience might involve, who might already be engaged in this work, and how we might develop and maintain a robust ‘whole of society’ approach to contemporary resilience challenges. We discuss Through my Window, a community outreach project run by the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow (UK), mural painting in New Orleans (USA) that offers positive, joyful images of individuals in a city that is too often read through narratives of tourism and crisis, and Remembering a Future (London (UK), 2018), a live performance in which Aman Mojadidi addressed issues of race, identity, home and terrorism. In so doing, we argue that artists, arts organisations and arts communities need to be considered vital, strategically important resilience practitioners, and that the arts should be being taken seriously as an engine of societal resilience more broadly.

“Change, continuity and crisis in the legal profession: the role of gender”

ABSTRACT This paper discusses a theoretical framework for understanding gender in the legal profession, and in legal professionalism, over the past thirty years. Although women's subordinated position in legal professions across the globe seems well understood, the project of assessing the extent and the dynamics is ongoing in many jurisdictions and intersects with issues of race, gender in intricate and complex ways. The theoretical framework in this paper that aims to account for the multi-dimensional, multi-level and processual nature of change in the gendered profession draws on three main sources: Glucksmann's accounts of changing formations of labour, which provides a framework for understanding the exogenous and endogenous forces working on the profession; Fraser's concept of recognition and its relation to participation in the public sphere, and Bourdieu's conceptual vocabulary of field, capital and habitus, which facilitates understanding of the transactional processes which frame women's choices and which work to determine their position within the profession and organizations. The relevance of the framework will be illustrated through reference to a series of studies of gender and the profession, conducted since 1990.

Call to Action: Responding to COVID-19, Racism, and Student Mental Health on University Campuses

ABSTRACT The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic initiated a cascade of stressors that occurred concurrently with increasing issues of racism and racial injustice events. These compounded healthcare and societal stressors significantly impacted the mental health of individuals worldwide, including university students. To address the needs of students, a survey was administered to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at a large public university in the southeastern United States. Qualitative data were collected regarding student mental health, recommendations for institutional resources, and support needs therein. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses from 1050 university students indicated six areas students stated they wanted the university to address to support their mental health needs: (1) Communication, (2) Academic Concerns, (3) Mental Health Resources and Connections, (4) COVID-19 Safety, (5) Social Injustice, and (6) Financial Concerns. To address these areas, we propose a set of evidence-based recommendations within the Social-Ecological Framework for colleges and universities to adopt to support student mental health considering all races, backgrounds, and experiences. Additionally, we propose strategies for university and college counseling centers to provide an essential leadership role on campuses to move these recommendations forward and positively impact the mental health of students.

Canadian Muslim Excellence: A Time to Celebrate, Educate, and Reflect

This study redresses the limited presence of stories of Muslims in Canadian archival history and curriculum, drawing attention to the racial issues as an antidote, so that public awareness of anti-Islamophobia strategy can be made known. The authors searched, preserved, and distributed the diverse and inclusive stories of Muslim Canadians by employing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary strategy to map the political, ideological, institutional, and economic contributions of Canadian Muslims who are working for a better Canada. The authors made these stories readily available and accessible as an open educational resource under a Creative Commons’ license, by creating and constructing a digital archive. This research also works towards developing resources and connections for a range of audiences to develop learning aids to teach Muslim Canadians history. The fabric of this country would not be the same, if it were not for diversity. Muslim Canadians are valued contributors to the Canadian climate, and deserve to be celebrated, rather than mistreated. Sharing the stories of Muslim Canadians who have had a positive impact on this country is intended to increase the positive messaging surrounding some of the wonderful contributions Muslim Canadians have accomplished.

Finland: Political Developments and Data in 2023

AbstractParliamentary elections in 2023 brought in a discourse on debt. Power was passed from the Marin I to the Orpo I government. This was historically the most right‐wing government to date in Finland, whose formation also took historically long but finally united both the populist‐nativist right with the liberal right in the same coalition. The ministerial appointments raised questions among the opposition, and the issue of racism was discussed in connection to the coalition partners. The government's austerity policies sought to limit the power of trade unions, which in turn generated strong reactions. Proposals to limit strike action were faced with opposition. As the three largest parties shifted around, the political centre chose to remain in the opposition and also took issue with the underfunding of social services. The parliamentary polarisation formed a stark contrast to the consensual way in which Finland had approached North Atlantic Treaty Organisation membership, for which a compatible institutional setting was built.

Researching the Job Corps at Acadia National Park

The War on Poverty-era Job Corps conservation centers of the National Park Service offer an important narrative about the contributions of young people of color and poor white people to conservation and the national parks. At a time when the agency is eager to diversify both its staff and visitors, this is an important history for the NPS to research and interpret for the public. The Job Corps and other federal youth conservation programs also offer important lessons for current and future job training and conservation programs. These lessons underscore the need to fully consider issues of race and class in federal programs that seek to address poverty and conservation, and to consider whether federal land agencies such as the National Park Service are equipped to handle this task.

The Quest for Educational Equity in Schools in South Africa

Abstract The quest for educational equity in South Africa takes its impetus from the country's transition to democracy in 1994. The country faced the challenge of overcoming deep systemic inequality-both racial and class-based-caused by three hundred fifty years of colonialism and apartheid. The African National Congress undertook a process to equalize the educational system and expand opportunities for students. Significant progress has been made in addressing issues of race, class, and gender in the thirty years since 1994, but a combination of factors has both reproduced and amplified old inequalities and disparities, particularly those of space and race, and introduced intense new socioeconomic inequalities overlain with challenging cultural and linguistic markers, such as the dominance of English and the loss of indigenous language capacity. Two elements have been pivotal: stubborn legacy effects of apartheid such as poverty in a context of a weakening economy; and complex and contradictory arrangements made at the transition in 1994 that have left privilege, predominantly but no longer only white, largely intact. The COVID-19 pandemic sharpened these inequalities.