Sabotage (racial and ethnic issues)
Sabotage, in the context of racial and ethnic issues, refers to covert actions taken by dominant groups to undermine the efforts and success of subordinate groups, often as a means of maintaining privilege and power. This form of sabotage can manifest as discrimination in workplaces or educational settings, where behaviors are intended to harm or discredit individuals based on their race or ethnicity. Such actions are typically difficult to document and prove, making them an insidious form of prejudice.
Examples of racial sabotage include instances where individuals from marginalized groups face obstacles that hinder their professional progress, such as false rumors or intentional withholding of necessary resources. Historical cases illustrate this, such as an African American postal worker being penalized for mail hidden by coworkers and a Chinese American professor battling false allegations that impeded her promotion. Despite achieving some legal victories, these individuals still encountered ongoing discrimination and social stigmatization.
In contemporary society, the legacy of sabotage continues to contribute to systemic disparities across various sectors, including wealth, education, and health. Surveys indicate that many individuals from marginalized communities perceive these inequities as a result of intentional systemic bias, rather than mere negligence. Understanding this concept is crucial for recognizing the ongoing challenges faced by racial and ethnic minorities in striving for equality and justice.
Sabotage (racial and ethnic issues)
Historically, sabotage meant to incite a labor action. More broadly, sabotage refers to any behavior done to ensure the failure of another’s efforts. Racial or ethnic sabotage is often clandestine and waged against subordinate groups by dominant groups with the intent to cause harm, act out prejudice, or maintain the dominant group’s privilege. Sabotage is a form of covert discrimination that is difficult to document and prove. When employment discrimination is used in the workplace, sabotage impedes work efforts and undermines the advancement of subordinate groups, often by making them appear incompetent.
The following examples demonstrate covert sexual and race discrimination through the use of sabotage. In a research study, a female African American postal worker claimed that her White, male coworkers in the post office hid some mail that she was required to deliver. Unknowingly, she finished her daily route and returned to discover the hidden mail. Her manager disciplined her by switching her to a less favorable, high-crime route. Jean Y. Jew, a Chinese American, went to court to fight the false rumors that blocked her advancement as a medical school professor. Colleagues sabotaged her promotion by claiming that she had had an affair with a former department chair. She won a legal victory in 1991 and was granted full professorship and a monetary settlement from the University of Iowa. Despite her legal victory, she still faced subtle discrimination from peers and graduate students who resisted working with her. Thus, both women endured the personal and economic costs of sabotage.
In the twenty-first century, this type of sabotage continues to exist, and racial disparities in wealth, annual income, education, the criminal justice system, and health outcomes continue to adversely impact individuals of marginalized groups. The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in 2024 that found many Black Americans believe the systemic racial bias in American institutions is the result of intentional design rather than passive negligence.
Bibliography
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Cox, Kiana. "Most Black Americans Believe U.S. Institutions Were Designed to Hold Black People Back." Pew Research Center, 15 June 2024, www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/06/15/most-black-americans-believe-u-s-institutions-were-designed-to-hold-black-people-back. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
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Healey, Joseph F., and Andi Stepnick. Diversity and Society: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender. 7th ed., SAGE Publications Ltd., 2023.
Karsten, Margaret Foegen. Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in the Workplace: Issues and Challenges for Today's Organizations. Praeger, 2016.
Sprouse, Martin. Sabotage in the American Workplace: Anecdotes of Dissatisfaction, Mischief, and Revenge. Pressure Drop, 1992.
Sullivan, Charles A., et al. Employment Discrimination. Little, 1988.