Racism as a "system of advantage"
Racism as a "system of advantage" refers to the notion that societal structures and institutional practices favor certain racial groups over others, often leading to unequal opportunities and resources. This concept suggests that racism is not merely an individual prejudice but a comprehensive framework woven into the fabric of society, which perpetuates disparities in wealth, education, employment, and access to services. The system of advantage is primarily experienced by dominant racial groups, who benefit from privileges that are often unacknowledged.
In this context, racism can manifest in both overt and covert ways, influencing laws, policies, and cultural norms that shape the lived experiences of individuals based on their race. The implications of viewing racism as a systemic issue emphasize the need for societal change rather than solely focusing on individual attitudes or behaviors. Understanding racism in this manner calls for an examination of historical contexts and ongoing practices that uphold these advantages, fostering discussions about equity and justice. This perspective encourages a deeper exploration of how to dismantle systemic barriers and promote inclusivity in various aspects of life.
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Racism as a "system of advantage"
Defining racism as a system of advantage serves two major purposes: It avoids the typical “blame the victim” approach to racism by focusing on those who are advantaged, rather than disadvantaged, by it, and it posits racism as a system that operates at many levels, beyond just individual prejudice.
One major effect of centuries of racism in the United States is that people of a different race lag behind whites on many indicators of social status, including earnings, wealth, and housing. For example, government-sponsored housing audits in several major metropolitan areas of the United States revealed that realtors and landlords discriminate against people of another race about half the time—every other time they do business. Although the effect of this on people of color is clear, what is less evident is the advantage that this creates for whites. When an apartment is not rented to a person of color because of racism, that leaves the unit available for a white person. The white tenant benefits from racism, or receives privilege or advantage, even though he or she did not perpetuate the initial discrimination. Thus, just as people of color are disadvantaged by racism, whites are advantaged by racism, regardless of their individual wishes or preferences. This “white privilege” typically remains an unacknowledged given in a white person’s life. Peggy McIntosh in "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” lists forty-six privileges she “cashes in on” each day by being white—such as “flesh-colored” bandages matching her skin color, not being followed in a store, and seeing members of her “race” widely represented in the media. These privileges exist on an unearned basis, contrary to the upon which American society is based.
Further, this privilege is doled out within the context of a system. Although prejudiced individuals (such as a discriminatory landlord) may carry out their preferences on an individual basis to create an advantage in a fairly overt manner, more often than not it is unquestioning compliance with institutional policies that fuels racism as business-as-usual (). Tatum likens racism to an airport’s moving walkway. Prejudiced individuals run on the conveyor belt, but most whites ride the racist current just by standing there, without thinking about it; they may not move individually, but their very presence on the conveyor belt is what maintains the system. The unsuspecting tenant accepted by a prejudiced landlord would be an example of someone who may be without individual prejudice but who still benefits from a system of advantage. Under this definition of racism, the major solution for racism occurs when whites deliberately refuse their advantage, as in the case of white antiracists or “race traitors.”
Barndt, Joseph. Understanding and Dismantling Racism: The Twenty-first Century Challenge to White America. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007. Print.
Ignatiev, Noel, and John Garvey. Race Traitor. New York: Routledge, 1996. Print.
McClure, Stephanie M., and Cherise A. Harris. Getting Real About Race: Hoodies, Mascots, Model Minorities, and Other Conversations. Los Angeles: Sage, 2015. Print.
Roithmayr, Daria. Reproducing Racism: How Everyday Choices Lock in White Advantage, New York: New York UP, 2014. Print.
Tatum, Beverly Daniel. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations about Race. New York: Basic, 1997. Print.