"Reverse" racism
"Reverse" racism refers to the concept of racial discrimination against members of a majority or dominant racial group by individuals from minority or historically oppressed groups. This term is often contentious and its legitimacy is a subject of significant debate. It is frequently associated with conservative viewpoints, while many liberals and progressives challenge the existence of reverse racism, asserting that it misrepresents the broader context of systemic racism. Proponents of the term may cite affirmative action policies and hiring quotas as examples of reverse racism, arguing that these initiatives favor one race over another to address historical injustices. Legal actions have also been taken against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, claiming they discriminate against White individuals. Critics, however, contend that racism is fundamentally tied to systemic oppression, suggesting that only dominant groups can enact racism, which leads them to prefer the term "discrimination" for actions taken by minority groups. The discourse around reverse racism thus encapsulates deeper societal issues related to race, privilege, and equity.
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"Reverse" racism
"Reverse racism" is a term sometimes used to refer to racial discrimination directed at members of a majority or dominant racial group by members of a minority or historically oppressed racial group. It is a controversial term whose validity and application are strongly debated; it tends to be a term favored by people on the conservative end of the political spectrum, while the existence of reverse racism is often questioned or denied altogether by liberals and progressives. Those who use the term have applied it to government-supported programs designed to remedy past injustices caused by racial discrimination. It is said to apply, for example, to hiring quotas and affirmative action programs that ostensibly favor one race at the expense of members of another race to make up for privileges that the second race once enjoyed at the expense of the first. Some who use the term have taken legal action against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at various companies, claiming they discriminate against White individuals.
The term "reverse racism" has also been applied to racial consciousness-raising methods among minority groups that critics say denigrate the majority racial group as a means of attaining intraracial solidarity. However, those who oppose the term argue that the definition of racism is systemic (social, cultural, economic) oppression by a dominant group, and therefore, by definition, it is not possible for an oppressed group to enact racism. Opponents of the term "reverse racism" argue that "discrimination" is a more accurate and widely applicable term.
Bibliography
Breman, Jan. Colonialism, Capitalism and Racism: A Postcolonial Chronicle of Dutch and Belgian Practice. Amsterdam UP, 2024.
Fish, Stanley. "Reverse Racism, or How the Pot Got to Call the Kettle Black." The Atlantic, Nov. 1993, . Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
Massie, Victoria M. "Americans Are Split on 'Reverse Racism.' That Still Doesn't Mean It Exists." Vox, 29 June 2016, . Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
Peucker, Mario. "What Is ‘Reverse Racism’ – and What’s Wrong with the Term?" The Conversation, 11 July 2023, theconversation.com/what-is-reverse-racism-and-whats-wrong-with-the-term-208009. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
Wile, Rob. "Half of Americans Think 'Reverse Racism' Is as Big a Problem as Actual Racism." Fusion, 27 June 2016, . Accessed 31 Mar. 2017.