Conflict in a racialized Society
It is evident that hierarchies in a racialized society in one way or the other interlock, making the less advantaged race conflict against the privileged and vice versa. Being in a racialized society, means you are either advantaged or disadvantaged depending on the race that you belong. I believe that no advantaged race is taught to be on familiar terms with the privileges they gain being advantaged over the others. In my view, privileges earned on the basis of racism is the principal cause of conflict between races in a racialized society, it is also apparent that sometimes we tend to see people of other races as brutal even though they are not brutal, this perception causes unnecessary collision between races creating conflict.
Racism does affect me and the people around me. Racism affects the victim both physically and psychologically, it makes them angry and violent hence stimulating conflict. It causes division of cohesiveness in the society. In the case of schools and organizations, based on my experience, constant exposure to racial intolerance among colleagues leads to accumulation of negative events in an institution, hence fueling conflicts. Being discriminated in a school or workplace can change someone’s perspective towards other races, it makes one become depressed and psychologically tormented due to the feeling of being inferior and less advantaged.
Conspicuously, I have seen racism in a racialized society manifests itself in many different ways, the most predominant way that portrays racism in such societies, is when people of a particular race believe that other races are not as smart as them. Believing that one is better or successful than the other race normally brings conflict and disagreement between the two conflicting races, especially in places where people are expected to cooperate and work together, such as schools and organizations. Racism in racialized societies can also be manifested by people making intolerant statements by using offensive terms while referring to other races, this in the long run normally create conflict among the races. Racism can be well evident even in public: Separating people on the basis of skin color while eating in public, riding or refuting marriage rights to people from different races, clearly demonstrates how racism in society manifests itself. Racism in racialized societies can also be subtle: being afraid or thinking of other races as more superior than your race clearly demonstrates how racism is being manifested.
Being discriminative on the basis of skin color is a very backward and a fugitive thing to do. Racial privileges open doors for the privileged not for the reason that they ought to have it, but because they belong to a superior race in the society (MacIntosh, 1988, p. 3). Being in a racialized society makes the superior race at ease, positive and oblivious, while the less advantaged race feels estranged and uncomfortable (MacIntosh, 1988, p. 3). Conflicts normally arise in such societies because the less privileged are being exposed to violence and discrimination.
Racism and ethnic discrimination has been a key subject of concern since the era of colonization (Lentin, 2011, p. 5). With authorization, approved racial discrimination has adversely affected majorly schools, organizations and many other institutions. Racially and ethnically structured systems has adopted a more modern and indirect forms of racism these days, discrimination in such institutions has become the major source of conflict as it continues to be experienced in housing, education and even employment.
In conclusion, it’s upon the privileged race to choose whether to enjoy unwarranted privileges and cause conflict and inflict pain on others or chooses to deteriorate the system of discrimination and live cohesively with other races. Racist should well comprehend the difference between earned privilege and unearned privilege; it really hurts to see other people suffer on the basis of racial discrimination. Conflict arising from racism must end!
Lentin, A. (2011). Racism and Ethnic Discrimination: Contemporary Issues Series. New
York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
MacIntosh, P. (1988). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack. Retrieved from
http://www.nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf.
