Synthesizing the interdisciplinary literature, we characterize color-blind racial ideology (CBRI) as consisting of two interrelated domains: color-evasion (i.e., denial of racial differences by emphasizing sameness) and power-evasion (i.e., denial of racism by emphasizing equal opportunities). Mounting empirical data suggest that the color-evasion dimension is ineffective and in fact promotes interracial tension and potential inequality. CBRI may be conceived as an ultramodern or contemporary form of racism and a legitimizing ideology used to justify the racial status quo. Four types of CBRI are described: denial of (a) race, (b) blatant racial issues, (c) institutional racism, and (d) White privilege. We discuss empirical findings suggesting a relationship between CBRI and increased racial prejudice, racial anger, and racial fear. Implications for education, training, and research are provided.

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Using a mixed-method approach, this study investigates how individuals believe race impacts their interracial relationship. Two-hundred and three individuals representing diverse racial-gender compositions of relationships responded to a series of measures to assess their Racial Worldview—a collective of notions about racial/ethnic identity, intergroup relations, and recognition of racist hegemony—before indicating the ways in which race or racial issues affect their romantic partnership. Results revealed four distinct types of Racial Worldview through K-means cluster and four broad themes of influences on relationship communication and functioning. Cross-tabs analyses indicated that Racial Worldview and participants perceptions of the impact of race were related with statistically significant differences between those who acknowledge racism and valued group differences reaching different conclusions than those who do not. The results add to existing research by drawing attention to the heterogeneity of thought and understanding within interracial relationships. The promise of using Racial Worldview in future research is discussed.

Using a multidimensional understanding of race, the present study investigated whether racial worldview informs the initiation of discussions of race within interracial relationships. Two hundred three individuals in interracial relationships completed measures to assess their perceptions of the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional implications of race and ethnicity and indicated whether they discussed race with their romantic partner. Responses to open-ended questions were coded using consensual qualitative research methods. Using K-means cluster analysis, participants were grouped based on racial worldview and differences in the prevalence of themes were tested. Findings revealed differences in whether race was discussed and the content of the discussion (e.g., differences in culture, intrarelationship difficulties, or institutional discrimination) by worldview. Individuals' multifaceted understanding of race impacts their discussion of race within their relationship. Racial worldview is a promising concept for a proximal assessment of the influence of race in interracial relationships and interactions across race more broadly.