‘200 years of white affirmative action’: White privilege discourse in discussions of racial inequality

Abstract

Since the seminal work of McIntosh, research on multiple forms of privilege (race, gender, sexuality, (dis)ability, class, religion) has expanded, with a particular focus on how inducing recognition of privilege can build support for equality. However, evidence has been mixed on whether interventions increase support for policies designed to redress inequality. The present study looks at how respondents use arguments about privilege in naturalistic discussions, in this case, 357 online comments regarding a US Supreme Court ruling of racial discrimination. In particular, we can see how four cumulative strategies build to allow the presentation of racial privilege: connecting past to current inequality; constructing ongoing unequal treatment as contributing to current disadvantage; reclaiming 'liberal' arguments for 'liberal' ends; and defining group differences as consisting of both disadvantage and privilege. These strategies can be deployed to build a privilege discourse to contest inequality and racism. This provides potential strategies for privilege-based interventions to achieve their aims in increasing support for equality policies.

The covert mechanisms of education policy discourse: Unmasking policy insiders’ discourses and discursive strategies in upholding or challenging racism and classism in education

“…For instance, Fozdar's (2008) analysis of interviews with Maori and Pakeha (White New Zealanders) showed that speakers who convey anti-racist discourse, like those who express racist discourse, provide examples to support their arguments, present themselves as experts, use disclaimers, among other strategies. Other research has pointed to strategies that are unique to discourse(s) challenging inequity (Augoustinos, Hastie, & Wright, 2011;Fozdar, 2008;Hastie & Rimmington, 2014). A study of comments about a U.S. Supreme Court case revealed several strategies used to counter arguments that racial equity has been achieved, including connecting past to current inequality and defining group differences in terms of disadvantage and privilege (Hastie & Rimmington, 2014, p. 201).…”

Your Privilege Is Trending: Confronting Whiteness on Social Media

“…#whiteproverbs" (@FF_notes). Denying ongoing inequality by focusing on individual blame is one key way that White people rig the game to maintain their privilege (Hastie & Rimmington, 2014).…”

A Proposed Holistic Approach to the Critical Analysis of Online News Reports

“…Most of the CDA studies focus on texts analysis, as in Cartner (2009), Hanson-Easey & Augoustinos (2010, O'Sullivan (2011), Abid et al (2013), and only few studies focus on the comments, as in Every (2013), Hastie & Rimmington (2014). This approach, hence, consists of two major phases, the journalistic phase, which examines the headline, semiotics, and text, as well as the social reception phase, which looks at the online comments that are made by the readers of the article.…”