Color-blind racial ideology: Theory, training, and measurement implications in psychology.

Abstract

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.

Color-blind racial attitudes: Microaggressions in the context of racism and White privilege

“…CoBRAs are most likely to be endorsed by those of the majority culture from a racial perspective (Neville et al, 2013). Claiming not to notice racial differences is virtually impossible if you are among those being subjected to differential treatment based on race.…”

“…CoBRAs present challenges that are directly related to microaggressions and systemic racism. According to Neville et al (2013) when a color-blind racial ideology is adopted by members of racial minority groups, the result is internalized racism and self-blame for experiences of discrimination. However, when European Americans adopt CoBRAs, the result is colorevasion and power evasion.…”

“…One of the main areas for this research is the concept of CoBRAs, which are the values expressed by those who claim to see all people as the same without acknowledging, or even noticing, racial identity (Kohatsu et al, 2011;Neville et al, 2000;Neville et al, 2013;Zou & Dickter, 2013).…”

“…EDWARDS / DOI: 10.5929/2017.7.1.3 Those in power denying the existence of their own prejudice and invalidating the experiences of those who experience microaggressions may be the result of CoBRAs or Color-Blind Racial Ideology (Kohatsu et al, 2011;Neville et al, 2000;Neville et al, 2013;Zou & Dickter, 2013).…”

“…Then I will provide a brief overview of institutional racism (Neville, Worthington, & Spanierman, 2001); White privilege (D'Andrea & Daniels, 2001), which is a both a source and a result of institutional racism; and microaggressions (Sue & Sue, 2013), which are a source and result of institutional racism and White privilege. Finally, I will focus on Color-Blind Racial Attitudes (CoBRAs; Neville et al, 2000) and Color Blind Racial Ideology (Neville et al, 2013), which are a specific type of microaggression and a perpetuating factor in other types of microaggressions (Sue & Sue, 2013, p. 157).…”