How we appear to others is a pressing matter for most people. We are social beings, and how well we fit with our social partners often determines how well we can lead satisfactory lives and achieve our goals. Prior research has shown that we form impressions about one...
CSWAC Blog
research synopsis
The Two-Dimensional Model of Racial Positioning
In a racially structured society, racial groups are assigned positions in a social hierarchy. In the United States, white people are positioned at the top in the superior position and people of color are placed below in an inferior position. Many will say that black...
Multiracial Microaggressions
Microaggressions have received a lot of study in recent years. Racial microaggressions are “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative” messages...
No Longer “All American”
White Americans are only one group of many among Americans. But the “typical” American, research tells us, is perceived as white by white Americans, black Americans, and Asian Americans alike. When one group among several, such as white people, is considered to be...
The Siren Song of False Unity
White American culture calls out to all of us, inviting us into an American unity. We may heed the call or dispute it. Heeding it can bring rewards; disputing it brings challenges. Either way, you have to consider the needs of one group versus another in responding to...
Has Black Lives Matter Made a Difference
Social movements capture headlines but do they actually change attitudes? Does a movement enhance or thwart its own goals? What about push-back? Social scientists and historians often debate these questions. A recent study provides some insight. Implicit and explicit...
So…What Works? What Anti-Racists Can Learn from Latin America, Part 2 of 2
So…what works? Post 2 of a 2-part series Colorblindness, liberal multiculturalism, race-mixing, and diluting monoracial identities of oppressed people are failed approaches to racial justice and equity. So, what works? What more of the Latin American experience can...
Things That Don’t Work: What Anti-racists Can Learn from Latin America, Part 1 of 2
People working for anti-racist change in the United States, whether it be in organizational settings or as activists, seldom look at the experience of other countries for guidance. Yet, valuable insights may be gleaned if we broaden our perspective. Or so says...
“What About Me?” Perceptions of exclusion and whites’ reactions to multiculturalism
Efforts to manage diversity and promote inclusion have become commonplace in corporations, governmental bodies, colleges and universities, and other organizational settings. Many people embrace the change, but research shows European Americans, in particular, are...
Doing Multiculturalism – An Example
What does multiculturalism look like in practice? Much has been written about multiculturalism as an ideology. But how do people and organizations actually make it happen? Real world examples occur, but detailed reports of what takes place are rare. One researcher...