Understanding "Old Racism" And "New Racism"

The concept of racism is as dynamic as the cultures in which it exists, evolving in response to social norms and cultural shifts. As a Colombian raised on the coast where the African influence is deeply rooted, I have observed that racism takes on a nuanced form. The distinction between "old racism" (overt) and "new racism" (subtle) as described by Salter and Haugen (2017) resonates with my experiences but manifests differently depending on the context. In Colombia, for example, racism is often intertwined with classism, where socio-economic status or family heritage alters how individuals experience racial discrimination.

"Old racism," with its crude and openly discriminatory practices, has largely become socially unacceptable in many contexts, including in Colombia and other parts of the world. It is now associated with being uncultured or hateful, which leads to a decrease in overt racist behaviors among certain groups. However, Critical Social Psychology argues that the ideological foundations of racism have not disappeared but instead they have become more subtil. This shift aligns with what Dovidio and Gaertner (1986) described as “aversive racism,” where individuals maintain racist attitudes but avoid outwardly discriminatory behaviors to conform to modern social norms.

"New racism" on the other hand, works under the appearance of cultural differences, socio-economic status, and national unity, making it harder to identify and address (Dunn et al., 2004). In Colombia, for example, a Black individual from a prestigious family might not experience overt racism, while someone from a lower socio-economic background may still face blatant discrimination. This reflects a form of racism that is both racial and class-based, which mirrors the broader concept of intersectionality, which is a key idea in Critical Social Psychology. Intersectionality, as Crenshaw (1989) points out, helps us understand how multiple social identities (race, class, gender) intersect to create unique experiences of oppression or privilege.

From a Critical Social Psychology standpoint, distinguishing racism from "old" and "new" can be valuable because it highlights how racism adapts to maintain social inequalities under the pretense of progress. While it may appear that society has moved past overt racist practices, systemic and subtle forms of racism continue to impact marginalized communities in many different ways. This perspective pushes us to move past individual biases and focus on the bigger systems that keep these inequalities in place. As Gergen (2015) suggests, social psychology must critically analyze the socio-historical contexts that give rise to these shifts in behavior and attitudes.

In conclusion, while the distinction between "old" and "new" racism is helpful in understanding how racial prejudice has evolved, it is also crucial to recognize how deeply racism is interwoven with other forms of discrimination, such as classism. By examining these intersections, we can better address the root causes of inequality and move towards a more inclusive society.

Reference

Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), 139-167.

Dovidio, J. F., & Gaertner, S. L. (1986). Prejudice, discrimination, and racism. Academic Press.

Dunn, K. M., Forrest, J., Burnley, I., & McDonald, A. (2004). Constructing racism in Australia. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 39(4), 409-430.

Gergen, K. J. (2015). An invitation to social construction (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Salter, P. S., & Haugen, A. D. (2017). Critical race studies in psychology. In The Palgrave handbook of critical social psychology (pp. 123-145). Palgrave Macmillan, London.

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