Institutional Racism
Introduction
Institutional racism can be described as any form of discrimination that takes place within institutional settings such as schools, private and public colleges, business companies (both private and public and government bodies. Institutional racism does not rely on the individual’s beliefs and biases but instead is propagated by fundamental cultures and social infrastructure.
Institutional racism arises from the establishment of barriers that cause some individuals of a specific race to have more difficulty or become unable to access some required services. Some institutions knowingly and unknowingly exercise the power they hold to withhold some benefits, opportunities from people requiring to access them, is such is done on the basis of race then it is termed as institutional racism. Institutional racism focuses not on the intent of the action but on the results of the action. This means that the racism maybe intentional or unintentional but if it results in people from a particular race being treated differently by an institution then it racism. There are some forms of institutional racism:
Reformed institutional racism: is an institution whose members posses prejudices against members of certain races but do nothing about them, which is they do not act on their beliefs. For example a health institution may have the belief that African Americans are most likely to abuse drugs given to relieve pain, but do nothing about it. Pain medication is distributed to people of all races equally without any discrimination.
An overt racist institution on the other hand shows definite discrimination. They not only posses and profess discriminatory beliefs but actually take the time to act on them. In the above example, pain medication would be distributed differently to African Americans, and the institution may go as far as refusing to give some patients pain medication. Overt racism means that an institution actively professes its racist believes, and acts in them either in public or in private.
A reluctant racist institution finally is one that professes to have no racist believes but actually acts in a manner to suggest racism. For example a health institution may not be of the belief that African Americans abuse pain medication, but still give different prescriptions to patients of this race as supported by other policies in the facility. Reluctant racism occurs from biased stereotyping or mistaken beliefs that are translated into racist policies and practices.
Clear observations indicate that race plays a vital role in the running of different American institutions. For example comparing the education policies and structures, very few minority race students get into the advanced learners classes, while very many of them end up in the tutored and remedial classes. Teachers and school administrators find it easy to suspend and even expel students from Latino and African American descent, with the mistaken unconscious belief that they are un-reformable and under-performers anyway. Better (2008) education is a major component of institutional racism. The American government has spent millions of dollars trying to improve the education institutions in minority group areas; however the differences can still be seen. Inner city schools lack well trained personnel for the proper foundations of education, are riddled with overcrowded classes, students are forced to share textbooks and other classroom requirements. In the end this students tent to get a raw deal as they are compared with other students who seemed to have received a higher quality education. A study by Better (2008) revealed that at least three out of every 10,000 minority race students were likely to be excluded completely from schools compared to just 0.8 white students. Figures quoted from a 2005 study showed that 1000 African American students were expelled or excluded in one way or another for an entire year, and 35,000 were given suspensions of two weeks minimum.
Scholars have argued for and against policy changes that may bring institutional racism to a stop or increase it. Though changes have been implemented the chances on institutional racism ending in schools seems to be lower and lower. Penketh (2000) explored the issue and realized that none of the people given the responsibility of tackling racism in education institutions were equipped to do. They had undergone no formal training or education that would equip them with the skills to tackle the issue effectively. The result is that policies implemented by state governments and school administration that would otherwise have held institution racism at bay fail at the implementation stage.
Perhaps the most widespread and well documented form of institution racism is in regards to health care. The American health care system has come under great criticism for its failure to provide quality services to all Americans. Among the criticisms has been the lack of equality in access to proper health care. About 35% Latinos and 40% African Americans lack the basic source of health services. This meant that people of these races find it hard to access healthcare. They have to rely on clinics and home based care that lacks the impact of hospitals and health facilities. Investors view these populations as a risk, and do not invest in health facilities in the areas.
Another institutional discrimination in health arises from physicians and doctors who seem to gauge diseases on racial preference. For example many doctors when faced with an extremely sick Latino refer them for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling before resorting to other tests. In the same way African Americans are considered prone to high levels of stress and drug dependency though this may not be necessarily true. Whereas doctors and physicians are called upon to make decisions based on the evidence presented, such assumptions may lead to delay of proper treatment and worsen conditions of patients, sometimes leading to death.
Health strategies have employed the best practitioners, and medical personnel in suburbia facilities, leaving the other facilities to students and volunteers. Though we cannot say that the health facilities lack personnel completely, it is definite that the personnel are fewer and not well trained. Infant mortalities for the minority communities are high while survival rates for the adults are lower. Statisticians have even gone as far as to indicate that minority communities such as Hispanics and African Americans have lower life expectancies than the white communities.
Health facilities including the public facilities in these areas are ill equipped; they have less equipment which is rarely upgraded and suffer from lack of funds. Access to proper health care in these areas is a nightmare and in some cases an impossibility. Some health facilities are even unable to deal with severe emergencies which are referred to nearby facilities. The view that the minority communities do not have insurance and means to pay for their medical services though not entirely true is far too common. Some health facilities have been known to even turn away patients on account that they cannot afford treatment because they are from a certain race. Others demand payment or proof of insurance from people of minority races as guarantee before treatment is offered.
Karl Marx And Institutional Racism
Powell (1993), Karl Marx encouraged racism in socialist societies. Marx stated that for example that it was magnificent California had been re-seized from the Mexicans who had no idea what to do with it. In essence Marx viewed minority races such as Mexicans as lazy an unlearned. In his view minority races were backward and had destroyed the development of American society.
African Americans “niggers” are a degree nearer to the animal kingdom than the rest of us. African American supposed leaders are not qualified to lead Americans but can be made leaders in the zoos, where disorganization rules. Racism by Karl Marx would rear its ugly head through his most ardent follower Josef Stalin in 1930’s when peasants and minority races in USSR found themselves both impoverished and enslaved. To Marx this was progress and development.
If institutions such as education and health facilities are forced to treat minority races equal to other races, the burden on the economy will be greater and the balance of life and nature will be destroyed. African Americans and Mexicans cannot be educated as it is a waste of resources, they are naturally slow and do not understand a single thing in complex matters. However the government may consider elementary education for such races.
Max Weber And Institutional Racism
Campbell (1999), max Weber is renowned for his policies on genteel racism. This is a kind of institutional racism where services and goods were divided according to social classes. On the same note Weber believes that each race possessed a certain class and movement between classes should be forbidden. Resources should not be directed to ensuring equality but to maintaining the genteel class (high social class). The genteel class made up of white gentlemen only, has the intelligence and ability to run the economy of a country. They posses the ideas and knowledge that can make social change successful. They are above the rest of humanity and have been issued not just the responsibility but also the privilege that comes with greater social class and the right race.
African Americans are best at following orders, while Mexicans are just lazy. Resources must be directed towards building better institutions and provide good services to the white people who can afford the services, instead of focusing on races that are destined to be servants. Equality of races is not progress; if all races were equal then the country’s resources would not be able to maintain socialism.
Of all the minority races, the Arabs are considered lowest by Weber who states that Muslims and Arabs should not be allowed access to any institutions without serious protection. Infact he goes further as to claim that Arabs should be given their own institutions way separate from those of other people.Although Weber’s philosophy encourages institutional racism, he claims that his policies are not foe enhancing equality but maintaining society as it is, because any social changes would destroy the ability of the society to function.
Thomas Hobbes And Institutional Racism
Hobbes philosophy is that man is not a compassionate creature and is always out to see what benefits only the. He states that if a man were to assist another, then first he would view the situation in how it can benefit him. If the benefit of helping the neighbor is minimal or non existent, then chances are high that he will not assist the neighbor. In the cases where man has proven to be compassionate, he says that the benefit of the situation lied in being compassionate.
Therefore to Hobbes, institutional racism arises from the nature of man. As long as one race remains superior in knowledge and technology, institutional racism shall continue to exist. This is because the superior race is focused on maintaining the best services and products for themselves. The minority races have to contend with receiving low quality services. As such it is difficult and indeed impossible for minority races to take over from the superior race.
Hobbes agrees that by natural law all men are equal; however the state of natural law is that of war, with every man for himself. In these state it is easy for one race to become superior and if they do then they posses all the resources that go with being the superior race. It is in the nature of human beings to degrade others and thus there is a constant battle not to equalize races but to become the superior race.
However superior races cannot ignore the minority races, because even the weakest of all men has the strength to kill the strongest. In order to maintain their level as the strongest race, the superior race ensures that it is either difficult or impossible for the minority races to access institutional resources. On the other hand the minority races engage in constant struggles to acquire the institutional resources possessed by the superior races and become superior in them.
For Hobbes the government exists to control the natural law. It is therefore possible and infact reasonable for the government to be made of the superior race at the time. It follows therefore that such government shall be inclined to posses all institutional and natural resources, maintaining them to serve their race only while giving other races the basic minimums. The government cannot stop institutional racism and in fact encourages it for it is the only way that it can maintain its power, by ensuring that the superior race remains superior.
Conclusion
Institutional racism regularly and in a systematic way gives service advantage to particular race while ignoring the other races. The attitudes and beliefs that drive institutional racism are misconceived and sometimes just plain judgmental. Racial prejudice often just degrades other human beings with no reason whatsoever. It has been said that individuals cannot tell the character and nature of others just by looking at their skin color, well, the same applies to institutions. No American citizen should be denied the right to equal service and treatment on the basis of their skin color. All institutions should strive to formulate and implement policies that treat all Americans as one and are not prejudiced to race. Institution racism as an ideology is not only wrong and immoral but also backward and inhumane.
References
Better. S (2008). Institutional Racism: A Primer On Theory And Strategies For Social
Change. Maryland, Rowman And Little Publishers.
Campbell. S (1999). Racism And Philosophy. New York, CornellUniversity Press.
Penketh. L (2000). Tackling Institutional Racism: Anti Racist Policy And Social Work.
Bristol, The Polity Press.
Powell. T (1993). The Persistence Of Racism In America. Maryland, Rowman And Little
Publishers.
Is this your assignment or some part of it?
We can do it for you! Click to Order!
