Explore the concept of white privilege and its societal implications. Discover how it provides unearned advantages based on skin color and why it's a hot topic in light of recent social movements. Learn about W.E.B. Dubois and his early observations on racial inequalities. The discussion tackles the ongoing backlash and highlights the importance of addressing misconceptions. The aim? A more equal society where racial injustices are actively confronted and dismantled.
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insights INSIGHT
White Privilege Origin
White privilege originated in the USA.
It means having additional benefits simply for being white.
insights INSIGHT
BLM and White Privilege
The Black Lives Matter movement brought white privilege to the forefront.
It's now frequently used in anti-racist discussions.
insights INSIGHT
Du Bois and Psychological Wage
W.E.B. Du Bois introduced the concept of a "psychological wage" for white workers in the 1930s.
Despite being poor, they still enjoyed advantages like better schools and public function access.
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Like a lot of things, the concept of white privilege comes from the USA. It means that simply being white gives a person additional benefits or rights compared to those of other skin colours.
Why are we talking about white privilege right now?
The notion has increasingly been brought into the spotlight in recent years by movements like Black Lives Matter, who campaign for greater racial equality all over the world. White privilege is now a commonly used term in the rhetoric of antiracist groups, both online and offline. There has been a backlash, especially from conservatives, against the idea that such privilege exists. Tensions are running particularly high at the moment, due to ongoing protests around the world against racial violence and injustice. This follows the death of George Floyd on May 25th, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.
When was born the concept of white privilege?
The underlying concepts of white privilege date back to the work of black American sociologist W.E.B. Dubois in the 1930s. He observed that black farmers and labourers had less advantages compared to white people doing the same jobs. He introduced the idea of a “psychological wage” for white workers. This meant despite being poor, they still had greater chances of being admitted to public functions and better schools.
Do you really know?