Amma Asante, who specializes in institutional racism as a senior researcher at the knowledge institute Movisie, was ready for an hour to answer all your questions about institutional racism. An overview of the best questions and answers.
Question from reader: “For many people it seems to be an unclear concept: institutional racism. What are its landmarks, and how do you separate it from other forms of indirect discrimination?”
Institutional racism is racism embedded in institutions and institutional policy fields. An institution is, for example, a school. An institutional policy field is education. Institutional racism differs from other forms of racism in that it is structural in nature (i.e. not an incident), does not concern the individual actions of persons (but of institutions), and that it often affects large groups of people.
Institutional racism can be distinguished from other forms of racism because it involves policies, processes and (written and unwritten) rules. It is not always easy to spot in contrast to interpersonal racism. This is because knowledge and awareness about this is lacking in Dutch society.
Question from reader: “As a native Dutch resident, I sometimes get the idea that I should feel guilty about things that fellow countrymen have done for hundreds of years in another continent/country. Why should I feel guilty for things I have nothing to do with? have to do?”
This question is often asked. You are not personally responsible for what fellow countrymen did hundreds of years ago. However, it is more common that native Dutch people experience a feeling of guilt when it comes to discrimination and specific racism. It is a logically explainable mechanism: racism is socially undesirable. So no one wants to be accused of racism.
At the same time, we must ensure that the discussion about racism, an essential problem in contemporary society, is allowed to continue and is not nipped in the bud because it can evoke these kinds of feelings. Everyone has to deal with racism. We are all part of society and we are all part of a system where the majority has power over the minority.
So it does not absolve you from the obligation to be aware of where you stand, your own position, and how you can use that position to support people who are dealing with racism. It starts with acquiring awareness and knowledge, actively signaling and acting within your own sphere of influence if you see it happening or prevent it from happening.
Question from reader: “Are only white people racist or does this also happen to people of color?”
The basic premise in science is that everyone suffers from prejudice and stereotyping. That happens to black people and white people. These prejudices and stereotypes determine our behavior towards others. So you can say that everyone discriminates from time to time.
However, when it comes to racism, it is important to include power relations and age-old widespread ideas about non-white people and white supremacy. These ideas are subtly present and permeate all layers and all sectors of society. White people are seen as superior, black people as inferior and everyone else is in between.
The balance of power is not such that there is systemic black supremacy. That means that you cannot speak of black racism, but there is also discussion about this in science. What I want to make clear is that it is about power relations: in other words, to what extent you are part of a majority group with certain views about non-white and black people on the basis of which structural exclusion takes place.
Question from reader: “How can tackling institutional racism be reconciled with current positive discrimination policies?”
To tackle institutional racism, according to the literature, a few things are needed:
- Standards set by authorities within an institute
- Removing or adjusting processes, rules and policies that contribute to the exclusion of groups of people on the basis of their origin, religion and skin color and accountability by institutions or institutional policy fields.
Positive discrimination aims to create a level playing field so that people belonging to excluded minority groups have a fair chance. Positive discrimination can be a way to tackle institutional racism, but it must be embedded in the structure and culture of an institution.
Question from reader: “How can I, as a white Dutchman, contribute to dismantling institutional racism?”
As a white Dutch person, you can discuss this theme within your own organization. That’s where it starts. Then, if you get your hands on it internally, you can propose to investigate to what extent the policy, processes and (unwritten) rules within the organization could contribute to the exclusion of people on the basis of their religion, skin color or descent.
You could look around you at the extent to which, for example, the staff is diverse. Or to the services and products produced by the company/organization where you work. To what extent are they inclusive or contribute to exclusion? Institutional racism is something that must be dismantled by institutions.
Individuals have little or no direct influence to change the policy, processes or rules within an institute. Individuals can also do something about this to a limited extent when it comes to setting standards. It is the top of an institute that is responsible for this.
Curious about the rest of the questions and answers? Then click here.