Tina Patel - Race and Society

Tina G. Patel 2017

First published 2017

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2016933339

British Library Cataloguing in Publication data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-1-4462-8738-5

ISBN 978-1-4462-8739-2 (pbk)

Editor: Natalie Aguilera

Editorial assistant: Delayna Spencer

Production editor: Katherine Haw

Copyeditor: Sarah Bury

Indexer: Elizabeth Ball

Marketing manager: Sally Ransom

Cover design: Shaun Mercier

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Printed in India at Replika Press Pvt Ltd

This chapter introduces the subject area of race and society, highlighting in particular its worthiness as a valid area of sociological investigation. The chapter then discusses the use, history and significance of the terminology adopted in this book. A discussion then follows of the aims and purpose of this book as a whole, outlining what you can expect from its subject coverage and how best to use its pedagogic features. In this chapter, key terms, such as race, racism and post-race analysis, will also be introduced. The aim of the chapter is to establish the structure, purpose and value of this book specifically within the context of race and society. The case of Rachel Dolezal is discussed to illustrate the complexity of assigning racial labels. The key question raised by the chapter is: Why do we need a rethink of issues relating to race and society?

The idea of race actually predates the origins of the term, in that humans have a very long tradition in seeking to understand and organize differing population groups according to somatic, psychic and cultural characteristics (Rattansi, 2003: 239). Race has always influenced social relations. As a concept, race has been used to determine status, leading to privilege or disadvantage depending on the racial group to which an individual was assigned. In this sense, it has been argued that wherever there is race, there is racism. This is the unequal treatment of a population group purely because of its possession of physical or other characteristics socially defined as denoting a particular race (Scott and Marshall, 2005: 544). Although racism has been directed against all groups, historically, European expansion during the sixteenth century onwards saw racism being directed against black and minority ethnic populations. This led to Western society assigning privilege to white bodies. Here, whiteness was presented as normative, moral and of superior status. It was a privileged position that emerged from centuries of practices in which whiteness has remained unchecked and unchallenged. This allowed white subjects to define the racial (or ethnic) other in ways that suited their social, economic and political motivations (Patel, 2013). As a consequence, all those falling outside whiteness experienced exploitation, disadvantage and discrimination, for instance limited political rights, removal of reproductive abilities, genocide and slavery.

Today, race (along with other variables) continues to determine social status. This is despite the fact that its status has now been identified as problematic highlighted by the use of the term in inverted commas (race) or, in some cases, the refusal to use the term at all. Despite its contested status, the ways in which we are racially labelled go on to shape our social experiences in significant ways. Therefore, although we may not agree to the actual existence of race, we nevertheless should recognize that it has very real meaning for many in society. Race informs how we are treated by other lay members of society and those acting in an official capacity. Perceptions about race influence our access to resources and services. For some, race determines life chances, as in the case of 27-year-old Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, who, having been mistaken1 (Sir Ian Blair, quoted in The Daily Telegraph, 31 January 2006) for a suspected terrorist, was shot seven times and killed by London Metropolitan Police officers at Stockwell Underground station on 22 July 2005 (Justice4Jean, 16 December 2013). In Western societies such as those found in Europe, America and Australia, there is currently another episode of heightened concern about particular raced bodies and their numbers in the host country. Here, black and minority ethnic groups in particular have been the focus of panic and hostility in terms of immigration, asylum and citizenship issues. This is evidenced by the continual negative attention given to these groups. Consequently, we have a situation in society today where certain individuals continue to be racially defined as undesirable and as a result go on to experience various citizenship curtailments. This is especially interesting and worthy of sociological study, given that society is now more complex, diverse and susceptible to change. The key question is, if we now have more types of society than we have ever had, why do so many social collectives continue to organize themselves along racialized lines?