Racism & Identity

The United States was founded as a White nation. And while the society has gone on to become multicultural, including Blacks, native Americans, and various ethnic groups, they never enjoyed equal status. The mindset of a large number of USians remain White still today. The racism of this White identity is now being challenged by the Black Lives Matter movement. How is this White identity constituted and how does it lead to a denial of an equal humanity to the “Other”? We need a soul searching critique of whiteness if we are to ever overcome racism.

To help us in this reflection we talk with Charles Mills, author of The Racial Contract, and Linda Alcoff, author of The Future of Whiteness.