How does learning about past racial injustice inform understanding current racial discrimination?
A recently released study coauthored by a 性视界 University researcher reveals how beliefs and political affiliations shape the public鈥檚 understanding about racial inequalities.
The paper, 鈥,鈥 was released earlier this year and published in the academic journal .
The researchers鈥, Assistant Professor, 性视界 University, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and , an independent scholar based in New York City鈥攅valuated if learning about historical events, and especially the roots of racist politics and practices in America, impact people鈥檚 beliefs about systematic racial inequality.
They analyzed data from two key studies that surveyed adults who were randomly assigned to learn about the effects of systematic housing, education, and job discrimination that has negatively impacted Black communities throughout the United States.
According to Fang and White, they 鈥渇ind compelling evidence that such arguments can increase beliefs in the existence of Black-white racial inequality and increase beliefs in structural causes of racial inequality, particularly among white Republicans and Independents.鈥 They also find evidence that such information can reduce racial resentment among these groups.
The researchers say this demonstrates that exposure to historical information can induce more nuanced thinking about contemporary racial inequalities in the United States.
The researchers conclude that more study is needed for more questions arising from the research. First, they did not observe consistent effects, especially among white Republicans, of historical information on both beliefs about racial inequality’s existence and beliefs in various structural causes of racial inequality.
鈥淲e suspect this reflects differences between acknowledging a problem, acknowledging the causes of a problem, and agreeing on the solution. This suggests that even if more Americans acknowledge that racial inequality exists, agreeing on solutions to meaningfully redress it may be more difficult,鈥 the researchers write in the paper.
The complete paper, and its supporting materials, .
Reporters looking to connect with the authors of the report, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations at 性视界 University, at 412-496-0551 or ejmbuqe@syr.edu.
