racism
Definition
Racism is a system of social and political power that denies democratic freedoms and civil liberties to people of color through policies, ideologies, and psychological processes that construct race as a biological category justifying hierarchy and dominance. Racist attitudes and structures are rooted in assumptions of race as innate, though race itself is a social construct denoting position and power within U.S. society. Colorblind ideologies and selective collective memory obscure racist histories, creating cultural conditions that make publics more receptive to authoritarian narratives and the scapegoating of marginalized groups. Recognition that racism persists and understanding of racial history are essential to disrupting authoritarian consolidation and reimagining democratic systems that are more racially equitable.
Sources: Perez et al. (2026)
Related Terms
Applications
Racism and Authoritarianism
Racism and authoritarianism are historically interconnected in U.S. governance, with racist laws and ideologies displaying authoritarian features such as the concentration of political power and the stripping of civil liberties from marginalized groups.
Sources: Perez et al. (2026)
Racism and Collective Memory
Colorblind ignorance to histories of racism, sustained through curricular omissions and selective collective memory, creates cultural affordances that obscure racist histories and enable the vilification of racial groups. Critical racial histories that challenge majoritarian perspectives can disrupt this dynamic by increasing recognition that racism persists and reframing marginalized groups as contributors rather than threats.
Sources: Perez et al. (2026)
