Using Social Psychology to Study Racism

Daily viewpoint discrimination?

Does “daily experiences with discrimination” include viewpoint discrimination? If so, do I have stories to tell! Why do I suspect they won’t want to hear?

ASU West had another talk about racism. This time about how social psychology can study racism. What is racism? I would categorize it as hatred of one’s neighbor, specifically over physical or cultural differences. But that isn’t what the antiracists mean. For them, the whole system is racist, the proof is that there are different outcomes (for example, in income), and the cause of these differences is racism. See the circularity? Are there other causes for possible differences? And why does defining racism matter? If we can’t define racism, we can’t use psychology to study racism.

Parents of potential students, do you agree with this philosophy of history and society? Should university students be free to question the assumptions behind this approach to psychology? The answer seems obvious: yes. But to do that, there need to be presentations from various perspectives. In other words, there needs to be viewpoint diversity. If that is important to you as a parent of a potential ASU student, let ASU know that you want more than the same viewpoint presented over and over.