The Central Frames of Color-Blind Racism

Vocabulary flashcards covering the four central frames of color-blind racism (abstract liberalism, naturalization, cultural racism, minimization of racism) and related concepts (color-blind racism, laissez-faire racism, meritocracy, and blaming the victim) from the chapter.

Color-blind racism

A modern racial ideology that defends the racial status quo by using ostensibly nonracial language to blame minorities, often labeling inequality as natural or due to individual choices; described as 'racism without racists.'

Frames

Cognitive templates or paths that people use to interpret racial information; dominant frames guide interpretation and justify the existing social order, often misrepresenting reality.

Abstract liberalism

Using liberal ideas (equal opportunity, individual rights) in abstract terms to explain away racial inequality and oppose corrective policies like affirmative action; frames race with a 'reasonable' veneer.

Naturalization

A frame that explains racial phenomena by claiming they are natural or typical, suggesting segregation or preferences arise from inherent human tendencies rather than social processes.

Cultural racism

A frame that attributes minority status to cultural deficiencies (e.g., education, work ethic, family structure) rather than to structural discrimination or systemic barriers.

Minimization of racism

A frame that downplays the salience of racism and discrimination, suggesting it is no longer a central factor or that progress has eliminated major inequities.

Laissez-faire racism

A form of color-blind racism advocating minimal government intervention, attributing disparities to individual choices and market outcomes rather than policy or institutions.

Meritocracy

The belief that success comes from merit alone (the ‘cream rises to the top’); whites use this to oppose race-conscious policies like affirmative action by emphasizing individual qualifications.

Blaming the victim

A component of cultural racism that attributes minority disadvantage to personal or cultural failings rather than to structural inequalities or discrimination.

What does the phrase "racism without racists" mean in the context of color-blind racism?

It refers to how color-blind racism functions: individuals deny holding racist beliefs while simultaneously supporting policies or ideas that perpetuate racial inequality through subtle, nonracial justifications, making it difficult to pinpoint explicit racist actors.

What is the primary function of color-blind racism regarding the racial status quo?

Its primary function is to defend and maintain the existing racial hierarchy and unequal distribution of resources, power, and privilege by offering "reasonable" and nonracial explanations for persistent racial disparities.

How does 'individual choice' play a role in color-blind racism's justification of inequality?

Color-blind racism often attributes racial inequality to the individual choices, merits, or cultural deficiencies of minority groups rather than to systemic barriers or historical discrimination, thereby shifting responsibility and justifying the status quo.