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CIVIL RIGHTS: An “American Dilemma”
July 7th, 2003
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Race as the ‘American Dilemma’
the dilemma political practice does not meet constitutional principles (e.g. equality) remedies require sacrificing other constitutional principles on issues of race, both historical and contemporary, both sides have claimed constitutional legitimacy has greatly complicated the process of solving issues relating to race
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Roots of the Segregated System
societal support for segregation southern landed aristocracy poor southern whites segregation and social status segregation and the segregated labour market segregation was not simply the culmination of individuals’ beliefs was a central element of the economic and social system was designed to shape and reinforce individual beliefs of both whites and blacks challenges to segregation were seen to tear at the very fabric of white southern society
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Challenges to Segregation
external factors generating black resistance to segregation World War II increased exposure of southern blacks to the rest of the world increased sense of confidence, leadership ability the Great Migration,
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The Great Migration northward migration of southern blacks effects
estimated 20 million blacks migrate northward resulted from the mechanization of agriculture decline of sharecropper economy effects North – created the issue of how to integrate large numbers of displaced black migrants South created new links among southern and northern blacks increased southern blacks knowledge of states where segregation was not explicit and legally sanctioned
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Challenges to Segregation
external factors generating black resistance to segregation World War II the Great Migration, primary challenges to segregation were not a result of whites (or the courts) changing their mind about segregation!!
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The Supreme Court and Civil Rights
the Supreme Court prior to 1954 how did such blatant discrimination exist under the Bill of Rights and in full view of the Supreme Court? with the support of the Court!! Why did the civil rights movement turn to the courts in the 1950s? they had nowhere else to go! recognition that Supreme Court could be made to respond to forces of change...
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Affirmative Action illustrating the ‘American dilemma’
arguments in favour of affirmative action required to redress past discrimination time alone not sufficient to overcome effects of historical discrimination arguments against affirmative action requires disadvantaging individuals in historically advantaged groups dilemma – pitting one constitutional principle against another
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Affirmative Action implementing affirmative action
Civil Rights Act, 1964 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
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Affirmative Action after the Civil Rights Era
the backlash Bakke, 1978 Hopwood vs. Texas, 1996 California, Proposition 209 explanations of the backlash white perceptions of individual rights violations (the dilemma) affirmative action programs (and others) failing to deliver on the promised benefits including social integration
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Social Policy and the Social Construction of Race
race as a social construction social conception of “whiteness” has varied historical expansion of social conception of whiteness Noel Ignatiev, How the Irish Became White tools in the social construction of whiteness social policy school lunch programs Gwendolyn Mink, Wages of Motherhood welfare affirmative action
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Social Policy and the Social Construction of Race
race as a social construction tools in the social construction of whiteness social integration was not emerging as quickly as expected result – a backlash against programs that were linked to race and designed, in part, to promote social integration
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Social Policy and the Social Construction of Race
e.g. welfare intended to promote family formation based on white, middle-class conceptions of family perception of perverse effects perceived as contributing to teen pregnancy perceived as discouraging responsible fatherhood William Julius Wilson, When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor backlash against welfare Reagan’s references to “welfare queens”
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Affirmative Action after the “Civil Rights Era”
the backlash Bakke, 1978 Hopwood vs. Texas, 1996 California, Proposition 209 affirmative action reaffirmed University of Michigan decision, 2003 implied 25 year limit
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Main Point! the politics of race poses a dilemma for the American political system political practice that does not meet with constitutional principles (e.g. equality) remedies require sacrificing certain constitutional principles
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Main Point! the politics of race poses a dilemma for the American political system race is still one of the defining characteristics of American politics American politics is shot through with deep racially-coded meanings “...race is the ghost with a permanent seat at the table of American life, the spirit whose existence gives definition to all others.” Richard Iton, Solidarity Blues (2000: 236)
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