Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism

There are many different ways of recognizing, describing, and combating racism. This essay extends my previously published research on the topic of whiteness and habit to advance the argument that A) racism (by which I mean primarily white supremacist racism directed against people of color) still e...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Terrence MacMullan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Gonzaga Library Publishing 2011-01-01
Series:Journal of Hate Studies
Online Access:https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/78
_version_ 1818259086186119168
author Terrence MacMullan
author_facet Terrence MacMullan
author_sort Terrence MacMullan
collection DOAJ
description There are many different ways of recognizing, describing, and combating racism. This essay extends my previously published research on the topic of whiteness and habit to advance the argument that A) racism (by which I mean primarily white supremacist racism directed against people of color) still exists as a corrosive impediment to the realization of a truly fair and democratic American community, and B) it is best understood as a network of flexible, persistent, yet correctable habits. The primary value of seeing racism in America as being a problem of bad habits rather than as conscious actions or attitudes is that it helps white people understand that we are all, to greater or lesser extents, vessels for hateful and uncivil habits even if we consciously reject the ideology of white supremacist racism. Further, by using a pragmatist framework of habits, we can reconstruct these habits and effect positive social change.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T18:09:51Z
format Article
id doaj.art-45ea00a3e50d4b84ae5f3052ef89095d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2169-7442
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T18:09:51Z
publishDate 2011-01-01
publisher Gonzaga Library Publishing
record_format Article
series Journal of Hate Studies
spelling doaj.art-45ea00a3e50d4b84ae5f3052ef89095d2022-12-22T00:16:25ZengGonzaga Library PublishingJournal of Hate Studies2169-74422011-01-01919311210.33972/jhs.7878Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and NativismTerrence MacMullan0Eastern Washington UniversityThere are many different ways of recognizing, describing, and combating racism. This essay extends my previously published research on the topic of whiteness and habit to advance the argument that A) racism (by which I mean primarily white supremacist racism directed against people of color) still exists as a corrosive impediment to the realization of a truly fair and democratic American community, and B) it is best understood as a network of flexible, persistent, yet correctable habits. The primary value of seeing racism in America as being a problem of bad habits rather than as conscious actions or attitudes is that it helps white people understand that we are all, to greater or lesser extents, vessels for hateful and uncivil habits even if we consciously reject the ideology of white supremacist racism. Further, by using a pragmatist framework of habits, we can reconstruct these habits and effect positive social change.https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/78
spellingShingle Terrence MacMullan
Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism
Journal of Hate Studies
title Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism
title_full Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism
title_fullStr Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism
title_full_unstemmed Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism
title_short Habits of Hate: A Pragmatist Analysis of Habits of Racism and Nativism
title_sort habits of hate a pragmatist analysis of habits of racism and nativism
url https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/78
work_keys_str_mv AT terrencemacmullan habitsofhateapragmatistanalysisofhabitsofracismandnativism