Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Race

306 Pages·2015·1.647 MB·English

by  Derald Wing Sue

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RACE TALK
AND THE CONSPIRACY
OF SILENCE
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RACE TALK
AND THE CONSPIRACY
OF SILENCE
Understanding and Facilitating
Difficult Dialogues on Race
DERALD WING SUE
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Sue,DeraldWing.
Racetalkandtheconspiracyofsilence:understandingandfacilitatingdifficultdialogues
onrace/DeraldWingSue.—1
pagescm
Includesindex.
ISBN978-1-118-95872-8(hardback:alk.paper)
ISBN978-1-118-95965-7(ePub)
ISBN978-1-118-95966-4(ePDF)
1. Socialpsychology. 2. Racismineducation. 3. Multiculturaleducation. I. Title.
HM1019.S842015
370.117—dc23
2014031894
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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I would like to dedicate this book to my wife, Paulina Wee;
my son, Derald Paul; my daughter, Marissa Catherine;
my daughter-in-law, Claire Iris; and my granddaughters,
Carolyn Riley and Juliette Daisy.
I have been truly blessed in having such a loving
and supportive family, and they bring such joy to my life.
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Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xvii
AbouttheAuthor xix
SECTIONONE:THECHARACTERISTICS,DYNAMICS,
ANDMEANINGOFRACETALK
CHAPTERONE
WhatIsRaceTalk? 3
RaceTalkRepresentsaPotentialClashofRacialRealities 7
RaceTalkPushesEmotionalHotButtons 11
RaceTalkEvokesAvoidanceStrategies 13
WhyIsSuccessfulRaceTalkImportant? 16
CHAPTERTWO
TheCharacteristicsandDynamicsofRaceTalk 18
WhatAreCharacteristicsofRaceTalk? 21
HowDoSocietalGroundRules(Norms)ImpedeRaceTalk? 23
WhyIsRaceTalkSoDifficultandUncomfortableforParticipants? 27
Conclusions 33
CHAPTERTHREE
TheStoriesWeTell:WhiteTalkVersusBackTalk 35
RaceTalk:NarrativesandCounter-Narratives 37
TellingonRacism:UnmaskingUglySecrets 38
vii
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viii CONTENTS
SECTIONTWO:THECONSTRAININGGROUNDRULES
FORRACETALK
CHAPTERFOUR
“TheEntireWorld’saStage!” 55
ThePolitenessProtocolandRaceTalk 57
TheAcademicProtocolandRaceTalk 64
CHAPTERFIVE
Color-BlindMeansColor-Mute 74
Color-Evasion:“WeAreAlltheSameUndertheSkin” 78
Stereotype-Evasion:“IDon’tBelieveinThoseStereotypes” 82
Power-Evasion:“EveryoneCanMakeItinSociety,IfTheyWork
HardEnough” 86
MythoftheMeltingPot 89
SECTIONTHREE:WHYISITDIFFICULTFORPEOPLEOF
COLORTOHONESTLYTALKABOUTRACE?
CHAPTERSIX
“WhatAretheConsequencesforSayingWhatIMean?” 95
EthnocentricMonoculturalism 99
PowerandOppression 105
CHAPTERSEVEN
“ToSpeakorHowtoSpeak,ThatIstheQuestion” 112
CommunicationStyles 115
NonverbalCommunication 118
NonverbalCommunicationinRaceTalk:Sociopolitical
Considerations 121
BeingConstrainedandSilenced:ImpactonPeopleofColor 123
Conclusions 127
SECTIONFOUR:WHYISITDIFFICULTFORWHITEPEOPLE
TOHONESTLYTALKABOUTRACE?
CHAPTEREIGHT
“I’mNotRacist!” 131
CognitiveAvoidance—RacismDenial 133
EmotionalAvoidance—Fear,Guilt,andOtherFeelings 138