5. Structural racism and colourblind whiteness

From a sociological perspective, current racialized inequalities in white-dominated societies in the USA and Europe need to be explored in systemic, structural terms. Systemic or structural racism characterizes a set of interrelated relationships that include institutions and individuals, which reproduce the subordinate and superior positions occupied by racialized populations. ‘Structural racism and colourblind whiteness’ explains how structural or systemic racism cannot be treated completely separately from institutional racism, and how that differs from institutional racialization. It also considers racial discrimination and ethnic inequalities in Britain and the USA, as well as the culture of ‘whiteness’ and the concept of colourblind racism.