reporting on race
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Reporting on Race Reporting on Race
Andrew Grant-Thomas, Deputy DirectorAndrew Grant-Thomas, Deputy Director
Kirwan Institute for the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and EthnicityStudy of Race and Ethnicity
Columbus DispatchColumbus DispatchFebruary 19, 2009February 19, 2009
OVERVIEWOVERVIEW
1.1. Race coverage in the Dispatch Race coverage in the Dispatch
2.2. Reporting on race Reporting on race
3.3. Race mattersRace mattersa.a. Race and OpportunityRace and Opportunity
b.b. The Meanings of RaceThe Meanings of Race
4.4. How race matters How race matters (mechanisms) (mechanisms)
a.a. Cumulative “Systems” Bias Cumulative “Systems” Bias
b.b. Implicit BiasImplicit Bias
c.c. ColorblindnessColorblindness
I. The Dispatch: I. The Dispatch: Positives on Race CoveragePositives on Race Coverage
• The Dispatch included an assessment of the The Dispatch included an assessment of the racial impacts of the foreclosure crisisracial impacts of the foreclosure crisis
• Has run articles on challenges facing some of Has run articles on challenges facing some of Columbus's marginalized communities (and Columbus's marginalized communities (and talked openly about race in those articles)talked openly about race in those articles)
• Business section does good job covering Business section does good job covering issues around race (housing, community issues around race (housing, community investment)investment)
• Editorial page includes some columnists who Editorial page includes some columnists who talk about race (Page, Herbert and others)talk about race (Page, Herbert and others)
• Too much school coverage criticizes Too much school coverage criticizes teachers and district administration; little teachers and district administration; little attention to neighborhood factors and to attention to neighborhood factors and to racial and economic segregationracial and economic segregation
• Coverage of Ohio's economic crisis has not Coverage of Ohio's economic crisis has not noted its racial aspectsnoted its racial aspects
• Discussion around fixing the state's Discussion around fixing the state's economy ignores the most marginalized economy ignores the most marginalized segment of the work force, people we segment of the work force, people we must bring into the econ mainstream if must bring into the econ mainstream if economy is to be revived economy is to be revived
The Dispatch: The Dispatch: Some Gaps in CoverageSome Gaps in Coverage
• ““Although there is an emphasis on Black life, it Although there is an emphasis on Black life, it often deals with tragedy or athletics.”often deals with tragedy or athletics.”
• ““Why is it that when an alleged perp is black, Why is it that when an alleged perp is black, his picture appears all week long? White his picture appears all week long? White [perps] only make one appearance, if any” [perps] only make one appearance, if any”
• ““More human interest stories that focus on the More human interest stories that focus on the positive contributions African-Americans are positive contributions African-Americans are making to the community. We readily get the making to the community. We readily get the crime and sports stories, etc. ” crime and sports stories, etc. ”
The Dispatch: The Dispatch: The African American The African American
CommunityCommunity
• ““There is not much on other minority There is not much on other minority groups, such as Hispanics or Somalis groups, such as Hispanics or Somalis unless it is dealing with crime stories”unless it is dealing with crime stories”
• ““I hardly ever see anything about the I hardly ever see anything about the Somali population, expect for the recent Somali population, expect for the recent FBI investigation”FBI investigation”
• ““Feature more stories about educated Feature more stories about educated people of color who have something people of color who have something intelligent to say about issues. Obama is intelligent to say about issues. Obama is not the only smart black (or mixed race) not the only smart black (or mixed race) guy out there” guy out there”
The Dispatch: The Dispatch: Other Communities of ColorOther Communities of Color
• ““Would be interesting to get more Would be interesting to get more international news with a 'Columbus international news with a 'Columbus connection' for example, they did a good connection' for example, they did a good piece on the Mexican soccer team coming to piece on the Mexican soccer team coming to Columbus to play the USA”Columbus to play the USA”
• ““I would like the Dispatch to carry more I would like the Dispatch to carry more pictures of African Americans and other pictures of African Americans and other races/ethnicities doing “normal” things” races/ethnicities doing “normal” things”
• ““Talk with people of color (focus groups) to Talk with people of color (focus groups) to find out what kind of issues/stories are find out what kind of issues/stories are current within the city” current within the city”
The Dispatch: The Dispatch: Other Communities of ColorOther Communities of Color
II. Reporting on Race: II. Reporting on Race: Four Four “Red Flag”“Red Flag” Tendencies Tendencies
1.1. Minimizing the significance of race and Minimizing the significance of race and racismracism
2.2. Focusing on individual attitudes and Focusing on individual attitudes and choices in evaluating racial outcomes and choices in evaluating racial outcomes and remediesremedies
3.3. Framing the concerns/aspirations of Framing the concerns/aspirations of minority and white communities as if they minority and white communities as if they were unrelatedwere unrelated
4.4. Highlighting race-as-problem without Highlighting race-as-problem without noting “good news” or possible solutionsnoting “good news” or possible solutions
1. Minimizing significance 1. Minimizing significance of race and racismof race and racism
Possible responses
• Document racial disparities, but also explain how those disparities came to be (and “narrative trumps numbers”)
• Pay attention to the “racial” benefits and burdens of practices and policies. Who benefits? Who is harmed? Who has power? Who is left out?
• Do not reduce class and culture to race; class and culture matter, but race matters independently
Note: Some of the language in this section is drawn from Annie E. Casey, “Race Matters: How to Talk about Race” and the Praxis Project’s “Race Framing Memo.”
Possible Responses
• Avoid the easy trap of telling individual, “episodic” stories to advance the issue
• Structural opportunity and personal responsibility go hand in hand. Avoid the suggestion that one or the other is to blame
• Expose patterns and systems of injustice in ways that help people understand the institutional and structural roots of these issues
2. Focusing on individual 2. Focusing on individual attitudes and choices in attitudes and choices in
evaluating racial outcomes and evaluating racial outcomes and remediesremedies
Possible responses
• Note that many/most challenges are shared across racial lines, though unequally (unemployment, health care, foreclosure). Opportunity is at risk for ALL of us
• Focus on situations anyone might find himself in (loss of a job, lack of health care)
• Stress values that unite rather than divide --“opportunity,” “community” instead of “to each his/her own”
3. Framing the 3. Framing the concerns/aspirations of minority concerns/aspirations of minority and white communities as if they and white communities as if they
were completely unrelatedwere completely unrelated
4. Highlighting race-as-problem 4. Highlighting race-as-problem without noting “good news” or without noting “good news” or
possible solutionspossible solutions
Possible responses
• When discussing race-based inequality, focus on desired outcomes, not just on present disparities
• Focus coverage on policies, programs, and practices – the places opportunities are lodged
• Where possible, highlight other communities where similar issues have been addressed effectively
• Celebrate evidence of progress even while noting the distance still to travel
IIIa. Race Matters: Demographics and Diversity in
ColumbusColumbus Metropolitan Area
Share ofpopulation,
2000
Growth,1990-2000
Foreign-Born
2000
White 80.4% 7.9% 1.6%
Black 14.2% 34.6% 4.1%
Hispanic
1.8% 150.9% 35.8%
Asian 2.8% 107.1% 75.1%
Source: Diversitydata.orgSource: Diversitydata.org
Demographics & Diversity in Demographics & Diversity in Columbus: Household Columbus: Household
CompositionCompositionHousehold Composition by Race/Ethnicity and Family Type, 2000
One person
household
Married couple
w/own own children
Married couple with
no own children
Single parent
with own children
White 27.7% 23.5% 28.3% 7.5%
Black 31.3% 14.3% 13.6% 23.3%
Hispanic 21.0% 27.2% 14.5% 13.4%
Asian 25.6% 32.4% 22.2% 4.4%
Diversity & Inequality in Diversity & Inequality in Columbus: Homeownership Columbus: Homeownership
and Overcrowdingand OvercrowdingHome-
OwnershipOvercrowding
rate
Owner Renter
White 67.2% 0.6% 2.2%
Black 40.4% 2.1% 6.2%
Hispanic 31.2% 6.4% 17.5%
Asian 39.2% 7.1% 15.0%
Diversity & Inequality in Diversity & Inequality in Columbus: Economic Columbus: Economic
OpportunityOpportunityMedian Household Income and Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 1999
Median Household
Income
Poverty Rate
White $47,776 7.5%
Black $30,223 22.3%
Hispanic $35,198 17.8%
Asian $46,246 14.8%
Childhood Poverty at Home (1999) and School (2003-4), by Race/Ethnicity
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
White Black Hispanic Asian
per
cen
t
Household poverty
Primary school poverty
Diversity & Inequality in Diversity & Inequality in Columbus: Economic Columbus: Economic
Opportunity for ChildrenOpportunity for Children
WhoaWhoa!!
In general, Americans think In general, Americans think much less well of Blacks than much less well of Blacks than of Whites…of Whites…
When compared to Whites, are Blacks more ____ than Whites, tied with Whites, or less ____ than Whites?
More Equally Less
Wealthy 5% 18% 77%
Industrious 9% 45% 46%
Violence-prone 45% 45% 10%
Intelligent 3% 59% 38%
Committed to strong families 15% 41% 44%
Committed to intergroup tolerance 18% 43% 38%
Data from 2000 GSS. Topical Report No. 32. National Opinion Research Center.
IIIb.IIIb. Race Matters:Race Matters: The The Meanings of RaceMeanings of Race
Race Matters:Race Matters: The The Meanings of RaceMeanings of Race
When compared to Whites, are Hispanics more ___than Whites, tied with Whites, or less ____ than Whites?
More Equally Less
Wealthy 7% 15% 78%
Industrious 22% 43% 35%
Violence-prone 38% 47% 15%
Intelligent 3% 54% 42%
Committed to strong families 34% 41% 25%
Committed to intergroup tolerance 22% 44% 34%
Data from 2000 GSS. Topical Report No. 32. National Opinion Research Center.
Except with respect to family, public Except with respect to family, public opinion doesn’t treat Hispanics much opinion doesn’t treat Hispanics much better than Blacks…better than Blacks…
Racial Identity Racial Identity Social Social StatusStatus
Racial Classification by Interviewer and Current Status
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
Incarcerated Unemployed Impoverished
Perc
ent i
dent
ified
as
whi
te
No
Yes
Racial Identity Racial Identity Social Social StatusStatus
Racial Self-ID and Social Status
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Incarcerated Unemployed Impoverished
Per
cent
iden
tifyi
ng a
s w
hite
No Yes
IVa. How Race Matters: IVa. How Race Matters: Thinking Race, Thinking Thinking Race, Thinking
SystemsSystems
Housing Is a Key Intervention Point
into the Complex Web of Opportunity
Housing is a key component of a set of interrelated opportunity structures that affect the attainment of safe, stable housing and are affected by housing
Housing
Childcare
Incarceration/ juvenile justice
Education
Health Employment
Transportation
Where Children Live Largely Where Children Live Largely Determines Determines
Their Access to High or Low-quality Their Access to High or Low-quality SchoolsSchools
Jobs & Role Models…Jobs & Role Models…
Playgrounds, Parks, Arts…and Playgrounds, Parks, Arts…and MoreMore
All These Components Together
Define an “Opportunity Structure”
Race and Opportunity in Franklin Race and Opportunity in Franklin CountyCounty
• Property values Property values
• Neighborhood Neighborhood povertypoverty
• Vacancy ratesVacancy rates
• Population changePopulation change
• Projected job Projected job growthgrowth
• Crime ratesCrime rates
• Unemployment ratesUnemployment rates
• School math and School math and reading proficiency reading proficiency ratesrates
• School poverty ratesSchool poverty rates
• School graduation ratesSchool graduation rates
• Home ownership ratesHome ownership rates
Opportunity Opportunity IndicatorsIndicators
Latinos and, especially, African Americans, live Latinos and, especially, African Americans, live disproportionately in low-opportunity disproportionately in low-opportunity
neighborhoods neighborhoods Neighborhood Opportunity in Franklin County in 2007, by Race
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
White Black Asian Latino
Very High
High
Moderate
Low
Very Low
Low-income African American Ohioans Low-income African American Ohioans enjoy less neighborhood opportunity enjoy less neighborhood opportunity
than do low-income members of other than do low-income members of other groups groups
Neighborhood Opportunity for Ohio Families Earning Less Than $30k in 2000
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
White (Non Latino) African American Latino Asian
Low-incomeLow-income white white families families live in live in stronger neighborhoods than stronger neighborhoods than hi-incomehi-income
black black familiesfamiliesNeighborhood Opportunity for Low-income White (<$30k) and
Higher-income Black Households (>$60k), 2000
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Low-income White Higher-income AfricanAmerican
High and Very High OpportunityModerate OpportunityLow and Very Low Opportunity
IVb. How Race Matters: IVb. How Race Matters: Implicit (Hidden) BiasImplicit (Hidden) Bias
What colors are the following What colors are the following lines of text?lines of text?
1.1. Vqeb peow ytroVqeb peow ytro
2.2. Cvur zxyq brrmCvur zxyq brrm
3.3. Vhrn wwte zytnVhrn wwte zytn
4.4. Xoc jbni oew mneXoc jbni oew mne
5.5. Zre ytu vee mkpZre ytu vee mkp
What colors are the following What colors are the following lines of text?lines of text?
1.1. RedRed2.2. BlueBlue3.3. BlackBlack4.4. GreenGreen5.5. BrownBrown
What colors are the following lines What colors are the following lines of text?of text?
1.1. Sky Sky
2.2. Grass Grass
3.3. DirtDirt
4.4. CoalCoal
5.5. Stop signStop sign
What colors are the following What colors are the following lines of text?lines of text?
1.1. DirtDirt
2.2. SunshineSunshine
3.3. Sky Sky
4.4. GrassGrass
5.5. Stop signStop sign
What colors are the following lines What colors are the following lines of text?of text?
1.1. GreenGreen
2.2. BlueBlue
3.3. BrownBrown
4.4. RedRed
5.5. BlackBlack
Implicit Association TestImplicit Association Test
http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2007/08/19/
Implicit Bias against Implicit Bias against Nonwhites, Relative to Whites, Nonwhites, Relative to Whites,
is Strongis StrongDistributions of Responses on Explicit (Self-reported) and Implicit Measures
GroupsCompared
Explicit Implicit
Nonwhite Neutral White Nonwhite Neutral White
Blacks/Whites 12% 56% 32% 12% 19% 69%
Asians/Whites 16% 57% 27% 11% 26% 63%
Note: Percentages represent the percent biased in favor of group.
Source: 94 California Law Review (2006), p. 957
What Would You Do?What Would You Do?
Implicit Racial Bias: Implicit Racial Bias: The Shooter GameThe Shooter Game
• Images of suspects -- armed and unarmed, Images of suspects -- armed and unarmed, black and white – flash on a monitor. black and white – flash on a monitor.
• Is the man in each picture carrying a gun? Is the man in each picture carrying a gun? Subjects have less than one second to press Subjects have less than one second to press one key to shoot or another not to shoot.one key to shoot or another not to shoot.
• After repeated experimentation, people’s After repeated experimentation, people’s mistakes follow a clear pattern: mistakes follow a clear pattern:
•They shoot more unarmed blacks They shoot more unarmed blacks
•They They failfail to shoot more armed whites to shoot more armed whites
Implicit Racial Bias: Implicit Racial Bias: Demonstrated Behavioral LinksDemonstrated Behavioral Links
• Split-second police decisions about when and what Split-second police decisions about when and what to shoot – regardless of explicit attitudesto shoot – regardless of explicit attitudes
• Implicit biases affected sentencing decisions for Implicit biases affected sentencing decisions for defendants convicted of feloniesdefendants convicted of felonies
• More or less implicit bias corresponded with More or less implicit bias corresponded with comfort level and body language in interracial comfort level and body language in interracial interactionsinteractions
• People with greater implicit bias were more likely to People with greater implicit bias were more likely to interpret ambiguous behavior with respect to interpret ambiguous behavior with respect to negative stereotypes negative stereotypes
Source: Dasgupta 2008Source: Dasgupta 2008
• As physicians' pro-white implicit bias increased, so As physicians' pro-white implicit bias increased, so did their likelihood of giving white patients, but not did their likelihood of giving white patients, but not black patients, clot-busting thrombolytic drugs black patients, clot-busting thrombolytic drugs
• White people who exhibited greater implicit bias White people who exhibited greater implicit bias toward black people reported a stronger tendency to toward black people reported a stronger tendency to engage in such everyday discriminatory acts as engage in such everyday discriminatory acts as avoiding or excluding blacks socially, uttering racial avoiding or excluding blacks socially, uttering racial slurs and jokes, and insulting, threatening or slurs and jokes, and insulting, threatening or physically harming blacks. physically harming blacks.
• The greater the implicit bias of an employer against The greater the implicit bias of an employer against Arab-Muslim men, the less likely he or she was to Arab-Muslim men, the less likely he or she was to call an applicant with a name such as Mohammed or call an applicant with a name such as Mohammed or Reza for an interview. Reza for an interview.
Implicit Racial Bias: Implicit Racial Bias: Demonstrated Behavioral LinksDemonstrated Behavioral Links
Implicit Bias: Not Just RaceImplicit Bias: Not Just Race
• GenderGender
• Age Age
• WeightWeight
• Skin-toneSkin-tone
• ReligionReligion
• DisabilityDisability
• SexualitySexuality
Source: Nosek et al, “Implicit Attitudes and Stereotypes.” Available at Source: Nosek et al, “Implicit Attitudes and Stereotypes.” Available at http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/20061202money2.pdfhttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/20061202money2.pdf
Perceiving RacePerceiving Race
• Racial categorization occurs automatically, Racial categorization occurs automatically, regardless of any efforts to divert attention regardless of any efforts to divert attention from race.from race.
• Within moments of perceiving someone, Within moments of perceiving someone, we reflexively judge that person in terms we reflexively judge that person in terms of in-group favoritism: Is he or she “us” or of in-group favoritism: Is he or she “us” or “them”?“them”?
• We unconsciously think about race even We unconsciously think about race even when we do not explicitly discuss it. Our when we do not explicitly discuss it. Our implicit (hidden) thoughts can overpower implicit (hidden) thoughts can overpower our explicit positionsour explicit positions
Reducing Reducing ImplicitImplicit BiasBias
• Seeing targeted groups in favorable Seeing targeted groups in favorable social contexts can help undermine social contexts can help undermine hidden bias: e.g., seeing black faces hidden bias: e.g., seeing black faces with a church as a background; with a church as a background; examples of admired blacks such as examples of admired blacks such as Colin Powell and Denzel Washington; Colin Powell and Denzel Washington; reading about Arab-Muslims’ positive reading about Arab-Muslims’ positive contributions to society.contributions to society.
• Working together in a structured Working together in a structured environment to solve shared environment to solve shared problemsproblems
• Teaching explicitly egalitarian viewsTeaching explicitly egalitarian views
• Practicing unbiased behaviorsPracticing unbiased behaviors
• Learning to differentiate other-race Learning to differentiate other-race faces (facial recognition training)faces (facial recognition training)
Source: Dasgupta 2008Source: Dasgupta 2008
Reducing Implicit Bias (cont.)Reducing Implicit Bias (cont.)
• Feedback to make physicians more aware of their Feedback to make physicians more aware of their own biases, disparities in behaviors toward their own biases, disparities in behaviors toward their own cohort of patients, privately administering IATs own cohort of patients, privately administering IATs to increase awareness, and targeted education to to increase awareness, and targeted education to mitigate effects on decision making. mitigate effects on decision making.
• People who report a strong personal motivation to People who report a strong personal motivation to be non-prejudiced tend to harbor less implicit bias. be non-prejudiced tend to harbor less implicit bias.
• Developing simple but concrete plans to supplant Developing simple but concrete plans to supplant stereotypes in particular situations can also short-stereotypes in particular situations can also short-circuit implicit biases. On researcher found that circuit implicit biases. On researcher found that those who simply resolved to think of the word those who simply resolved to think of the word “safe” whenever they saw a black face showed “safe” whenever they saw a black face showed dramatic reductions in implicit racial bias.dramatic reductions in implicit racial bias.
Source: Siri Carpenter, “Buried Prejudice: The Bigot in Your Brain.”Source: Siri Carpenter, “Buried Prejudice: The Bigot in Your Brain.”
• Ignores the continuing significance of raceIgnores the continuing significance of race
• Reinforces notion that the societal playing Reinforces notion that the societal playing field has been “leveled” field has been “leveled”
• Encourages ineffective policy solutions to Encourages ineffective policy solutions to social problemssocial problems
• Discounts strategic benefits of diversityDiscounts strategic benefits of diversity
• Is not feasible given pervasiveness and Is not feasible given pervasiveness and strength of implicit racial thinking and biasstrength of implicit racial thinking and bias
• The problem is racial bias, not race; ignoring The problem is racial bias, not race; ignoring race actual undermines push for equal race actual undermines push for equal opportunityopportunity
IVc. How Race Matters: IVc. How Race Matters: ColorblindnessColorblindness
www.KirwanInstitute.orgwww.KirwanInstitute.org