Democratic Racism and Police Discrimination: Strategies for Conducting Research on Race in a Hostile Environment

• In Event: Critical Police Studies: An Invitation

Abstract

Racism and racial discrimination are contentious issues in Canada. While many groups, institutions and individuals deny the existence of racism in Canada's multicultural society, others argue that discriminatory treatment based on race permeates every sector of society and affects people of colour on a daily basis. Canadian police agencies have become especially vulnerable to allegations of racism. Indeed, much public, political and academic debate has centered on the issue. However, a lack of readily available police generated data that is disaggregated by race shields police agencies from such allegations, while making it difficult for researchers to examine the nature and extent to which racial discrimination exists. This paper outlines three research strategies used to investigate police racism in an environment where official sources of race-based data are treated as “intelligence” and thus protected accordingly. Finally, paper argues that Canada’s multiculturalism policies foster “democratic racism” – the coexistence of racially discriminatory actions and attitudes in a society which espouses liberal-democratic values of fairness and equality.

Author

• Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, Indiana University