White Eyes on Black Bodies: White Identity Development and the Media

• In Event: Racial and Ethnic Minorities Section Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table Seven: Racial Formation as Reified through the Social Structure, Cultural Experiences, and Multi-Media Consumption

Abstract

Whiteness is the cultural norm in the United States. Consequently, few white Americans are aware of their racial identity, and they often view themselves as racially neutral while simultaneously benefiting from their racial position. Research demonstrates that white people often only consider their own race during interracial interactions. However, they remain largely segregated from people of color, and when interactions occur, white people often maintain only superficial relationships with people of color, which creates social distance and legitimizes social boundaries This study examines how white people derive racial knowledge from indirect contact with people of color, via media. Scholars have long problematized the representations of Black characters on screen, and these largely negative depictions may influence the persistence of white racial attitudes. However, few studies have investigated how white audiences understand these depictions. Drawing on 40 in-depth interviews, I argue that white people rely on depictions of people of color to develop and explain their own whiteness. They interpret these depictions through four distinct processes: de-identifying, reflecting, likening, and disregarding. Most often, these depictions signify what whiteness is not, and white people contrast their race with these portrayals. That is, white people view these representations, associate traits, behaviors, or aspects of culture with people of color, and construct whiteness in opposition to these depictions of non-whiteness. They focus predominantly on the aesthetic differences, family and cultural practices, and experiences with racism and privilege.

Author

• Annie McGhee, University of Cincinnati