[Episode 36] Today's podcast is on Race in addition to Social Problems. On Jan 15, 2008, I spoke alongside Dr. Larry E. Davis, Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, the Donald M. Henderson Professor, in addition to Director of the Center on Race in addition to Social Problems. In our conversation, Dean Davis defined racism, the role of race inwards agreement social problems, in addition to nigh how issues of race may or may non alter equally the percent of whites inwards the the States continues to decrease discussed. We talked nigh some of the racial in addition to sex issues inwards the electrical flow election in addition to talked nigh how race is different from sex equally a quest of diversity. We also talked nigh race in addition to social work, in addition to what social workers tin exercise to struggle racism. We ended our conversation alongside a give-and-take of the Center on Race in addition to Social Problems in addition to what the Center is doing to struggle racism. 
Download MP3 [45:17]Dean Davis received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan's dual-degree plan inwards social piece of work in addition to psychology inwards 1977. His professional person interests include interracial grouping dynamics, the impact of race, gender, in addition to cast on interpersonal interactions, African American position unit of measurement formation, in addition to youth. Prior to becoming the Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh inwards 2001, Dr. Davis had been a faculty fellow member since 1977 at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University inwards St. Louis, Missouri, where he was a Professor of Social Work in addition to Psychology in addition to the holder of the E. Desmond Lee Chair inwards Ethnic in addition to Racial Diversity.
He has received enquiry funding from sources such equally the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, in addition to National Institute of Mental Health. Dean Davis is the recipient of the University of Pittsburgh's Chancellor's 2007 Affirmative Action Award.
Transcript
Jonathan Singer: So Dean Davis, I’m wondering if yous tin define for us what yous hateful when yous say race in addition to what yous hateful past times social problems, what is a social job in addition to what makes something a social problem.
Larry Davis: Okay the get-go one, what is race, is the to a greater extent than hard of the 2 questions past times a long shot. There are people who sort of beak nigh the myth of race; that at that topographic point is no race human race, but for practical terms it’s a social construction that people exercise recognize, that people are different colors, in addition to people belong to what people consider major racial groups. For practical purposes I volition live speaking hither inwards America. For Americans the major definition has been color, different some other countries which define people past times other definitions. For instance I was inwards Singapore some many years agone in addition to I saw a person, in addition to I asked a native at that topographic point what race was that person, in addition to he said, “Oh good he’s Malaysian”, I said “What nigh the side past times side person?” in addition to he said, “Well he is Chinese”, in addition to the somebody who was Chinese was much darker than I am in addition to I’m black, this guy was much darker than I am. So I realized nosotros had a problem. I said, “This guy’s non Chinese”, he said, “Oh no, he’s Chinese; he talks Chinese, he walks Chinese”, he was defining people culturally. In America that doesn’t wash. America defines people racially, they don’t attention what linguistic communication yous speak or nutrient yous consume it’s sort of, that if yous human face dark yous are black. An instance of this is Tiger Woods; he has tried desperately to live classified equally something else but America in addition to the ground volition locomote on to sort out him equally black. People sort of wonder why inwards New Orleans, why was New Orleans sort of the entirely position where nosotros had terms similar mulattos. You figured nosotros had slavery all over the country, why New Orleans, why this niggling position where nosotros sort of had mulattos in addition to octoroons. That’s because the French basically had a different notion of people in addition to identification, in addition to who is dark in addition to who is white, they sort of made these gradations. Fortunately for African Americans, I think that the British genuinely were the ones who took the atomic number 82 in addition to decided anyone who had whatsoever dark lineage was black. So what that meant was yous had this huge grouping of dark people who despite their color gradations were all black. I mean, Colin Powell is dark equally is Lena Horne, equally is Tiger Woods, equally is Sidney Poitier. I mean, yous have got people of bang-up gradations hence it doesn’t affair what color they were equally long equally they were recognizably equally having African ancestry. It may piece of work differently for some of the novel groups coming along. There may live a departure alongside Amer-Asian children, but inwards America this has been going on for 400 years; basically spousal human relationship of African Americans alongside other populations, in addition to if yous have got an African American in addition to an Asian yous don’t have got some sort of Asian person, yous have got some sort of dark person…..
Jonathan Singer: It’s the i drib rule.
Larry Davis: It’s the i drib rule, just right, hence that’s how it sort of worked. Now whether people similar that, yous know reality is some other thing, but that’s sort of how it has worked….and I wrote an article that showed upwards inwards the Chicago Tribune inwards 1997, in addition to I beak nigh that; the novel ingredient inwards bi-racial identity, in addition to the novel ingredient genuinely is the identity of the white parent; that basically at that topographic point is goose egg new. You have got a white couple, nosotros tin beak nigh Obama fifty-fifty this way….you have got a white twain who have got a dark kid in addition to they sort of say, “Ah ha, nosotros have got an interracial child.” What yous have got is an African American child. African Americans are [emolturacial] people; 77% of African Americans are thought to have got white lineage, some fifty-fifty have got Chinese heritage. So I mean, that’s who they are, it would live similar going to Puerto Rico in addition to sort of delineate out the Hispanics in addition to the Africans out of that group, in addition to inwards some respects that’s truthful for dark America. Who is Lena Horne, is she biracial? You know, I tell people, that America may have got biracial children but it entirely has dark adults, at that topographic point are no biracial adults inwards America. These painting stars have got kids in addition to they are beautiful biracial kids, when they are kids, but when they demonstrate upwards on every-day magazines xx years later, she’s the most beautiful dark adult woman inwards America, they don’t say she’s the most beautiful biracial woman, it doesn’t launder inwards America.
Jonathan Singer: And why doesn’t it wash? Why can’t yous have got a biracial adult?
Larry Davis: Because that’s who nosotros are, the term biracial fits the entire group, that’s the problem, that people who sort of undo this say, “I have got a biracial child.” All they are criterion when they exercise that, is invariably they are criterion recency. Conceivably yous could have got a white partner in addition to an African partner, right equally nosotros exercise inwards i of our presidential candidates.
Jonathan Singer: That’s right Barak Obama.
Larry Davis: Okay, yous could have got 2 quote, “black parents” inwards America both of whom have got white lineage inwards the past, somebody was white somewhere……
Jonathan Singer: They could have got been biracial equally children.
Larry Davis: They would have got been classified equally biracial equally children. So they have got a child, hence that kid may inwards fact live whiter than is the kid past times the biracial twain past times the white in addition to African couple. See it doesn’t brand sense, meet people desire to brand this number nigh biracial children but basically America doesn’t response to the notion. Policeman doesn’t halt Obama in addition to sort of say, “Hey, what is your lineage”, its, “Get out of the auto yous hence in addition to so, let’s acquire out.” People don’t exercise that to you, in addition to the same thing these children, when people, I propose couples to exercise this, they frequently don’t similar it, peculiarly the white partner because the white partner is thinking that I desire to hand my kid, non to live identified alongside this group, in addition to hand my kid sort of a leg up. But what yous are genuinely doing is contributing to some sort of biological, inwards social sense, to what’s been going on inwards the Blue Planet a long time, in addition to the novel ingredient is that the white partner, the white parent, yous are willing to stand upwards up in addition to say, “Yes this is my child”, equally inwards the past times many white women who had such children seat them upwards for adoption, many white guys who had such children historically, basically merely walked off from the situation, or inwards worse cases inwards slavery sold them. Or inwards the best cases began colleges for them, in addition to that’s past times in addition to large for many, the historically dark colleges began. For that’s why they started, because they were started for these children of slave, of slave masters. That’s why this color connection inwards America. People wonder, good what’s the bargain alongside the color? Why is it fair pare blacks seem to live doing improve than night pare blacks? Because it was ever a connection betwixt color in addition to privilege, because those were frequently originally many the children of these unions, this is goose egg new. Frederick Douglas was genuinely really night in addition to had a white father, hence is Frederick Douglas biracial? I guess he is, but if he walked downwards the street would anyone position him equally biracial? No, hence doesn’t genuinely brand whatsoever biological or social sense, in addition to when people essay in addition to exercise that I think they are doing the kid a disservice in addition to the somebody a disservice. I think Obama has done the right thing alongside it; he identifies himself equally a dark American, he doesn’t run around in addition to say I’m some biracial human being which people wouldn’t response to. For example, fifty-fifty if yous consider Obama biracial he married a quote, “black woman”, at nowadays they have got a kid, is the kid biracial now? Or is the kid African American? You meet what I mean? All these disputes, all these niggling arguments people have, at best they are criterion recency in addition to the identity of the parents. Basically miscegenation took position to a greater extent than of late than someone else’s took place. But conceivably to a greater extent than recent combination of blacks in addition to whites may non live equally thorough equally the past times ones. So are these kids to a greater extent than interracial than Lena Horne? I dubiety it.
Jonathan Singer: So I tin meet why yous said that the definition of race is a niggling scrap to a greater extent than complicated than how yous would define a social problem……..
Larry Davis: Oh yeah I didn’t say much nigh social job at all……..
Jonathan Singer: That’s right, hence what is a social problem? What makes a job social?
Larry Davis: Well it’s a job that nosotros all sort of recognize equally being. It’s non different a medical problem, it has some social ground inwards terms of educational issues, human relations issues, they have got a quote, “social component” to them. At the same time, fifty-fifty what nosotros think of equally biological wellness problems have got rigid racial components to them because they influence where people live, what sort of jobs they have, what sort of schools they locomote to, what sort of hazards are parked side past times side to their neighborhoods, hence fifty-fifty what nosotros may think of equally biological issues frequently termination inwards having racial components which termination inwards other social problems for us. So the Center, I guess that’s why yous sort of asked me nigh this a niggling bit, nosotros exercise have got a Center called the Center for Racial in addition to Social Problems. We named it the Center for Racial in addition to Social Problems because frequently people don’t desire to beak nigh race, they’ll beak nigh diversity, they’ll beak nigh inner city, they’ll beak nigh culturally deprived, I hateful whatsoever term volition exercise rather than talking nigh race, in addition to nosotros want… fifty-fifty researchers, I’ve met researchers all my life who volition exercise elaborate surveys in addition to locomote inwards race into the equation last, it’s merely non desire they desire to address its sort of the hot button. But race, inwards fairness to it, its America’s defining social problem. There’s no topic inwards America which raises emotions to a greater extent than hence than does the topic of race.
Jonathan Singer: I’m genuinely interested to listen what yous have got to think nigh this idea, of how these issues of race, in addition to the questions of race, in addition to the way that race is constructed in addition to viewed inwards terms of social problems in addition to issues, in addition to how that mightiness alter at nowadays that Hispanics are the bulk minority grouping inwards the United States.
Larry Davis: Well I don’t think it’s going to piece of work quite equally people think it might. In 1980, 20% of the population was non-white, at nowadays some xx years later, nigh 30% of the population is non-white. Frequently yous listen the give-and-take that past times the twelvemonth 2050, that 50 % of the population volition live non-white. The figures are nigh 12% African Americans, 12 quest something for Hispanics…some quest percent departure betwixt the two. The ground it won’t live hence uncomplicated inwards terms of merely the number is because America to a greater extent than hence than anything else follows the color line, in addition to that fifty-fifty though 13% or 12 some quest percent for Hispanics beingness the largest minority group, they volition sort of response similar a minority grouping but they won’t inwards some respects. Some Hispanics are classified equally beingness white, in addition to are considered equally beingness white in addition to responded to equally beingness white in addition to for all purposes are white people who speak Spanish. So yous acquire for instance Cubans, Cubans hither are past times in addition to large a white population, the same is non truthful for Puerto Ricans many of whom are whom African Americans, inwards fact the information on Puerto Ricans looks similar dark information of regards to social parallels; unemployment, poverty rates, out of wedlock births, crime, that kinds of thing. The information for Cubans looks similar white data, hence inwards that sense, both of them are classified equally Hispanic groups which is why it is ever hard when nosotros beak nigh Hispanics, nosotros demand to know who nosotros are talking nigh because what nosotros exercise is nosotros seat together Puerto Rican group, Cuban grouping in addition to the largest group, Mexican Americans which is some 60%. So yous seat those together in addition to yous come upwards up alongside a hateful but yous don’t know just who yous are talking about. The groups such equally Cubans, Argentineans in addition to Spaniards, who are here, elevator upwards the hateful for Hispanics on some given phenomenon but the larger grouping is likely a truer mensurate of Hispanics, is likely the Mexican Americans who autumn inwards the middle between, they also occur to autumn inwards the middle betwixt color. That inwards the absence of anything else I would tell someone to genuinely look, to tell me the color of the Hispanic grouping in addition to I would have got a improve take away a chance of telling yous how that Hispanic grouping is fairing inwards America. So how they are faring at some quest volition have got to exercise alongside how they are going to vote. So the 12% of the population, or 13% of the population, they may non all vote similar nosotros think nigh Hispanics that say some 5% may vote equally whites, in addition to the other 8% may vote equally people of color. So it’s non going to live equally uncomplicated equally people think. So that would live the main thing I would say of how it’s going to work, in addition to there’s also departure too; the Hispanic population is younger, in addition to nosotros also have got to think nigh how good they are doing, the ground isn’t all nigh race in addition to color. It’s funny, there’s a quote past times Ralph Ellison that says, “We should essay to stare downwards the deadly in addition to hypnotic temptation to meet the ground inwards all its vices inwards terms of race”. Everything doesn’t have got to exercise alongside race, it’s a powerful predictor but it doesn’t explicate all the variants that locomote on inwards our lives.
Jonathan Singer: So clearly race is an of import number for you, equally it is for the United States. But I’m wondering what yous think is the importance of race for social workers? Why should social workers live concerned nigh race?
Larry Davis: As nosotros mentioned a niggling earlier, racism is America’s defining social problem. I hateful it has a legacy inwards this country, it’s been of import to the making of the country, I can’t think of whatsoever job that doesn’t have got some racial component. When nosotros human face at the social ills of our lodge whether that live crime, miserable education, wellness care, miserable character of communities, nosotros tin human face at them past times race inwards some way in addition to that race frequently determines who is doing improve than someone else, in addition to past times non acknowledging it, social workers genuinely are non addressing the elephant inwards the room, that social workers inwards detail are committed to a greater extent than hence than whatsoever other profession to piece of work alongside low-income individuals, in addition to to struggle for social justice. So for us non to admit the importance of race is genuinely non to address a major constituent of what’s causing social injustice in addition to societal inequities, hence nosotros have got to know something nigh this. Even if demographics were non changing, but the fact that demographics are changing, that yous are having a higher percent of non-whites inwards the Blue Planet agency that yous volition have got a higher percent of cross-racial interactions, that whites who desire to interact to live relevant today, yous mightiness have got been able to locomote to some dorsum woods position in addition to cover from race inwards some other catamenia of time. But I ever tell people today that the graphic symbol for crisis in addition to chance are the same [Jonathan’s note: inwards Standard Mandarin Chinese the graphic symbol for “crisis” is a combination of “danger” in addition to “opportunity/turning point”], in addition to for those people who genuinely desire to live frequently at the pump of where things are going on inwards the country, the major crisis volition genuinely have got to come upwards inwards contact alongside these demographic changes that are occurring. So our social piece of work students in addition to our social piece of work professionals demand to live aware of the issues, in addition to demand to live aware of the strengths in addition to the liabilities inwards cross-racial interactions, they demand to know the realities that their clients face. I hateful at i fourth dimension I think social piece of work focused to a greater extent than on internal functioning, mainly because of the psychoanalytic bent – that basically the problems resided within the individual. But that really thing is what has ever made social piece of work different from psychology. Psychology basically views the job residing within the individual’s caput – that somehow it is an intrapersonal problem, but social workers have got ever recognized human conduct inwards the social environment. The social surroundings is a major constituent that where people live, that where people went to school, what was going on within their communities influenced greatly how they themselves become. And some people may say, “Oh those things aren’t important, if they desire to exercise good they tin exercise well”, in addition to the same people are the ones who brand sure that their kids are inwards private schoolhouse paying $18,000 a year, in addition to I ever desire to say to them, yous know, if the surroundings doesn’t matter, if friends don’t matter, if context doesn’t matter, hence why are yous willing to pay hence much coin to live sure that your kid is inwards this pristine environment, because yous exercise recognize that it matters on some level.
Jonathan Singer: So i of the things yous mentioned before was that race is the defining issue. If I was talking to Gloria Steinem she mightiness say that sex is the defining issue. How could yous say that they are different?
Larry Davis: You know this is interesting because this Sunday’s New York Times had an article on this really topic. I don’t know if yous saw it or not, but I’ve forgotten what the woman’s scream was I think it was Harlan [Jonathan’s Note: Elizabeth Cady Stanton], but the dark person’s scream was Frederick Douglas. Well equally it turns out they had been sort of allies inwards both trying to acquire the right to vote in addition to it sort of came downwards to who would acquire the right to vote first, would it live men, inwards this instance would it live blacks right to vote equally men, or would it live women, in addition to they argued nigh that in addition to i of the comments that is interesting is the adult woman made, why should women live denied to vote in addition to allow someone who is less lettered, unlettered, a farmer, clearly non a socially sophisticated somebody to vote when the women couldn’t vote. And Frederick Douglas’ response was, good we’ll back upwards that when yous are hunted down, when at that topographic point is genocide carried out against your group, when your encephalon is smashed against the cement on the sidewalks, when yous are beingness lynched past times the thousands inwards the country, hence nosotros volition back upwards such a view. But this is a fairly debate, it doesn’t genuinely locomote really far inwards terms that some would say it is a sex number in addition to some would say it’s a racial issue, but if yous human face at some demographics inwards terms of who is inwards prison, who has a longer or shorter life expectancy, who is improve educated, who is hungry, who’s kids exercise well, I hateful yous meet this genuinely racial sort of thing coming up. Not that yous don’t desire to say that gender…I don’t genuinely similar getting into it because I don’t observe it really productive. But yous have got to think inwards terms of the people who are probable to live killed this evening. If yous were to shipping a manly somebody or female, a dark in addition to white into society, that yous would get, the white woman somebody would live less probable to live harmed fifty-fifty past times legitimate agents of our lodge than would live the dark person. What has happened alongside dark women during the motion is that largely, what people debate is that the women’s movement, that many dark women aren’t inwards it because race does trump sex for them, that fifty-fifty the white women don’t process them hence well, hence they are double whammied, that dark women are perceived equally beingness less feminine than white women. So fifty-fifty equally women they are discriminated against, fifty-fifty past times the women who are their allies. So of class occasionally, some dark women some arguments some are proverb good your woman parent or my mother, I hateful if nosotros acquire genuinely carried away in addition to locomote dorsum to the whole thing, but dark women have got existent issues nigh the sex number equally well. So yous know, I don’t think it’s a peculiarly productive declaration but I exercise think that yous are seeing some things accept position alongside the Presidential Election where nosotros exercise meet a dark human being running in addition to a white woman somebody running, in addition to we’ll meet how people vote, if people vote alongside their identities or if they vote alongside what they think would live the best candidate.
Jonathan Singer: So when yous say if they vote alongside their identities yous are proverb that women would vote for a adult woman in addition to African Americans would vote for an African American.
Larry Davis: Right, in addition to what I thought made this race hence noble upwards until this point, is that dark Americans did non straight off flock to Obama. That they sort of held their ground, his numbers were less than Hillary’s, in addition to they were loyal to the Clintons in addition to I think that it helped Obama sort of indirectly because it said to whites that these people are genuinely trying to ascent to a higher position this, they are trying to live noble inwards this struggle, that this is their candidate in addition to they are non merely all menu blanche going to the dark candidate, in addition to I think that at nowadays the introduction of race in addition to sex into the Presidential debates, genuinely sort of hurts the whole discussion, yous know I think the Blue Planet was trying to ascent to a higher position it but I don’t think that it will.
Jonathan Singer: And past times the introduction of race yous are talking nigh the comment that Hillary Clinton made nigh Johnson in addition to Martin Luther King, in addition to how King couldn’t have got done what he had done without Johnson, of class a white president, in addition to that has brought race dorsum into the number of the race.
Larry Davis: It was unfortunate; because I concord alongside Obama who said that he didn’t concord that was her intent either. I’m sure it wasn’t her intent to exercise that, to brand that comment in addition to to live perceived negatively past times African Americans, but it did enhance significance of race to the discussion, but at that topographic point is something to live said nigh Hillary’s point, it’s sort of the give-and-take of; exercise times brand the human being or does the human being brand the times? I think if King had come upwards along during Bush’s time, I’m non hence sure he would have got been successful, he mightiness have got been but it sure as shooting didn’t wound to have got Johnson inwards the White House, a southerner who had some sense of legacy, some sense of wanting some change. But I don’t think she meant that, but I think the whole introduction of race in addition to sex into the give-and-take i time again is detrimental to the sort of America’s rising to a higher position it.
Jonathan Singer: We have got a adult woman candidate in addition to an African American candidate, exercise think at that topographic point is some way that is a prepare for the democrats, inwards the sense that nosotros have got 2 groups that have got traditionally been considered oppressed running against each other?
Larry Davis: No I think it’s a sign of the times, I think it’s a bang-up thing that, I think Americans recognize that it spoke good for them. I think it’s what’s generated attending for the democratic race, people are excited for the democratic race, inwards constituent because yous have got these 2 historically unelectable people who are running, in addition to it says that nosotros have got risen to a higher position some of the onetime racial or sex stereotypes in addition to nosotros are trying to live bigger than, bigger in addition to improve than nosotros have got been inwards the past. No I don’t think it was a laid up, I don’t think anyone….I think Hillary by in addition to large wants to live President, I think it merely worked out that her hubby was President in addition to at nowadays she has a take away a chance to exercise it, she’s smart she’s capable. One thing I exercise experience expert about, nigh the candidates is that I genuinely similar all iii democratic candidates. Edwards, I could alive alongside Edwards no problem, Hillary, I think Hillary’s smart plenty in addition to she’s done stuff, she knows things, she would live a perfect President, in addition to I think Obama would live fine equally President, he does convey something she doesn’t she does convey the experience, Washington savvy inwards that sense fifty-fifty moral savvy. But he does convey hope, that we’ll exercise something different, nosotros are tired of what we’ve done, hence both quest are valid points, either way, it may boil downwards to a way that people didn’t think it should happen, but I think ultimately we’ll current of air upwards alongside a expert President.
Jonathan Singer: So I desire to enquire yous a query that takes us off of the number of politics in addition to dorsum on to this number of social workers. Do yous think that at that topographic point is, good allow me dorsum up, yous came upwards alongside this thought of psychological majority, in addition to I was wondering if yous could beak a niggling scrap nigh what that means, in addition to I was wondering if yous thought that this number of the percent of whites inwards this Blue Planet decreasing equally compared to the percent of non-whites inwards this Blue Planet volition have got a positive lawsuit on race relations or a detrimental lawsuit on race relations.
Larry Davis: Well it’s funny that yous should come upwards dorsum to that, equally I said to yous during the intermission that I genuinely have got had the i original thought inwards my life in addition to it is something called the psychological bulk in addition to essentially what it says is, is that because blacks are hence frequently inwards the minority that whites are accustomed to beingness overwhelmingly the majority, inwards that numbers of blacks which transcend the traditional numbers of African Americans inwards some setting tin drive whites to experience fifty-fifty though withal inwards the numerical majority, to experience themselves outnumbered in addition to that’s why I telephone telephone it the psychological bulk that some racial around 30% percent nosotros sort of know that nosotros could pick upwards tipping points but the declaration I brand inwards i newspaper I wrote is that a grouping which has equal numbers of blacks in addition to whites say 50/50, that whites are psychologically outnumbered inwards that grouping because they are accustomed to beingness the numerical bulk in addition to at nowadays the numbers aren’t to their favor hence they exercise experience themselves to live some sort…for instance nosotros meet this thing occur inwards a lot of places, bars, schools, but nosotros exercise from the literature in addition to piece of work inwards this expanse that the 50/50 ratio of blacks to whites inwards particular, in addition to what’s interesting nigh this give-and-take is that what exercise the other groups contribute, Hispanics in addition to Asians, yous know equally nosotros sort of said it’s figured that around 2050 what volition that human face similar when nosotros have got 50/50%, hence theoretically yous are right, equally the numbers of non-whites increase relative to the number of whites nosotros mightiness await to a greater extent than friction because what happens, this is my ain research, when at that topographic point was a clear majority, when whites were either 25% or blacks were 25% both groups seemed to empathise whose grouping it was, whose schoolhouse it is, whose bar it is, whose neighborhood it is, but when it got to 50/50 hence at that topographic point was struggle for dominance, at nowadays this genuinely was truthful for men to a greater extent than hence than for women. In fact much of what nosotros know nigh race relations or racial problems genuinely have got to exercise alongside manly somebody behavior, it’s us guys, because nosotros strike these hierarchies nosotros desire things hierarchal, whose the boss, whose the chief…there’s an interesting comment made nigh women’s groups it sort of says that the job alongside men’s groups is everyone wants to atomic number 82 in addition to the job alongside women’s groups is no i wants to lead, hence women are comfortable sort of, without having sort of a rigid hierarchal construction but guys would constitute one, hence when yous have got this 50/50 ratio it’s the worst instance scenario for conflict betwixt groups. Now again, yous innovate some of these minority groups in addition to who knows how it is just going to piece of work but from what nosotros know, nosotros would await that conflict inwards the Blue Planet equally for instance yous have got cities, I’m from, I came hither from St. Louis which is 52% dark in addition to Pittsburg at nowadays which is 27% black, I honestly think that at that topographic point is to a greater extent than racial tension inwards St. Louis because there’s genuinely a contest for leadership; whose metropolis is it? Is St. Louis a dark city? We have got a novel numerical bulk when Pittsburg is like, good nosotros can’t live a dark city, blacks acquire a fair part of it but they’re non going to run the town but inwards St. Louis they could conceivably quote “run the town” inwards the sense that they have got the political numbers to sort of exercise that in addition to I think it causes…and i time that number gets unopen similar that yous also acquire a large white exodus which has happened inwards St. Louis, where yous have got a lot of white flying from the metropolis which of class entirely makes the metropolis blacker hence eventually fifty-fifty hence blacks inwards fact finally exercise current of air upwards inheriting the city, but it causes all sorts of problems alongside whites, the taxation base of operations in addition to the educational storey may drib because of people inwards schools in addition to whatever, it’s similar to what happens alongside genuinely some of the African countries that equally when whites left the Blue Planet then, yous are left alongside an uneducated grouping of people who are sort of trying to sort of run it, in addition to inwards some sense some of the cities, some of the dark cities at nowadays because of white exodus of class they are brusque of taxation base of operations but they are also struggling inwards other areas too.
Jonathan Singer: So what tin social workers exercise to struggle racism?
Larry Davis: Social piece of work tin sort of exercise a improve chore of addressing racism equally a social problem, equally to a greater extent than of a macro problem. We sort of accept it slice meal, nosotros sort of human face at race in addition to mental health, in addition to race in addition to criminal justice, in addition to race a kid welfare, which is a expert thing, nosotros exercise improve than whatsoever other profession, all this variety stuff, nosotros were talking nigh this dorsum inwards the 60’s inwards America, the line of piece of work organization schools, the medical professions, they merely started talking nigh it now, all the human conduct stuff, the surroundings materials is important. Psychology merely at nowadays started talking nigh the environment, they merely discovered the surroundings inwards the in conclusion 10 years fifty-fifty at nowadays the materials they are talking nigh doing. Public wellness the same thing, they are talking nigh going into the community, nosotros have got ever done that inwards social work, in addition to social piece of work stuff, service learning is what social workers, we’ve ever done that stuff, in addition to at nowadays other groups are saying, yeah nosotros should have got our students out at that topographic point doing things, but it’s what’s contributed to social piece of work inwards both ways it’s also what’s given us a bad scream inwards some respects because nosotros engaged inwards what was correctly organization blame, that nosotros are sort of saying, yes people exercise have got problems but non millions in addition to millions of people who alive inwards the same neighborhood, what happened they all drank the same water, this whole block went paranoid? No, something must genuinely live going on here, of class at nowadays you’re blaming the organization hence yous alienate people; politicians in addition to the like. I was a Vista volunteer inwards New York City for iii years, in addition to they essentially got rid of us though, in addition to the ground that they did is because nosotros were similar some 5% of the OEO (Office of Economic Opportunity) budget, nosotros were similar 70% of the OEO problems, because nosotros came, nosotros were naïve students believing that inwards fact the populations nosotros were going to piece of work alongside were somehow deficient. We got at that topographic point in addition to found out that they were genuinely pretty smart, but the schoolhouse systems were lousy, the storey buildings were uncared for, the nutrient in addition to the neighborhood was no good, the garbage wasn’t picked up, at that topographic point were drug sellers police push clit allowed, yous know at that topographic point were a lot of corruption, at that topographic point were a lot of things going on alongside the system, sure plenty some of the people weren’t hence great, some of them didn’t have got the best of behavior, but inwards many respects much of what was going on was caused past times systems blame. The organization wasn’t functioning good which is why inwards social piece of work nosotros sort of separate upwards inwards these 2 camps, nosotros sort of have got macro in addition to micro, that the macro people sort of human face at communities, large sort of social systems, in addition to the micro people human face at sort of individuals behavior. We are withal to a greater extent than focused on private behavior, something similar 87% of our students are micro people in addition to some entirely 13% genuinely entirely human face at larger communities, systemic issues.
If yous locomote online in addition to punch upwards race relations, you’ll live lucky if yous acquire whatsoever social work. Kind of interesting right? One fourth dimension I was doing that, I wanted to locomote online, pick upwards racial issues inwards America, in addition to you’ll acquire upwards scholarships, you’ll meet books, but non past times social workers, which is genuinely sort of interesting that somehow, I hateful when Clinton seat together this commission on race inwards America, non a social worker was there, Franklin was there, sociologists in addition to some other people were there, but no social workers involved in addition to there’s no grouping that is closer to the ground than us alongside regards to dealing alongside groups. I hateful nosotros are inwards the confront of groups in addition to communities hence nosotros never looked at race equally a phenomenon, equally a existent entity that nosotros demand to address on a to a greater extent than systemic level, nosotros sort of addressed it on equally an influence on social problems. But I was struck by, in addition to I challenge people to exercise that, locomote online, punch upwards race relations in addition to meet how many social piece of work scholars you’ll get, that’s non how our piece of work is done, we’ve been attached to some detail problem. So I would similar for social piece of work to sort of recognize it is to a greater extent than systemic, it is to a greater extent than of an number than it is, nosotros address it nosotros exercise improve than whatsoever other profession I think inwards doing it, similar that’s why I think it’s of import nosotros have got the Center nosotros have, Center for Race in addition to Social Problems, in addition to to my noesis no other schoolhouse of social piece of work has one, a middle of race in addition to social problems. They have got problems that address race or exercise some variety issues, but see, variety tin live anything yous know, but when yous start talking nigh race, which is why nosotros scream it that way, I wanted it to live race because ultimately I volition cease to be, in addition to someone volition run the Center, but they volition live faced alongside the determination they’ll have got to either alter the scream or they’ll have got to locomote on talking nigh race. So at that topographic point are things social workers tin exercise in addition to I think that mainly to live willing to admit race, acquire involved inwards racial struggles, in addition to non live afraid to sort of to say inwards fact that what they are dealing alongside are racial problems.
Jonathan Singer: And hence the Center for Race in addition to Social Problems, this is your Center, non merely your Center, but the Center that yous started, in addition to the purpose is to engage inwards scholarship around race in addition to social problems. You didn’t say this, but I’m wondering, are yous proverb that it would live expert for schools of social piece of work to follow your atomic number 82 in addition to to genuinely constitute centers on race in addition to social problems?
Larry Davis: Right, right, that’s just right, in addition to that was the purpose of this. All my life, in addition to sometimes I fifty-fifty think nigh when I meet mental health, yous know, nosotros had to brand the somebody mentally sick to address race, yous couldn’t sort of say, this somebody is basically experiencing a racial problem, yous had to connect it somehow to the mental wellness issue, to address it if yous are inwards mental health. True plenty some people exercise have got mental difficulties, but many of them are proverb goose egg is incorrect alongside him except they’re having racial problems, in addition to nosotros should live able to say that yeah, the job alongside this community is non that the whole block has a graphic symbol disorder but the whole block is non treated good past times the police push clit department, or the whole block is beingness discriminated past times the city, that at that topographic point are major racial issues on the schoolhouse boards, I hateful nosotros human face at schoolhouse boards inwards the city, major racial problems, at that topographic point it’s a racial problem, it’s basically a bulk dark population of children beingness governed past times a bulk white population of administrators, in addition to that’s what the struggle is frequently about, that whites either don’t desire to pay taxes on schools inwards which their kids are no longer in, in addition to whites desire to retain command of the schoolhouse organization because kids are inwards it, which I empathise that, blacks desire to a greater extent than say nigh the schoolhouse organization because it makes sense to them because the bulk of their kids are inwards at that topographic point in addition to they are the bulk grouping inwards the world schoolhouse system. So that’s what nosotros are sort of fighting about, but underneath this educational discussion, this is a give-and-take of race, in addition to I’m proverb nosotros demand to live to a greater extent than upwards front end nigh what nosotros are talking about.
Jonathan Singer: One of the pieces of the Center for Race in addition to Social Problems, i of the services that the Center has provided that I most enjoyed in addition to most benefitted from, equally good have got hundreds of others that I have got seen, is this lecture series, in addition to some of the issues nosotros have got talked nigh today have got been touched on past times folks that yous have got brought inwards to speak. Having this entrée to ideas in addition to of class contacts for those of us who are interested inwards pursuing the enquiry in addition to the scholarship on this is merely fabulous, but I would think that fifty-fifty if a schoolhouse didn’t have got the resources or the back upwards perchance from the University or the community to have got an entire middle on race in addition to social problems, that having speakers focus on these issues inwards a forum similar yous furnish brings these issues to the fore inwards a way that tin entirely live beneficial for social work.
Larry Davis: For that I genuinely desire to give cheers the provost of the University of Pittsburg inwards private in addition to public, because it didn’t have got to locomote this way. The problems are real, they’re there, the demand for it is existent they’re there, the Center is at nowadays v years old, but I’ve had this thought for the Center many to a greater extent than years than that, but it was at Pittsburg that people said, okay we’ll exercise it, yous know, in addition to I think it has worked, I think inwards other places at nowadays recognize that, hello nosotros should exercise it, nosotros should have got done it, in addition to nosotros are seeing a lot of people who are copying us fifty-fifty within the University now, other departments or other schools, other niggling schools around our University who are having some serial because they recognize how pop they have got been, the speakers have got been tremendously successful, that it is on whatsoever given lecture a multi-racial grouping of men in addition to women, who are multi-disciplinary, town in addition to gown, that is people from the University in addition to people from the city, inwards a room, talking nigh America’s most affectively charged topic inwards a civil way. It is brusque of a miracle…
Jonathan Singer: …It’s fabulous…
Larry Davis: …You know, that nosotros did just what nosotros laid out to do, inwards fact nosotros did to a greater extent than than what nosotros laid out to do, nosotros are surprised that the Center has genuinely done hence well. I hateful nosotros have got viii speakers a year, iv each semester, in addition to they come upwards from everywhere; Princeton, Harvard, Michigan, hither [Pittsburgh], I hateful nosotros have got a residual of sort of, we’ve done some things that are unique alongside it, we’ve had a residual of sort of national in addition to local people. We sort of have got the local people hence it doesn’t acquire likewise ethereal, hence that, for instance nosotros had the caput of the Urban League to speak, nosotros had a somebody who has been, inwards the instance of Sala Udin whose been the onetime guard hither for dark leadership inwards the city, who struggled alongside the metropolis for a long fourth dimension in addition to knows sort of what’s been going on, nosotros have got people similar Orlando Patterson whose come upwards in, or Elijah Anderson whose come upwards in, or Julian Bond whose come upwards in, or some other scholars who have got come, hence nosotros have got a mixture of people, in addition to nosotros have got a mixture of also dark in addition to white speakers which has genuinely been helpful to us, in addition to I was mentioning this to someone yesterday after the beak is the thing that I am hence really proud of that nosotros managed to exercise is that nosotros have, equally I said earlier, it genuinely is a multi-racial grouping of people attending these things, I don’t know if at that topographic point is ever, at that topographic point is never a consummate say-so past times i group, I don’t know if blacks are ever the bulk or if whites are ever the majority, I don’t know just how it goes, but because nosotros address it, it’s non an African American center, I tell people this inwards public, I tell people this inwards private, that it’s non a dark middle it’s non a white center, racism is America’s problem, hence let’s non seat it on whatsoever detail grouping to resolve it, to solve this problem, hence I think that’s represented-reflected inwards the leadership of the Center, there’s Ralph Bangs whose white, there’s Hide Yamatani whose Japanese, at that topographic point are other people, hence it genuinely has a multi-racial residual in addition to feel. The speakers are balanced past times gender, hence nosotros locomote to bang-up length though to sustain genuinely racial in addition to sex residual inwards the Center. First in addition to foremost the Center is a enquiry outfit, that our chore is to arrive at high character research, racial related research, the instant is to mentor scholars such equally yourself who come upwards through, desire to know things, tin live involved alongside us, piece of work on projects, post service docs, those types of things, the 3rd expanse is what yous are referring to already, in addition to that is nigh the speaker series, the dissemination of information that people have, it provides, the Center provides a forum, in addition to to my noesis at that topographic point was no position at the University of Pittsburg where people could come, assemble similar nosotros tin in addition to beak about. I scream back i lecture inwards detail really early on inwards the Center’s history, at that topographic point was a adult woman hither past times the scream of Kathleen Blee. Kathleen Blee is inwards sociology. She studied some lynching in addition to hither nosotros were inwards this room talking nigh what is clearly a highly affective charged topic, lynching, inwards a context that could never have got been done otherwise. Where would yous observe a grouping of people that could sit down down, a multi-racial grouping to sit down downwards in addition to beak nigh this topic without feeling likewise guilty or feeling likewise angry or something that would prohibit the conversation from beingness productive? Well it happens inwards our schoolhouse every month. Someone comes in, in addition to Jonathan yous are ever there, I human face for yous inwards the crowd, `cause I know when you’re at that topographic point I tin start, yous typically enquire questions. But they genuinely have got grown, nosotros did them thinking, this constituent this niggling lecture series, nosotros thought we’d have got thirty to xl people, in addition to at nowadays nosotros have, ever nosotros have got i hundred, sometimes nosotros have got 140 people who come, hence yous know it’s genuinely taken off in addition to it’s genuinely been i of the highlights of the Center’s development.
Jonathan Singer: That’s great. Well Dean Davis give cheers yous hence much for taking fourth dimension out of your busy schedule to live hither in addition to beak alongside us nigh issues of race in addition to social problems.
Larry Davis: Thanks Jonathan it was bang-up to live alongside you.
-- End --
Because Dr. Davis covers many of import topics, I have got included 17 topics in addition to their fourth dimension points inwards the podcast. I have got also included links to terms or references that tin live found on the spider web (mostly through Wikipedia).
- Beginning of the interview in addition to definition of Race in addition to Social Problems: [01:58]
- "The major definition of race has been color" [02:31]
- Mulattos in addition to Octaroons [3:30]
- The New Ingredient inwards the Identity of Black Biracial Children [4:49]
- "African Americans are a multi-racial people." [5:13]
- "America may have got biracial children, but at that topographic point are no biracial adults." [5:37]
- What makes race a social problem? [9:36]
- How volition issues of race alter at nowadays that Hispanics are the bulk minority group? [11:06]
- There is less than a percent quest departure betwixt the number of African American in addition to Hispanics inwards the the States according to the 2000 Census [11:59]
- Note: In the 2000 US Census, 75.1% of Americans identified equally White. 12.5% identified equally Hispanic or Latino. 12.3% identified equally Black or African American.
- Why should social workers live concerned nigh race? [15:00]
- How tin race live a to a greater extent than defining number for America than gender? [18:19]
- Will people vote alongside their racial or sex identities inwards the presidential election? [21:47]
- Is it detrimental to the Democrats to have got 2 traditionally oppressed groups represented inwards the front-runners? [24:10]
- Dean Davis defines in addition to discusses his concept "Psychological Majority" [26:43]
- What tin social workers exercise to struggle racism? [31:25]
- Should other schools of social piece of work have got a middle on race in addition to social problems? [36:29]
- Center on Race in addition to Social Problems lecture series [38:26]
Mulatto: Mulatto (Spanish mulato, little mule, somebody of mixed race, mulatto, from mulo, mule, from Old Spanish, from Latin mulus.) is a somebody of mixed dark in addition to white ancestry or the offspring of i white parent in addition to i dark parent or someone 50% dark in addition to 50% white. Notable Mulattos: Fredrick Douglas, Alicia Keys, Bob Marley, Halley Berry, Barak Obama.References in addition to resources
Octoroon: a somebody of fourth-generation dark ancestry. An octoroon has i parent who is a quadroon in addition to i white parent. In other words, the somebody has i dark great-grandparent in addition to vii white great-grandparents.
Miscegenation: (Latin miscere "to mix" + genus "kind") is the "mixing" of different "races."
Center on Race in addition to Social Problems: http://www.crsp.pitt.edu/
Grieco, E. M., & Cassidy, R. C. (2000, March). Overview of Race in addition to Hispanic Origin. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved online http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-1.pdf
Senator Barack Obama’s spoken language on race inwards Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 18, 2008.
Text / Interactive video in addition to transcript
Black in addition to Single: Meeting in addition to Choosing a Partner Who's Right for You
The New Ingredient inwards the Identity of Black Biracial Children
by Larry E. Davis (Op. Ed., 1996)
Some parents of dark biracial children are beingness unrealistic. It is a error to promote a biracial identity for children born to dark in addition to non-black parents. African Americans are a multiracial people. It is estimated that good over seventy percent of African Americans have got white ancestry, patch others have got ancestors who are Native American, Hispanic in addition to Asian. Virtually all African Americans tin position some relative who is "mixed alongside something."
So what is novel inwards the identity of today's children born to dark in addition to non-black parents? Only the identities of non-black parents. For the get-go fourth dimension inwards this country, large numbers of non-black parents wishing to live identified equally the parents of a kid past times a dark person. Historically, the parents of children born to dark in addition to non-black unions have got been severely castigated, which largely explains their traditional invisibility. It is understandable that parents desire to part inwards their children's racial identities.
Still some parents promise foremost to distance their children from dark America in addition to the problems associated alongside it. The tacit destination is to constitute a to a greater extent than positive, that is "less black" racial-group identity for their children. This sweat volition entirely confuse in addition to serve to encourage these children to live all they tin never live -- non-black. Parents of dark biracial children who possess the demand to foster on their children a non-black identity volition ultimately serve entirely their ain interests. The needs of the parents volition live satisfied at the terms of the hereafter life experiences of the child. Being dark inwards America if hard enough, but a lifetime spent denying or qualifying it volition live fifty-fifty to a greater extent than so. To deny beingness dark when everyone else who looks similar them is considered dark volition drive the children to lose out on what is a rich heritage in addition to a positive sense of who they are.
Whether the parents similar it or not, the volume of America volition non enquire the recency of their children's miscegenation, nor the extent of it. By virtue of beingness indistinguishable from the larger grouping of African Americans, these novel "black biracial" children volition live subjected to all the liabilities of beingness dark inwards America. Yet failing to admit themselves equally members volition termination inwards their denying themselves a wealth of benefits. What benefits? Ask Alice Walker, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Cornell West, Maya Angelou, Spike Lee, in addition to Toni Morrison. Black biracial people, who have got been taught to dis-identify alongside other African Americans, are apt to experience tension when amid the really grouping who would most straight off in addition to sincerely live their friends in addition to supporters, wives in addition to husbands.
At the same time, they volition live given no commensurate outpouring of friendship in addition to back upwards from non-black society. Parents of biracial children should piece of work to improve life opportunities of all children, in addition to especially for those alongside whom their children volition live forever linked -- African American children. For ultimately entirely a few non-black people volition response to these novel "black biracial" children whatsoever differently than they would whatsoever other dark child. The non-black parents of dark children must come upwards to grips alongside the socio-political history of dark in addition to non-black miscegenation inwards America.
They must recognize that children inwards America who have got whatsoever recognizable African ancestry are past times definition African American. They would exercise good to encourage their children to follow the instance of innumerable role models who may physically human face similar them: Colin Powell, Halle Berry, Sonja Sonchez, Mario Van Peebles, in addition to Tiger Woods. Their children should live taught that the grouping to which they belong, is inwards fact a grouping to live proud of, in addition to i which has ever been multiracial.
Few groups anywhere inwards the ground are to a greater extent than multiracial than African Americans. I have got niggling dubiety that the greatest source of back upwards in addition to encouragement for dark biracial children volition come upwards from the larger African American community. Unfortunately, this is the really grouping which some would have got them deny. Children born of dark in addition to non-black parents must live told that they are non the get-go to have got white, Asian in addition to Hispanic parents, but are amid literally millions that have got come upwards before them. What may brand them different is non the color of their parents, but that their non-black parents are proud to live identified equally their parents.
APA (6th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, March 24). Race in addition to social problems: Interview alongside Dean Larry E. Davis [Episode 36]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from /search?q=18/us/politics/18text-obama
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