You are here
Interest Convergence and Antiracism
Activity: How Racism Hurts and Antiracism Helps Everyone
- Time frame: 30 minutes
- Setting: Online, face-to-face, or writing assignment
- Source: Chapter 13 (Learning Outcome: 13.4) from
Race and Ethnicity: Sociology in Action,
edited by: Kathleen Odell Korgen and Maxine P. Atkinson - Contributor(s): David J. Luke
Doing Sociology 13.4 Interest Convergence and Antiracism
In this exercise, you will examine the pros and cons of leveraging interest convergence for antiracism efforts.
Interest convergence seems to be a way of treating the symptoms (e.g., advocating for policies to remedy racial inequality) rather than the cause (racial prejudice and systemic racism). Consider and write answers to the following questions:
- Is focusing most on the needs of, and benefits for, White Americans as opposed to people of color problematic?
- What other tactics would appeal to you more and be as, or more, effective?
Note to Instructors:
For face-to face classes, you can have students write their answers and form two groups: one that supports using interest convergence and another that opposes using it in antiracist efforts. Have them work together for a few minutes to prepare for a debate. In large classes, you can then select a subset of students for each side to debate—and have the remaining students select the winning side. In online classes, you can use this exercise as discussion board prompts or as a paper assignment.