Capitalism, Racism, and Trumpism: Whitelash and the Politics of Oppression

  • David G. Embrick University of Connecticut Department of Sociology
  • J. Scott Carter University of Central Florida Department of Sociology
  • Cameron Lippard Appalachian State University Department of Sociology
  • Bhoomi K. Thakore University of Central Florida Department of Sociology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32855/fcapital.202001.012
Keywords: Capitalism, Classism, Racism, White Supremacy, Whiteness, Trumpism

Abstract

That the rising tide of fascism, headwinds of neoliberalism, or persistence of racism in the United States is institutional, systemic, and part of a long history of oppression towards various groups is not new news. The bigger question is how we got to a point in which overt manifestations of racism, sexism, faux democracy, and other forms of illegality and authoritarianism has once again become normalized. What does it mean when a sitting President claims that Mexican immigrants are rapists, criminals, and drug runners? How did we get to a point where we, collectively, are not as outraged as we reasonably should be? In this paper, we argue that part of the explanation for the rise of, and loyalty to, Trumpism lies in Donald Trump's ability to fuel "whitelash." We define whitelash as individual, institutional, and/or structural countermeasures against the dismantling of white supremacy or actions, real or imagined, that seek to remedy existing racial inequities. Whitelash, we argue, is a reaction to challenges made to the white status quo; it is a reaction to growing diversity; it is a reaction against any progressive changes that would call out racism, question white privilege, or suggest racial equality is necessary to meet American ideals of fairness, in any of its forms. We present two historical case studies (immigration and affirmative action) that highlight the role of whitelash in the U.S.

Author Biographies

David G. Embrick, University of Connecticut Department of Sociology

Dr. David G. Embrick holds a joint position as Associate Professor in the Sociology Department and African Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut. Prior to UConn, he spent a decade at Loyola University Chicago as faculty in the Sociology Department. He received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 2006. He is a former American Sociological Association Minority Fellow; Past-President of the Southwestern Sociological Association; current Vice President of the Society for the Study of Social Problems; and current President of the Association for Humanist Sociology. In addition, Dr. Embrick serves as the Founding Co-Editor of Sociology of Race and Ethnicity; Founding Book Series Editor of Sociology of Diversity, with Bristol University Press; and Founding Book Series Co-Editor of Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, with Georgia University Press. 

J. Scott Carter, University of Central Florida Department of Sociology

Dr. Carter is currently an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Central Florida and is the Co-Editor of Sociological Inquiry. His research interests encompass several areas, including race and politics, racial attitudes, racial inequality in education, and Southern and urban place. He has published in several journals, including the Annual Review of Sociology, Social Problems, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Social Science Research, Social Science Quarterly, and the Journal of Family Issues. He is also co-author of the book, The Death of Affirmative Action? Racialized Framing and the Fight Against Racial Preference in College Admissions. This book and his current work focus particularly at race, politics and framing effects. 

Cameron Lippard, Appalachian State University Department of Sociology

Cameron D. Lippard is Professor and Chair of Sociology at Appalachian State University. His research and teaching interests focus on American racism, immigration, war in the 21st century, and sociological explorations of cultural consumption of craft beer and distillates. Recent book publications include Death of Affirmative Action, Modern Moonshine, and Protecting Whiteness. 

Bhoomi K. Thakore, University of Central Florida Department of Sociology

Bhoomi K. Thakore is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida. Her areas of expertise include structural racial inequality, representations in popular media, and qualitative methods. Thakore's work includes the books, South Asians on the U.S. Screen: Just Like Everyone Else (2016), and the co-edited volume (with Jason A. Smith), Race and Contention in 21st Century U.S. Media (2016). She has also published a variety of journal article and book chapters on these topics. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), and the Association for Humanist Sociology (AHS). 

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Published
2020-06-19
Issue
Vol. 17 No. 1: This Is Not Normal
Section
This Is Not Normal

Copyright (c) 2020 David G. Embrick, J. Scott Carter, Cameron Lippard, Bhoomi K. Thakore

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Fast Capitalism is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.