Prejudice theory flattened racism into individual attitudes, erasing structural dimensions

Evidence

Prejudice theory served to eliminate the structural dimensions of both the psychic and the social by reducing both to their lowest common denominator in interpersonal process. Methodologically the theory attempted to operationalize its constructs by introducing attitudinal scales and behavioral indices as measures of personality and group traits that predisposed to prejudice. Within this perspective then, racism or xenophobia (and the two were again conflated) was simply one amongst many examples of unreasonable behavior governed by personal attitudes based on hostility and/or ignorance. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 1318

Categorization

• DEFINE: Sharpens the definitional contrast between ‘prejudice’ (an individual attitude) and racism (a structural formation) that vault CRT entries depend on.
• XREF: Connects to Omi & Winant and vault claims distinguishing individual prejudice from systemic racial formation. — connects to: Prejudice theory reduced structural racism to interpersonal attitudes measured by scales; Structural racism operates beyond individual intentions and prejudice — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 42; Prejudice theory’s normative rush made structural racial overdetermination unthinkable — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 1320 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Prejudice theory reduced structural racism to interpersonal attitudes measured by scales #corroborates (1.00)
• Structural racism operates beyond individual intentions and prejudice #expands (0.85) — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 42
• Prejudice theory’s normative rush made structural racial overdetermination unthinkable #expands (0.80) — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 1320
• Individual-difference theories cannot explain how prejudice reproduces as collective ideology #corroborates (0.70) — Cristian Tileagă, The Nature of Prejudice, 289
• Prejudice should be studied as collective societal thinking rather than only individual psychology #expands (0.70) — Cristian Tileagă, The Nature of Prejudice, 55
• Prejudice-reduction programs can target structural rather than only individual-level change #expands (0.70)