Which of these is true of institutional racism?
Group of answer choices
A It is more likely to be detected than individual racism.
B It benefits men more than women.
C It benefits Whites.
D It is more likely to be seen as a problem than individual racism.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C: It benefits Whites.
Institutional racism refers to the ways in which racial discrimination is built into the policies, practices, and structures of organizations, institutions, or systems, leading to unequal outcomes for people based on their race. This form of racism is not always as overt as individual racism, but it operates at a systemic level, perpetuating inequality.
Institutional racism benefits the dominant racial group, which, in many societies, is White people. This occurs because systems and institutions—such as the education system, the criminal justice system, healthcare, and housing—are often structured in a way that provides better access, opportunities, and outcomes for White individuals compared to people of other racial groups. For instance, in many countries, policies or practices within these systems may unintentionally favor White people due to historical racial privileges that have been woven into society’s fabric over time.
Examples of institutional racism include discriminatory hiring practices, racial profiling by law enforcement, unequal access to education, and disparities in healthcare outcomes. These inequities do not necessarily result from personal prejudices but from long-standing institutional practices that uphold racial hierarchies.
It is more difficult to detect institutional racism than individual racism because it is embedded in the structure of institutions and may not involve explicit, overt acts of discrimination. Unlike individual racism, which is a direct, personal expression of prejudice, institutional racism is more about the systemic nature of inequities and how they perpetuate privilege for certain groups, often without conscious intent.
In summary, institutional racism primarily benefits White individuals by maintaining systemic advantages, often without being overtly recognized or challenged, and is more pervasive than individual acts of racism.