CHICAGO -- Most Americans agree that eliminating racism and providing equal opportunity in education and the workplace is an important national goal. There is disagreement however on how best to achieve that goal. A paper released today by the American Psychological Association at its 105th Annual Convention in Chicago, "Can -- or Should -- America Be Color-Blind?", states that a color-blind approach to equal opportunity for all Americans will fail. This conclusion is based on research findings that skin color, ethnicity and gender figure prominently in American's attitudes and behaviors toward each other.
Based on more than two decades of research, James H. Jones, Ph.D., professor of Psychology at the University of Delaware, has concluded that:
In summary, the research suggests that "race does matter," Dr. Jones says. "Therefore recognizing the differences in people and their experiences is the only equitable way to achieve social justice."
Paper: Can -- Or Should -- America Be Color-Blind? Psychological Research Reveals Fallacies in Color-Blind Response to Racism. The American Psychological Association, August, 1997.
(Full text available from APA Press Room.)
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