Terms to know: Whiteness

The term whiteness is used to describe a system of beliefs, assumptions, and practices that prioritize the interests and perspectives of white people as the norm. Whiteness does not refer to white individuals but rather to the social construction of power and privilege that places them at the centre of society. The centering of white perspectives in society results in the marginalization of other ways of being and knowing.

Calls to de-centre whiteness aren’t referring to white people specifically but to de-centre the dominant power structures and perspectives of whiteness. It requires humility, critical reflection and examining systems and structures, and actively centering different perspectives and ways of knowing and being.

To read more about whiteness, see aclrc.com/whiteness.