Das Gegenteil von Weisssein

The dominance of Western countries over other peoples has always been based on a racism that sorts people by skin color. The inhabitants of Europe and those of European descent in the Americas began, two or three centuries ago, to identify themselves as "white" and to label the residents of southern Africa or those originating from there as "black," declaring the "whites" superior to the "blacks." Prejudices against black people have enabled domination and have been further reinforced by this domination. Whiteness was developed within the context of plantation economies, then spread throughout colonial territories on all continents, and has become entrenched in the multi-ethnic societies of today's Euro-America. Those who identify as white purely out of convention, without an awareness of the history that created this category, do not understand that the relationship denoted by this label is based on historical crimes. Léonora Miano analyzes the "white problem" in the United States since the time of slavery and that of Europeans since colonial conquests in a manner that is both nuanced and unflinching. Without an awareness of what it means to be "white," it will not be easy to shake off a legacy that is passed down from generation to generation, perhaps as a family secret, which is somewhat embarrassing but still holds significant importance for the symbolic political and economic status of individuals. It will take time to strip the concept of "race" of its meaning. This does not mean that one should sit idly by. When one is aware of the magnitude of the task, one can also take it on.