Why Talk About White Privilege?
By Paula Rothenberg Why talk about “whiteness” and white privilege? On the one hand, these are topics that make some people uncomfortable by seeming to take them to task for privileges they never noticed they had, and on the other, these topics appear to divert attention from racism and its effects, making white people the center of attention once again. But rather than providing reasons to avoid talking about whiteness and white privilege, these concerns actually underscore our need to do so. Discomfort of this kind is a sure sign that we need to continue the conversation. If education is about learning to see the world in new ways, it is bound, at times, to leave us feeling confused or angry or challenged. Instead of seeking to avoid such feelings, we should probably welcome some degree of discomfort in our lives and feel short-changed if it is not present. As for the concern that looking at whiteness and white privilege will deflect our attention from racism, this could not be furth
