Subtle Acts of Exclusion <> Microaggression and Internalised Racism

By Yi-Yang @ 2024-07-24T03:21 (+28)

In almost all of my writings in this series, I used subtle acts of exclusion (SAEs) as the main term to describe the less-overt type of discrimination non-Westerners may face. It’s a term that was first coined by Jana and Baran as a way to redefine Microaggressions in a more accurate and easier to understand way, which I agree with.

And because microaggression and internalised racism (MIR) may come across as “culture war” loaded terms (despite them also being academic terms), I decided to use SAE (with some modifications so it’s closer to not just microaggression but also internalised racism) instead in my other writings.

In this piece of writing, my aim is to help readers have a better understanding of MIR (which was previously SAE), and to do that, I’ve listed down different types and examples of MIR. And given the fact that MIRs are easily misinterpreted, I’ve listed down some non-examples below too.

Caveats

The kind of microaggression and internalised racism (MIR) I’m most interested in is between Westerners and non-Westerners. So almost all examples listed down are between these two groups. But to be clear, MIR can also happen between other kinds of groups, e.g., between Singaporeans and Malaysians. In fact, I think "perceived-to-be-higher-status-cultures" and "perceived-to-be-lower-status-cultures" could also be used as more generalisable terms.
It’s usually not possible to point at a person’s behaviour and immediately know if it’s MIR. You also need to know the person’s intention (even if they’re unconscious about them). Technically, you could infer a person’s intention if you received more behavioural evidence, but it’s almost impossible to know for sure unless you have some miraculous access to a person’s cognition. Furthermore, there are many other factors that could confound your inference, e.g., the circumstance, the setting, the other people, the “vibe”, etc. Hence, try not to over-correct, over-update, or be hyper-vigilant. But if you’re the type to not over-do something, then perhaps the opposite advice may be better for you.

Examples of MIR

	Microaggression	Internalised racism
Definition	Subtle acts of exclusion that are any one of prejudicial, unjust, or both Subtle: actions that are hard to observe or identify as exclusionary in ways that are prejudicial or unjust. Exclusion: actions that signal to someone that they don’t belong in the a group Prejudicial, unjust, or both: some acts of exclusion can be good, but the acts of exclusion I’m looking for are done with preconceived false opinions of others, or in ways that are morally bad, or both. A more thorough explanation can be found here.	Camara Phyllis Jones defines this as “... acceptance by members of the stigmatized races of negative messages about their own abilities and intrinsic worth. It is characterized by their not believing in others who look like them, and not believing in themselves. It involves accepting limitations to one’s own full humanity...”
Additional notes	Done by someone else A person can do both microaggression and internalised racism Microaggressions can happen either intentionally or unintentionally; and consciously or unconsciously Some examples I’ve listed down are less microaggression-y than I would like, probably because they’re outdated and microaggressions might be a bit like the “whack-a-mole” game.	Done by the victims themselves A person can do both microaggression and internalised racism Internalised racism does pattern-match somewhat with victim blaming. At least one researcher has reported receiving some backlash for her work in this area. I do think in some cases it can be considered as victim blaming; and I hope I’m not doing it here. I think this is the usual case of having two seemingly contradictory things be true at the same time. And to be very honest, I still personally struggle with internalised racism too.
Examples
Having false preconceived opinions or bias of non-Western folks	Assume non-Westerners to be inferior or lower status “You’re more articulate than I thought” “Sorry I thought you’re a service worker” Requiring more signals of competency from them. Assume non-Westerners to be dangerous A Westerner clutching one’s wallet or bag as a non-Western folk approaches. A Westerner waiting for the next elevator when a non-Western folks is on it. Assume non-Westerners to be sexually interested or uninterested “You look exotic” “I heard your people aren’t interested in my people” Assume non-Westerners to be related or to know each other	Assumes that one is [insert one of the traits on the left column], because of one’s race or ethnicity.
Unfair treatment	Treat non-Westerners as unnecessarily lower status compared to Westerners Ignoring non-Westerners Not inviting non-Westerners to hangout in a Western setting Treat non-Westerners as entertainment, amusement, or practice “Say something in [language]” “Is it okay if we speak in [language] so I can practise?” Exploiting one’s privilege to hoard resources or value only for oneself or one’s preferred groups; sometimes, even enforcing the status quo so one could keep their privilege Treat people of colour who are born or raised in a Western country as if they are not born or raised in the same country “Where are you really from?”	Treating oneself as unnecessarily lower status compared to Westerners Hiring Westerners into your organisation to increase credibility, over someone else who has the right skills Treating oneself as entertainment, amusement, or practise for Westerners
Overvaluing the preference of Western society (e.g., norms, people, status symbols, mate criteria, people’s opinions, media, pop culture, etc).	Overvaluing Western people over non-Western people Overvaluing Western norms over others: To a Black person: “Why are you so loud? Take it easy.” To an Asian person: “Why are you so quiet? Speak up more.” Hijacking norms or assuming Western norms are/should be the dominant one in a non-Western setting without negotiation Overvaluing the purity of a Western language in settings that don’t really require such purity. Or, under-valuing creole languages with Western language influences in settings where the creole language is the dominant one Having a preference for saying non-Western names in their own way; or assuming their pronunciation is correct; or wishing non-Western folks have Western names Having a preference for people to not bring up race or culture. Understandably it’s tough to know when it’s appropriate or not.	Overvaluing Western people over non-Western people Distancing oneself from non-Western folks Othering “non-Western folks” Overvaluing Western norms over one’s own. Use of hair straighteners and bleaching cream Having almost all of one’s media consumption coming from Hollywood productions Using English when the local language is more suited Not taking charge at enforcing norms or negotiating norms Overvaluing the purity of a Western language in settings that don’t really require such purity. Or, under-valuing creole languages with Western language influences in settings where the creole language is the dominant one Sometimes, changing one’s accent to be more Western or reducing the use of creole languages Using a Western name when talking to Western folks when one doesn't initially have one; not correcting Western folks for mispronouncing non-Western names Having a preference for people to not bring up race or culture. Understandably it’s tough to know when it’s appropriate or not
Acts of exclusion disguised as jokes or compliments	Making jokes about other people’s names “Ying Yang” “Two Wongs don’t make a right” Backhanded compliments about one’s use of the English language or other Western-related languages, as well as one’s accents.	Making self-deprecating jokes using racial slurs. Uncritically accepting or internalising compliments about one’s use of the Western languages and one’s accents
Nonexamples
Examples that are closely related to MIR but are actually not	Some people being subtly mean or disagreeable to others in general Some people being more arrogant in general Praising a person’s English when they really are genuinely surprised (because learning a second language is tough). Someone who is Western happens to also be the most fitting person to lead a group of non-Western folks Wanting to chat with Westerners more than non-Westerners because they prioritise ease and comfort at that time.	Use of English in general Appreciating the value produced (e.g., ideas, inventions, norms, impact, etc) from Westerners. Having imposter syndrome Wanting to increase one’s socioeconomic status Changing one’s way of speaking (potentially your accent) so it’s more easily understood and not for status-seeking reasons. Using a norm that has Western origins, and it’s actually a good norm to use in a setting.
Sources
	Subtle Acts of Exclusion Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation A Guide to Responding to Microaggressions Unpacking microaggression: confronting anti-Asian prejudice	Levels of Racism: A Theoretic Framework and a Gardener’s Tale What is Internalized Racial Oppression and Why Don't We Study It? Acknowledging Racism's Hidden Injuries

Chris Leong @ 2024-07-24T14:53 (+7)

And because microaggression and internalised racism (MIR) may come across as “culture war” loaded terms (despite them also being academic terms)

You seem to be assuming that just because something is an academic term that it isn't culture war loaded, despite the fact that some of these fields don't actually see objectivity as having any value.

(I actually upvoted this post because it is very well written and I appreciate you taking all of this time to define a key term).

Yi-Yang @ 2024-07-25T02:27 (+3)

Hmm you're right, thanks for catching this. I think I probably have some false prior that culture warm terms are more affiliated with internet memes? But yeah, makes sense that a term could be both.

SummaryBot @ 2024-07-24T13:32 (+1)

Executive summary: Microaggressions and internalized racism (MIR) are subtle forms of discrimination that can occur between Westerners and non-Westerners, with examples and non-examples provided to aid understanding.

Key points:

Subtle acts of exclusion (SAE) is used as an alternative term for microaggressions to avoid loaded language.
Microaggressions are subtle, exclusionary acts that are prejudicial or unjust, while internalized racism involves accepting negative messages about one's own group.
Examples of MIR include assuming inferiority, unfair treatment, and overvaluing Western norms and people.
Identifying MIR requires understanding intention and context, making it challenging to definitively label behaviors.
Non-examples are provided to distinguish MIR from general meanness, genuine surprise, or practical choices.
The author acknowledges the complexity of the topic and potential for misinterpretation or over-correction.

This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.