Between norm and power

whiteness and the persistence of structural racism

Abstract

Whiteness constitutes a sociological concept denoting the position of privilege and structural advantage occupied by individuals racially categorized as white in societies marked by racial hierarchies, such as Brazil. This construct is intrinsically linked to the historical process of racialization, which emerged in the 19th century as a pseudoscientific discourse aimed at legitimizing social inequalities by correlating phenotypic traits — such as skin color — with supposed moral, intellectual, and aesthetic superiorities. In the Brazilian context, structural racism is evidenced by the naturalization of predominantly white institutions, where the underrepresentation of black people reflects a social order that systematically privileges whiteness. Two ideological pillars sustain this dynamic of racial domination: the myth of racial democracy, which conceals disparities by propagating the notion of equity between white and black people, and meritocracy, which attributes success to individual merit, obscuring the mechanisms of privilege inherent to whiteness. While interpersonal racism manifests explicitly through discriminatory acts, structural racism operates diffusely, reproducing inequalities through institutionalized social practices and institutions. Overcoming structural racism demands structural transformations, such as ensuring equitable access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and the redistribution of income and land, alongside the critical recognition that whiteness is not a biological essence but a historically constructed and perpetuated position of power.