From Discrimination and Prejudice to Systemic Racism: A Comprehensive Understanding

Discrimination, prejudice, and systemic racism (and other isms) represent distinct but interconnected forms of injustice and involve unfair treatment based on factors such as race, gender and other differences of underrepresented groups.  These terms operate on different levels of society—prejudice at the individual level, discrimination and systemic racism at the institutional or structural level. Understanding their relationship is essential to addressing them in our culture.

Discrimination is the unfair or prejudicial treatment of individuals based on characteristics. It can manifest in everyday interactions, from exclusion in social circles to unfair treatment in the workplace or educational settings. When a person consciously or unconsciously acts upon stereotypes or prejudices, this leads to discriminatory behavior.

As thought leader Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? explains, “Prejudice is a preconceived judgment or opinion, usually based on limited information, and when combined with power, it can lead to discrimination.” Here, Tatum emphasizes that discrimination often hinges on the power dynamics between different groups, making it more harmful when those with power wield their prejudices.

Systemic racism, also referred to as institutional or structural racism, occurs when policies, practices, and social norms within institutions disproportionately disadvantage certain racial groups. This form of racism is embedded in the fabric of society, making it harder to detect because it operates at the level of systems rather than individuals.

Civil rights activist and author Michelle Alexander, in her groundbreaking book The New Jim Crow, highlights the systemic nature of racism: "The nature of systemic racism is that it doesn’t require individual racists to function. It's embedded in the very laws, practices, and policies that govern a nation.” Systemic racism is present in housing policies, educational access, criminal justice practices, and health care, perpetuating unequal outcomes regardless of individual intention.

While discrimination and systemic racism are distinct, they are closely connected. Discriminatory actions on an individual level can reinforce systemic racism, and systemic racism can perpetuate and normalize discriminatory behavior.

For example, consider housing discrimination. A real estate agent might consciously or unconsciously steer people of color away from predominantly white neighborhoods (individual discrimination). This behavior reinforces systemic practices, such as redlining, where institutions deny services to certain neighborhoods based on racial composition. These two forms of racism—one personal, the other institutional—work together to maintain racial segregation and unequal access to resources.

Addressing discrimination and systemic racism requires a dual approach. On the one hand, we must confront individual biases and prejudices through education, training, and personal accountability. On the other, there must be an intentional and systemic overhaul of the policies and practices that uphold racial inequalities.

As sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva asserts, "The fight against racism requires both systemic change and the deconstruction of individual racist ideologies." This echoes the sentiment that tackling one without the other would be incomplete. To make lasting progress, we must work toward transforming both the attitudes of individuals and the institutions that uphold inequality.

In addition to reading books and articles, lean into conversations that challenge your thinking on this topic. Stay curious.