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Article
All Things to All People or Nothing for Some: Justice, Diversity, and Democracy in Sociological Societies
Social Problems (2007)
  • Claire M. Renzetti, University of Dayton
Abstract

This presidential address first explores the increasingly popular position known as racial realism, which argues that the problem of racism has largely been solved, and places blame for any tenacious remnants of racism on a small group of intransigent white extremists and on people of color themselves. The racial realist perspective is not difficult for sociologists to dispute, using the extant research on institutional racism and its effects on people of color. However, the address then examines how white privilege is ingrained not only in the society at large, but also in the discipline of sociology itself and, more particularly, in sociological professional societies, including the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), both historically and contemporaneously. The address concludes with suggestions for improving the culture and practices of SSSP with regard to issues of privilege, race, and ethnicity.

Keywords
  • white privilege,
  • sociology societies,
  • racial realism
Publication Date
May, 2007
Publisher Statement

This article is a revised version of the author’s Presidential Address, delivered August 11, 2006, at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Montreal, Canada.

Citation Information
Claire M. Renzetti. "All Things to All People or Nothing for Some: Justice, Diversity, and Democracy in Sociological Societies" Social Problems Vol. 54 Iss. 2 (2007)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/clairerenzetti/9/