Racism is embedded in academic scholarship. Historical figures across all disciplines in the Western tradition were directly or indirectly complicit in colonialism and racism against others (Alpert, 2023; Blakey, 2020; Hayes, 1960), with some even advocating for slavery (Bouie, 2018, para. 10). In addition to explicit racism from historical authors, the legacy of institutional racism in both North America and Europe also influences which authors are likely to be supported, recognized, and published in virtually every academic discipline (Fuentes, 2023, para. 4; see also Oreskes, 2020).
Fortunately, you have some say in which voices you will include in your writing and how you choose to include them. If you are using historical authors and/or are writing about social or cultural issues in your own research, learn more about the authors you are citing and how their social environment and their attitudes towards certain groups of people influenced their published work. In addition, locate both non-scholarly or scholarly sources that better represent all groups of people, especially those that have been historically mistreated in academic scholarship. For information that can guide your efforts, please refer in the video below (University of Arizona, n.d.) or contact the RRU Library,:
Finally, you have a responsibility to acknowledge others in your own work. Citing authors not only shows who has influenced or contributed to your learning, it also allows your readers to discover new sources of information. Be mindful that you may not always have the right to include words from others, even if you acknowledge them. For example, when you are repeating or paraphrasing words from Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, make sure you have permission to share their words. It is always your responsibility to learn what information you are allowed to use from others in your work and to seek and obtain the appropriate permissions when necessary.
References
Alpert, A. (2020, September 24). Philosophy's systemic racism. Aeon. https://aeon.co/essays/racism-is-baked-into-the-structure-of-dialectical-philosophy
Blakey, M. (2021). Understanding racism in physical (biological) anthropology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 175(2), 316-325. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24208
Bouie, J. (2018, June 5). The enlightenment's dark side. Slate. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/06/taking-the-enlightenment-seriously-requires-talking-about-race.html
Fuentes, A. (1973). Systemic racism in science: Reactions matter. Science. 381(6655), 330-341. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adj7675
Hayes, J.R. (1973). Sociology and racism: An analysis of the first era of American sociology. Phylon. 34(4), 330-341. https://doi.org/10.2307/274248
Oreskes, N. (2020). Racism and sexism in science haven't disappeared. Scientific American. 323(4), 46. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1020-81
University of Arizona. (n.d.) The importance of citational justice. https://lib.arizona.edu/tutorials/citational-justice/#/
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