Twine and Gallagher’s introduction on the ‘third wave’ shows readers how whiteness started and its future. It is always important to look back and understand how whiteness exists and why. In this article the authors look at DuBois for answers. Then expanding on what DuBois believes they further explain what third wave is through research methods, white innocence and reconstitution of white supremacy and white identity among racial and ethnic minorities.
DuBois insight on whiteness is an important outside perspective. Being white myself it is hard sometimes to see the other side until it is brought to my attention. DuBois believes that “whiteness [is] an extensive and heady mix of social and material privileges” (Twine and Gallagher, 2008, p. 8). DuBois gives the example of how European immigrants used to come to America and would adopt racist beliefs (against blacks) in order to conform and not feel like the outsider. DuBois also believed most white people are unconscious or chose not to see their power and view the way we treat others as a way to maintain our cultural standards.
Many white people just see this as our culture and that there is nothing wrong with the way we perceive race. An interesting point DuBois makes is “there was no single white experience concerning race that all whites universally shared” (p. 9). I find that interesting because although everyone views race differently there is still a ‘colour line’ that people adhere to. Whiteness is seen all over the world but anyone that immigrates to the United States will feel some impact of the colour line as soon as they arrive. For example the research that found in the United States “that immigrants with lighter skin earned up to 15 per cent more compared to immigrants with darker skin” (p. 10).
Second wave whiteness continues with what DuBois is saying and tries to expose white supremacy. It is concerned with every person having equal opportunity. When immigrants come to the United States they are faced with the opportunity to become whiter then blacks and “frame American as a racial signifier that would come to ‘mean’ only white” (p. 11). I did not find much of a difference between first and second wave whiteness rather second wave is just an extension of what the first wave wanted to introduce. At the time DuBois was writing his work was not as widely accepted as someone writing in the second wave.
The third wave is what we are experiencing today. Sociologists used different methods to study race. The use of these research methods is to “explore how whites produce, translate, and negotiate whiteness in their everyday private and public lives” (p. 12). Third wave researchers also take a look at white identity and supremacy. Researchers also study how European immigrants do not really have an impact anymore and it more individuals from the Caribbean, Latin America and Mexico. The colour line is changing and expanding to let individuals who would not have been considered ‘white’ into their category. Because blacks are still the opposition and whites still want to be the dominating force.
One interesting observation that I have heard first hand and is mentioned in this article is Asian individuals want to either change their skin colour or facial features to be more ‘American’. My brother lives in South Korea and has told me that females in particular are obsessed with keeping themselves looking pale. Only a few decades ago this was used to emphasis power and class. The paler you are the more rich you are since you obviously did not have to work out in the sun. I find it somewhat ironic though that people want to be more ‘white’ because in North America it is not a good thing. I am very pale and even at a young age was made fun of for being considerably paler then most people. Many of my friends and peers chose to tan to make themselves ‘darker’ because being patsy white is considered ugly. So what really is now considered white? I would consider myself white and that is what many other countries would consider white but what is this obsession with being paler.
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