Racial positional segregation

Date and country of first publication^[1]

1995
United States

Definition

Racial positional segregation refers to the separation of individuals or groups based on their racial or ethnic background in terms of status or position in society. This can manifest in various ways, such as unequal access to resources, opportunities, and positions of power based on race.

Historically, racial positional segregation has been a prevalent issue in many societies, particularly during periods of racial discrimination and institutionalized racism, such as apartheid in South Africa or Jim Crow laws in the United States. These policies enforced racial position segregation and limited the rights and opportunities available to certain racial or ethnic groups.

Today, while overt forms of racial positional segregation may be less common, there are still lingering socio-economic and institutional disparities that disproportionately affect certain racial or ethnic groups. For example, there may be discrepancies in employment rates, wage gaps, educational attainment, and access to healthcare, among other areas, which can all contribute to ongoing racial position segregation.

Efforts to address racial position segregation often involve promoting equal opportunities, creating inclusive policies, and challenging systemic racism and discrimination. These actions aim to dismantle barriers and provide everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in society.

References

Notes

↑ Date and country of first publication as informed by the Scopus database (December 2023).

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