Tasks: The Child of Racism by Tara Kurian

Study the text

Blogs are special in that they are written and published by the same person, and there is limited proofreading and editing.

Study the text 'The Child of Racism' carefully to see if there are passages that you think could have been written more clearly.

Discuss

Work together in groups or pairs

1. In this blog post, Tara Kurian talks about what she defines in the last paragraph as ‘colorism’. What does this word actually mean? Is it the same as racism? Use the internet and find a good definition of this word.

2. In films, literature and fairy tales, evil characters are often associated with black or dark colours while good characters are associated with white or lights colours. Can you think of any examples where this is the case?

3. We make the same associations in language. For example, we would say "He was the black sheep of the family" or "I am forever grateful to the white knight who saved me". How many words and expressions can you think of where black/dark or white/light are used to create negative or positive connotations? Make a list. You are free to use the internet.

4. To what extent do you think these connotations may affect our attitude towards people of different colours? Can this be linked to racism and colorism?

5. This is an advertisement from the 1930s for Sweet Georgia Brown skin bleaching cream and lemon cleansing cream. What is your reaction to this advertisement? Comment on the choice of words in the ad.

Research

The Doll Test

In the 1930s and 1940s, social psychologists Mamie and Kenneth Clark conducted a series of experiments with black children aged three to seven. The experiments tested the psychological effects of segregation on African-American children.

In the experiment, each child was given four dolls that were identical, except for colour. They were asked questions like ‘Which doll is pretty?’, ‘Which doll is ugly?’, ‘Which doll is bad?’ and ‘Which doll is good?’

Use the internet and find out

1. What was the result of the doll test?

2. The findings became important evidence in the U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education (1954). What was this court case about and why did they use the doll test to win the court case?

3. This test took place during the period of segregation in the United States. If this had happened today, would the results have been different?

Listening Exercise

Watch the video Race Relations Through a Child's Eye from CNN. Take notes as you listen.

Discuss

1. What is the main conclusion you draw from this video?

2. Do the answers you hear surprise you? Why or why not?

3. This video is from 2012. Considering the political developments in the United States since then, do you think these biases have increased, decreased, or stayed the same? Explain your reasoning.

4. Is the situation similar in Norway? Why or why not?

5. In what ways can society, media, or school environments influence how children see themselves?

6. What actions can individuals or communities take to help children develop a more positive and inclusive sense of identity?

7. What do you think the long-term consequences of colourism and racism are - for individuals and for society?

Write

Pick one of the tasks and write a longer text.

Task 1

Use the information you have gained from the blog post and the tasks you have been working on. Write a text in which you reflect on the causes and consequences of colourism and racism in today’s society.

Feel free to include numbers, statistics, and information from different sources. Remember to cite your sources.

Task 2

Find out whether racism and colourism limit opportunities for people of colour in the United States today. Write a text in which you discuss whether people of all races in the United States have the same opportunities to succeed in life.

Use numbers, statistics, and information from different sources. Remember to cite your sources.