Preview

Nikki Giovanni Campus Racism 101 Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
607 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Nikki Giovanni Campus Racism 101 Analysis
Campus Racism 101
It’s been over a decade since Nikki Giovanni wrote “Campus Racism 101,” but sadly the issues have not dissipated with time. In fact, these issues have evolved into something that affects all social groups; not just minority groups. While racism as a whole is still thriving, it has recently been accompanied by stereotypically induced prejudice; stereotypes are persistent in every social group. From stereotyped communities to minorities in collage and the campus itself, to hate crimes and television’s advertisement of stereotypes, it is obvious that Nikki Giovanni’s arguments are still very much valid and most importantly, ignored.
Colleges and universities are no noticed for their educational status instead of their racial or social groups. Black teachers are no longer seen as a rarity on any educational environment, black students are not seen as a rarity on campus, but society has grown, or rather diminished, into assigning stereotypes to every social group; stereotypes are no longer focused on minorities. Minorities now play an integral role in colleges; at this point in time colleges are proud if a diverse campus and even advertise it. Rather than being bounded to colleges Nikki Giovanni’s concerns have moved on, leaving campuses free of racism, and exploded into society.
…show more content…
Since stereotypes derive from ignorance and racism, an educated mind set is not dependent on the prejudicial aspects of an individual. Stereotypes have placed social groups into categories; these categories are extremely oblivious and racist. Although some societies find stereotypes funny and entertaining, an educated community can be distinguished when stereotypes are viewed as ignorant and pitiful. Children from certain communities are type casted and judged not only because of the color of their skin, but because of the neighborhood they live

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Campus Racism 101

    • 254 Words
    • 1 Page

    In Nikki Giovani’s Campus Racisms 101 she talks about her experience being an English Professor at a predominantly white school. She explains how many of the people around her at the school ask her why she chose to teach at a predominantly white school. Giovani gives guidelines for black students to follow while at these predominantly white schools. In the text it is explained that no matter how smart a black individual is, some whites will always try to find a way to dumb us down. Many analogies are made by Giovani that compare issues that black students deal with on a basis while attending a predominantly white school to real world experiences that we deal with outside of a school settings. One of the analogies is comparing being an African American student at a predominantly white school to being an African American in prison. Giovanni states that we sometimes find ourselves being compared to criminals because we want to get our education at a predominately white school. Giovani states that she believes instead of getting upset with the racism that comes your way respond to it with intelligence. She encourage us to respond to this racism by being successful and proving every person that doubted you wrong.…

    • 254 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Neal Gabler’s article “The myth that college is meritocracy” from The Week on January 22nd 2010 he talks about the way elite colleges operate with racial diversity. Colleges are widely perceived as racially diverse “meritocracy” says Gabler. The elite colleges must operate this way because it “benefits the people it is designed to benefit,” those atop “the prevailing social order.”…

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Stereotypes affect us” is the introductory text is the first chapter of a larger book titled Whistling Vivaldi and Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us. The author, Claude M. Steele, a respected member of the academic community of social psychology, focuses on the effects of stereotypes on society. Although much of how society views others has changed between the release of the book and the present, many of its points still ring true and likely will for a portion of the foreseeable future. Such is the case with how we view each other and perceive patterns. Steele starts this text by establishing his authority. He then presents examples and studies. The primary goal of the text is to show that everyone is subject to stereotype threat. Throughout the text steele has a consistent style and tone. There are also no serious flaws present, but the text could be improved.…

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The film “Higher Learning” portrays the many prejudices and race issues that existed in America around 1995, when the movie premiered. The movie takes place at Columbus University, which serves as a fictional university undergoing the transition of America being a more diverse, free nation. From the time when America began its struggle with race and culture boundaries, people of the United States have shown their true beliefs towards other people who may look differently than they do; and the movie “Higher Learning” is a good example of the type of prejudices.…

    • 2083 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Previous reports have shown that people have functioned inadequately in certain situations that they feel they are being stereotyped. (Kemick, 2013) Research studies out of the University of Toronto shows that prejudice has a long lasting negative influence of those who encounter it. (Kemick, 2013) Some people are more likely to become aggressive after they encountered a prejudice in a certain setting. (Kemick, 2013) Some people also had difficulty making good and lucid choices. (Kemick,…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The stereotypes are strongly implied in our lives in many spheres of the people's activities. Racial as well as gender or even age stereotypes can be witnessed at the workplace, on the streets or elsewhere. However, as the history and people's experience evince, stereotypes usually include the ideas and concepts that have no solid and real life basis. In most cases, stereotypes simply prove to be wrong. However, as people, we are highly subjected to the influence of stereotypes everywhere, on the television and radio, in advertising, and simply observing the behavior of people on the streets.…

    • 1102 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    I made about this particular social phenomenon are that the stereotypes that are assigned to black people have some truth to them, but are mostly based upon ignorance. I also believe that the stereotypes are in place to keep society's mind frame conditioned to place and keep certain races in superior and inferior positions. If children of each culture can categorize strangers to their "normal" groupings by the age of three, and can…

    • 987 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Colleges and students Patricia Price said, “Humans are spatial animals”. In Price’s article “Place”, she believes that human beings constantly interact with the territory that surrounds them and try to familiarize themselves with it (Price 119). When students find themselves in college for the first time, the college is an unfamiliar and intimidating place for them. But immediately they will start to interact with the place, because human beings don’t feel comfortable in a new place and it’s human instinct to find a sense of belonging in a new place.…

    • 1389 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Cultural Artifact Analysis

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In this paper, I will explore how the movie How High reinforces racial and classist stereotypes associated with African Americans. I will then discuss how the use of these stereotypes diminishes hope for African Americans who would like to go to college.…

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Skin Stereotypes

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “And in her view, two students from the same community would bring the “same” perspectives to campus, and be just as likely to “break down racial stereotypes” (Grutter, 539 U.S. at 330), even if one student is African-American and the other white.” (09-50822 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, Pg.34)…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sexism In Classroom

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Stereotypes and biases affect our lives. Assumptions can lead to stereotypes and unfair thoughts about individuals and groups of people. Whether it is based on race, sexism, or several other categories we put individuals in, everyone is linked with a stereotype. However, depending on physical appearances, some individuals experience the callous realities of stereotyping more often and more severely. From an early age, most individuals learn or taught about stereotypes, therefore one they reach adulthood, they think that their assumptions are accurate and do not think about the stereotypes they impose upon others.…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Racial Stereotypes

    • 1624 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Racial prejudice exists on 3 levels: behavioral, cognitive and affective. The actual discrimination or unequal treatment towards a particular group based on their race is the behavioral component of racial prejudice. The cognitive component is made up of stereotypes. Stereotypes are categories of cognitions concerning the members of a particular group. These cognitions are usually simple, often over generalized, and frequently inaccurate. Stereotypes are not simply abstractions about group categories. They can act as "cognitive filters" through which we select what information to use, what to ignore, and how to interpret it. Stereotypes do not exist in isolation. They are accompanied by emotions, which are usually expressed in terms that can be distributed along a continuum ranging from the intensely negative to the very positive. (Simpson and Yinger, 1972)…

    • 1624 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Latin America Lesson

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages

    I attended the relatively famous John Marshall High School where Leonardo DiCaprio is a former student, and the student body was no stranger to film crews being on campus. Many popular television shows and films have used its gothic bell tower, its brick façade, and even its football field to showcase a “typical” American teenager’s life on screen, but its location in the white neighborhood of Los Feliz limited my exposure to minorities – so much so, that I never felt like a minority myself. The television shows I watched never had people of color. I never thought that the lack of representation affected me but after watching Miss Representation I am aware of the impact those images had one me and my self-esteem growing up. It was said that about 65% of girls end up with eating disorders. Jhally’s film Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising’s Image of Women with Jean Killbourne also had similar statistics alongside images that I was honestly used to seeing. Images that unbeknownst to me damaged the psyche of my peers so much that many of them developed eating drug addictions or disorders to stay thin by the time we were 17. My friends in school were mostly white, thin, and middle class with names like Hannah and Kimberly but I also had friends named Rosa, and Juana. My Latina friends and I never felt adequate enough even though we all had access to the same education and dressed alike. Although there were African-American students on campus, only “2.1 percent of students” are African-American and they were either in the Honor’s program or they kept to themselves (California Schools Guide). I admit I had a very sheltered life due to my family’s expectations and as such, I’d never traveled south of USC before my 21st birthday. Having never been exposed or associated with African-American’s growing…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cultural Diversity

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages

    American Society has been and continues to become increasingly mixed, complex, and variegated in its cultural practices and ethnic make up. However, the state schools have fallen short of race goals established thirty-one years ago in a desegregation case now known as Geier v. Sundquist. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has notoriously had one of the worst recruiting efforts for diversifying undergraduates. This realization makes the cultural atmosphere at Knoxville non-diversified resulting in a predominantly white campus. Despite recent statistics from 1993-1994, African Americans' enrollment is about 5 percent of the student body, and only 4 percent of the faculty. Moreover, American Indian, Hispanic, and Asian Americans now comprise about 5 percent of the enrollment, and international student enrollment have also maintained a fair 4 percent. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville should recognize the dynamic interaction of communities and cultures that comprise contemporary America, as well as the world. Reflecting on this interaction, the university should change its curriculum and campus environment because campus climates ultimately influence the effectiveness of a diverse democracy and, therefore builds a mutually respectfully community.…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Stereotypes

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Stereotypes can be defined as an over generalized belief about a group of people. Psychologists have agreement on stereotypes features. However, there exist differences in how various psychologists describe how the acts stereotyping take place and why they do. There are three essential components in all explanations about stereotypes. The first component is where a group of people are given an identity through a specific characteristic for example nationality, religious belief, age, hair color amongst others. This type of identification separates a set of people from a chosen characteristic. Additional characteristics are then attributed to groups of people in the second component of stereotypes for example, red heads are considered to have short tempered and English people considered having traditional love. Finally, while trying to identify someone using certain characteristics we come to new discoveries that they are from a certain culture. A stereotype is then attributed to them (Hinton, 2000).…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays