Academia Open
Vol 10 No 1 (2025): June (In Progress)
Philosophy. Psychology. Religion

Structural Racism and Institutional Inequality: A Historical and Discourse Analysis
Rasisme Struktural dan Ketidaksetaraan Institusional: Sebuah Analisis Sejarah dan Wacana


View Article
  • Ahmed Dakhil Abed Alabbas*
Ahmed Dakhil Abed Alabbas
Karbala University, English Department, Iraq *

(*) Corresponding Author
Picture in here are illustration from public domain image or provided by the author, as part of their works
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10790
Published March 28, 2025
Keywords
  • Racism,
  • discrimination,
  • race,
  • Origins of Racism,
  • Impact of Racism,
  • Paths to Resolution
    • ...More
    Less
How to Cite
Alabbas, A. D. A. (2025). Structural Racism and Institutional Inequality: A Historical and Discourse Analysis. Academia Open, 10(1), 10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10790. https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10790

Copyright (c) 2025 Ahmed Dakhil Abed Alabbas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

General Background: Racism is a deeply entrenched social phenomenon shaped by historical, cultural, economic, and political structures. Its manifestations are complex, extending from colonial expansion and the transatlantic slave trade to contemporary institutional discrimination. Specific Background: Existing literature predominantly focuses on racism as a historical consequence or a socio-political issue, yet there remains a need for comprehensive analyses that integrate its structural, ideological, and systemic dimensions. Knowledge Gap: Limited research has explored how economic systems, political structures, and cultural institutions perpetuate racial inequalities, particularly within healthcare, education, and professional environments during crises like COVID-19. Aims: This study employs qualitative and analytical methodologies, including content analysis and critical discourse analysis, to examine the historical foundations and modern implications of racism. Results: Findings reveal persistent ideological structures that reinforce racism, with economic and institutional frameworks sustaining social inequalities. Critical discourse analysis highlights how racist ideologies are embedded within policies and institutional narratives. Novelty: Unlike previous studies, this research integrates historical texts, contemporary sociological data, and intersectional analyses to provide a multi-dimensional perspective on racism’s structural perpetuation. Implications: The study contributes to academic discourse and anti-racism initiatives by offering a deeper understanding of racism’s systemic nature, fostering policy recommendations, and supporting equitable institutional reforms.

Highlights:

 

  1. Racism is historically entrenched, influencing institutions and societal structures.

  2. Analyzing systemic racism through history, institutions, and discourse.

  3. Supports anti-racism policies and equitable institutional reforms.

 

Keywords: Racism, discrimination, race, Origins of Racism, Impact of Racism, Paths to Resolution.

View Article

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

No metrics found.

References

  1. R. Wolfson, “Race and racism.” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/div-Im/.5/
  2. D. G. Solórzano, “Critical race theory, race and gender microaggressions, and the experience of Chicana and Chicano scholars,” Int. J. Qual. Stud. Educ., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 121–136, 1998.
  3. B. Reskin, “The race discrimination system,” Annu. Rev. Sociol., vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 17–35, 2012.
  4. A. K. Muammer, “Racial inequality and some examples.,” J. Soc. Adm. Sci., vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 47–55, 2016.
  5. G. L. Mosse, Toward the Final Solution: A History of European Racism. University of Wisconsin Press, 2020.
  6. A. Lentin, Racism: A Beginner’s Guide. Simon and Schuster, 2012.
  7. Y. M. Lane, “Development of a model and survey instrument to Evaluate an intervention for Addressing institutional Racism.,” PhD Thesis, 2011.
  8. H. D. Horton, “Toward a critical demography of race and ethnicity: Introduction of the R word,” in Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA, 1998.
  9. D. R. B. K. P. D. B. T. N. Hatchimonji, “Actions against racism: Bringing together trauma-informed practices, social-emotional learning, and racial socialization to combat racism in schools.,” Del. J. Public Health, vol. 8, no. 2, p. 40, 2022.
  10. J. R. Feagin and K. Ducey, Racist America: Roots, current realities, and future reparations. Routledge, 2018.
  11. A. P. Y. Elias, “The costs of institutional racism and its ethical implications for healthcare.,” J. Bioethical Inq., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 45–58, 2021.
  12. S. Castles, Racism: A Global Analysis. 1993.
  13. A. S. Bradley, “Human rights racism.,” Harv. Hum. Rights J., vol. 32, p. 1, 2019.
  14. E. Bonilla-Silva, “Rethinking racism: Toward a structural interpretation,” Am. Sociol. Rev., pp. 465–480, 1997.
  15. Z. D. Bailey, N. Krieger, M. Agénor, J. Graves, N. Linos, and M. T. Bassett, “Structural racism and health inequities in the USA: evidence and interventions,” The Lancet, vol. 389, no. 10077, pp. 1453–1463, 2017.