White Ignorance and Complicit Responsibility: Transforming Collective Harm beyond the Punishment Paradigm

White ignorance is a form of collective denial that resists acknowledging the role of race and racism. It dominates our political landscape, warps white moral frameworks, affectsive responses, intervenes in white self-conceptions, and organizes white identities. Eva Boodman's book "White Ignorance and Complicit Responsibility" challenges binary, punitive moralities and argues that the space of complicity is a place of anti-racist possibility. It links the construction of whiteness to a racist punishment paradigm and advocates for a different way of responding to harm to dismantle racial capitalism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 10 January 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

White ignorance is a pervasive and deeply entrenched form of collective denial that steadfastly refuses to acknowledge the profound impact of race and racism in our society. It pervades every aspect of our political landscape, distorting white moral frameworks and shaping white affective responses. It intervenes in white self-conceptions, shaping how individuals perceive themselves and their place in the world. Moreover, white ignorance organizes white identities, creating a sense of unity and belonging among those who subscribe to its beliefs.

The consequences of white ignorance are far-reaching and profound. It poses a significant challenge to conceptions of responsibility that rely on individuals' intentions, causal contributions, or knowledge of the facts. As Eva Boodman demonstrates, our moral frameworks for responding to racism are intricately linked to the process of racialization. When we understand responsibility as the attribution of blame or absolution, innocence or guilt, we perpetuate racial harm by reinforcing binary moralities.

White Ignorance and Complicit Responsibility takes a bold stance against these punitive moralities. It argues that these approaches reproduce racial harm by encouraging white individuals to seek innocence and moral purification rather than addressing the material conditions that perpetuate racial inequality. Instead, Boodman proposes the concept of complicity as a space of anti-racist possibility. By linking the construction of whiteness to a racist punishment paradigm, the book makes a compelling case for a different way of responding to harm, one that is essential for dismantling the moral, racial, political, and affective constructs that sustain racial capitalism.

Through its insightful analysis and compelling arguments, White Ignorance and Complicit Responsibility offers a roadmap for individuals and communities seeking to challenge and dismantle white ignorance. It challenges us to confront our own biases and prejudices, to recognize the systemic nature of racial inequality, and to work towards creating a more just and equitable society. By embracing the concept of complicity and taking responsibility for our collective actions, we can build a world where race and racism no longer hold sway, and where all individuals can thrive and live in dignity.

Weight: 431g
Dimension: 228 x 161 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793639011