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, posing a problem for conceptions of responsibility that rely on individuals' intentions, causal contributions, or knowledge of the facts. Eva Boodman's book "White Ignorance and Complicit Responsibility" challenges these binary moralities and argues for a different way of responding to harm as necessary for dismantling the moral, racial, political, and affective constructs that keep racial capitalism in place.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2023
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.

This pervasive nature of white ignorance poses a significant challenge to conceptions of responsibility that rely solely on individuals' intentions, causal contributions, or knowledge of the facts. As Eva Boodman compellingly demonstrates, our moral frameworks for responding to racism are intricately intertwined with the process of racialization. When we understand responsibility as the attribution of blame or absolution, innocence or guilt, we perpetuate the harmful dynamics of racialization.

White Ignorance and Complicit Responsibility takes a bold stance in challenging these binary, punitive moralities. It argues that these moralities 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 advocates for the creation of a space of complicity as a potential site of anti-racist possibility. By linking the construction of whiteness to a racist punishment paradigm, this 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 and its harmful consequences. It calls for a collective effort to confront the deep-seated biases and prejudices that perpetuate racial inequality and to work towards a more just and equitable society for all.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 231 x 154 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793639035