Dog Whistle Racism
Occasionally referred to as “Strategic Racism,” this form of bias often emerges during political campaigns through coded language and themes designed to appeal to both the conscious and subconscious biases of certain audiences—evoking racism, nativism, or fear while maintaining plausible deniability. In liberal university settings, however, “dog whistle racism” can take on a more subtle and institutional form. It may appear benign, but it reinforces power structures under the guise of inclusivity.
For example, at the University of Rhode Island (URI)—located in one of the most so-called liberal Democratic states in America—a conflict between White professors and Black students resulted not in meaningful dialogue or cultural competency training, but a proposal to create a program titled “Diversity and Violence.” Rather than addressing systemic bias or power imbalances, the program subtly centered the irrational fears and comfort of liberal White faculty and administrators. Token representation from Black or Latino committee members was used to legitimize the approach, without addressing the root causes of racial tension or discrimination.
When Professor Fosu challenge the legitimacy of the proposed program at URI it was cancelled. This is a prime example of performative diversity efforts that fail to confront structural racism.
Factually speaking, research from the U.S. Department of Education and various campus safety studies show that:
- The majority of mass campus violence (such as school shootings) has historically been committed by White males.
- However, overall campus crime, especially involving interpersonal violence, varies by context and does not neatly align by race.
- Perception of threat is often racialized, and Black and Brown students are disproportionately disciplined or profiled compared to their White peers.
Therefore, a more honest and impactful Diversity Committee initiative might be titled:
“Ending Racial Violence and Structural Bias: Strengthening Constitutional and Civil Rights Protects for African-Americans, Latinos, and All Marginalized Communities.” This intllegent reframing centers the lived experiences of those most affected by institutional injustice, rather than reinforcing fear-based narratives that is pervasive in liberal media.