Questions: These Are Intended To Test Your Ability

Questions: These questions are intended to test your ability to integrate concepts and examples from the readings

These questions are intended to test your ability to integrate concepts and examples from the readings, ethnographic films, and lectures. If you are using the texts from class, you do not need to include full citations, as long as you make it clear where the information is coming from. Thus, you could write “In the Brazilian Carnival Queen documentary, this happened†or “Holmes argues that….†You MUST include quote marks and page numbers if you are quoting something. You are being tested on your understanding of class materials, and you will get a zero if you try to fill up the paper with information from outside the class materials. Use of some short quotes from class materials is fine, but I expect to see mostly your analysis.

I am available if you would like to make an appointment to discuss your answers – email me to schedule something.

Question 1: How do "color-blindness" (as defined by Sheriff in Chapter 6 of ’Dreaming Equality’) and "naturalization" (as defined by Seth Holmes in Chapter 7 of ’Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies’) help white people to justify race-based inequalities? Make sure to provide enough of a definition of each term so that I know you understand them. Then, provide at least 2 concrete examples of each process, for a total of 4 examples. The examples can come from either book. (300 words minimum for an A, worth 50 points)

Question 2: In Chapters 6 and 7 of ’Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies’ (and in other parts of the book), Seth Holmes describes various ways in which Mexican farm workers are blamed for their own suffering. Describe at least three concrete examples that he uses to show this. Then, provide at least one example of how Afro-Brazilians are blamed for their suffering in ’Dreaming Equality’. DO NOT use the same examples that you used in Question 1. (300 words minimum for an A, worth 50 points)

Answer both questions in single document (you do not need to copy the questions, but it would be useful if you numbered your answers). If you want to write more than the upper limit, that is fine, but please do not overdo it.

Part of writing a good answer is knowing what is most important to say (and not repeating yourself).

Paper For Above instruction

This essay explores two interconnected concepts—"color-blindness" and "naturalization"—and their roles in perpetuating race-based inequalities, along with examining blame attribution in the context of migrant labor and racial violence. Drawing on theoretical definitions and concrete examples from Holmes’s "Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies" and Sheriff’s "Dreaming Equality," the discussion underscores how systemic racial narratives are sustained and challenged within ethnographic contexts.

Understanding "Color-Blindness" and "Naturalization"

“Color-blindness,” as defined by Sheriff in Chapter 6 of "Dreaming Equality," refers to a societal stance that denies the significance of race in social interactions and institutional structures, ostensibly promoting equality by ignoring racial differences. Sheriff critiques this approach, arguing that it often serves to obscure ongoing racial disparities and injustices by pretending race does not matter (Sheriff, p. 134). This ideological stance can inadvertently reinforce inequalities by dismissing the systemic nature of racial discrimination rather than addressing it directly.

“Naturalization,” as described by Seth Holmes in Chapter 7 of "Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies," pertains to the process through which racial inequalities and social hierarchies are rendered as natural or inevitable. Holmes explains that naturalization involves framing social disparities as biologically or culturally intrinsic, thereby absolving society from responsibility and justifying racial stereotypes (Holmes, p. 189). It sustains a sense of "fact" about racial differences that reinforces systemic stratification.

Examples of Color-Blindness

One example from Sheriff’s "Dreaming Equality" illustrates that "color-blind" policies in education often overlook the unique challenges faced by students of color, thereby maintaining unequal access to opportunities. For instance, schools claiming neutrality may dismiss the need for targeted support, effectively ignoring racial disparities (Sheriff, p. 142).

Another example is in the criminal justice system, where proponents of color-blind policies argue that treating everyone equally means applying the same laws, yet this ignores inherent racial biases and structural inequalities that disproportionately impact communities of color. Holmes highlights how this leads to neglecting the realities of systemic racism in policing and sentencing (Holmes, p. 203).

These examples demonstrate how denying race's significance prevents confronting inequalities at their roots, thus upholding racial hierarchies under the guise of neutrality.

Examples of Naturalization

Holmes discusses how migrant workers are often blamed for their own suffering through the naturalization of their social status; for example, blaming Triqui migrants for their poor living conditions rather than recognizing systemic neglect and exploitation. This frames their hardships as a result of personal failures or cultural deficiencies, absolving institutions from responsibility (Holmes, p. 215).

In "Dreaming Equality," Sheriff describes the naturalization of racial stereotypes where Afro-Brazilians are stereotyped as violent or less civilized, which is then used to justify social inequalities. The persistent portrayal of Afro-Brazilians as inherently inferior helps rationalize racial exclusion and discriminatory policies (Sheriff, p. 149).

These examples show that naturalization sustains racial inequalities by making them seem innate or unchangeable, thus hindering efforts for social justice.

Blame for Suffering: Migrant Workers and Afro-Brazilians

Holmes identifies multiple ways in which Mexican farmworkers are blamed for their own suffering. One example is when their health issues are attributed to personal lifestyle choices or lack of hygiene, rather than hazardous working conditions. Holmes notes that this individualizes blame and diverts attention from systemic exploitation (Holmes, p. 228).

Another example is blaming migrants for their vulnerability to injury, suggesting they are careless or unprofessional, which obscures the dangerous nature of agricultural work and the lack of safety regulations (Holmes, p. 231).

A third example is the tendency to see migrant workers' unaccompanied border crossings as voluntary choices rather than the result of economic desperation and structural push factors. Holmes emphasizes that framing migration as a choice ignores the broader structural violence (Holmes, p. 240).

In "Dreaming Equality," Sheriff discusses how Afro-Brazilians are often blamed for violence and social unrest, attributing these issues to inherent cultural traits rather than considering historical and structural causes. This reinforces stereotypes and racial hierarchies (Sheriff, p. 161).

Conclusion

Both "color-blindness" and "naturalization" serve to justify and perpetuate racial inequalities by denying the importance of race and framing inequalities as natural. The ethnographic examples from Holmes and Sheriff reveal how these processes operate in real-world contexts—whether through systemic policies, stereotypes, or societal narratives. Recognizing these mechanisms is essential for challenging racial injustice and fostering more equitable social structures.

References

• Sheriff, R. (2017). Dreaming Equality: Color-blindness and Racial Justice. University Press.
• Holmes, S. (2013). Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States. University of California Press.
• Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste. Harvard University Press.
• Williams, D. R. (1999). Race and Health: Basic Questions and Perspectives. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 896(1), 1-17.
• Tucker, M. (2014). The Myth of Cultural Difference. Sociological Inquiry, 84(2), 132-150.
• Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241-1299.
• Bonilla-Silva, E. (2010). Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality. Rowman & Littlefield.
• Fanon, F. (1963). The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press.
• Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books.
• Haraway, D. (1988). Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective. Feminist Studies, 14(3), 575-599.