Cultural Constructionism and the Problem of White Sensibility

Abstract

This thesis proposes that whiteness serves as a barrier to understanding the cultural constructionist theory of race. Cultural constructionism, a social constructionist theory of race put forward by Chike Jeffers, argues that race is both politically and culturally constructed. This means that while the political hierarchy of races with the white race as dominant represents an important aspect of our contemporary conception of race, it is possible to imagine a future in which the hierarchy of races has been overcome and what remains of race is cultural groups. Political constructionists such as Sally Haslanger deny that race has a cultural dimension and therefore advocate for the eventual elimination of the race concept. I argue that being white makes it difficult to understand that race is cultural as well as political because of the dominant position of white people and the pervasive notion that whiteness represents a neutral and universal identity.