DeclarationsofWhiteness:TheNonPerformativityofAntiRacism

SaraAhmed
TheUniversityofLancaster

Thispaperexaminessixdifferentmodesfordeclaringwhitenessusedwithinacademicwriting,public
cultureandgovernmentpolicy,arguingthatsuchdeclarationsarenonperformative:theydonotdowhat
theysay.Thepaperoffersageneralcritiqueofthemodeofdeclaration,inwhich'admissions'of'bad
practice'aretakenupassignsof'goodpractice',aswellasamorespecificcritiqueofhowwhiteness
studiesconstitutesitselfthroughsuchdeclarations.Thedeclarativemodeinvolvesafantasyof
transcendenceinwhich'what'istranscendedisthevery'thing'admittedtointhedeclaration(for
example,ifwearesaythatweareracists,thenwearenotracists,asracistsdonotknowtheyare
racists).Byinvestigatingdeclarativespeechacts,thepaperoffersacritiqueoftheselfreflexiveturnin
whitenessstudies,suggestingthatweshouldnotrushtooquicklybeyondtheexposureofracismby
turningtowardswhitenessasamarkedcategory,byidentifying'whatwhitepeoplecando',by
describinggoodpractice,orevenbyassumingthatwhitenessstudiescanprovidetheconditionsofanti
racism.Declarationsofwhitenesscouldbedescribedas''unhappyperformatives',theconditionsarenot
inplacethatwouldallowsuchdeclarationstodowhattheysay.

1.Ithasbecomecommonplaceforwhitenesstoberepresentedasinvisible,astheunseenorthe
unmarked,asanoncolour,theabsentpresenceorhiddenreferent,againstwhichallothercoloursare
measuredasformsofdeviance(Frankenberg1993;Dyer1997).Butofcoursewhitenessisonlyinvisible
forthosewhoinhabitit.Forthosewhodont,itishardnottoseewhiteness;itevenseemseverywhere.
Seeingwhitenessisaboutlivingitseffects,aseffectsthatallowwhitebodiestoextendintospacesthat
havealreadytakentheirshape,spacesinwhichblackbodiesstandout,standapart,unlesstheypass,
whichmeanspassingthroughspacebypassingaswhite.Writingaboutwhitenessasanonwhiteperson
(anonthatisnameddifferently,ortransformedintopositivecontentdifferently,dependingonwhereI
am,whoIamwith,whatIdo)isnotwritingaboutsomethingthatisoutsidethestructureofmy
ordinaryexperience,evenmysenseoflifeasusual,shapedasitisbythecomingsandgoingsof
differentbodies.Andsowritingaboutwhitenessisdifficult,andIhavealwaysbeenreluctanttodoit.
Thedifficultymaycomeinpartfromasensethattheprojectofmakingwhitenessvisibleonlymakes
sensefromthepointofviewofthoseforwhomitisinvisible.

2.Thisdifficultymightexplainmyreluctancetoembracewhitenessstudiesasapoliticalproject,evenin
itscriticalform.Atthesametime,Iamawarethatwecanconstructdifferentgenealogiesofwhiteness
studies,andourstartingpointswouldbedifferent.MystartingpointwouldalwaysbetheworkofBlack
feminists,especiallyAudreLorde,whosebookSisterOutsider,remindsusofexactlywhystudying
whitenessisnecessaryforantiracism.Anycriticalgenealogyofwhitenessstudies,forme,mustbegin
withthedirectpoliticaladdressofBlackfeministssuchasLorde,ratherthanlaterworkbywhite
academicsonrepresentationsofwhitenessoronhowwhitepeopleexperiencetheirwhiteness
(Frankenburg1993,Dyer1997).Thisisnottosaysuchworkisnotimportant.Butsuchworkneedstobe
framedasfollowingfromtheearliercritique.Whitenessstudies,thatis,ifitistobemorethanabout
whiteness,beginswiththeBlackcritiqueofhowwhitenessworksasaformofracialprivilege,aswellas
theeffectsofthatprivilegeonthebodiesofthosewhoarerecogisedasblack.AsLordeshowsus,the
productionofwhitenessworkspreciselybyassigningracetoothers:tostudywhiteness,asaracialised
position,ishencealreadytocontestitsdominance,howitfunctionsasamythicalnorm(1984:116).
Whitenessstudiesmakesthatwhichisinvisiblevisible:thoughfornonwhites,theprojecthastobe
describeddifferently:itwouldbeaboutmakingwhatcanalreadybeseen,visibleinadifferentway.

3.Whitenessstudiesisafteralldeeplyinvestedinproducingantiracistformsofknowledgeand
pedagogy.Inotherwords,whitenessstudiesseekstomakewhitenessvisibleinsofarasthatvisibilityis
seenascontestingtheformsofwhiteprivilege,whichrestsontheunmarkedandtheunremarkablefact
ofbeingwhite.Butinreadingthetextsthatgathertogetherintheemergenceofafield,wecandetectan
anxietyaboutthestatusorfunctionofthisantiracism.Theanxietyisfirstananxietyaboutwhatitmeans
totransformwhitenessstudiesintoafield.Ifwhitenessbecomesafieldofstudy,thenthereisclearlya
whitenessassumes
riskthatwhitenessitselfwillbetransformedintoanobject.Orif

integrityasanobjectofstudy,asbeingsomethingthat
wecantrackorfollowacrosstimeandspace,then
whitenesswouldbecomeafetish,cutofffromhistoriesof
productionandcirculation.RichardDyerforinstanceadmitstobeingdisturbedby
theveryideaofwhathecallswhitestudies:Mybloodrunscoldatthethoughtthattalkingabout
whitenesscouldleadtothedevelopmentofsomethingcalledWhiteStudies(1997,10).OrasFine,
Weis,PowellandWongexplain:weworrythatinourdesiretocreatespacestospeak,intellectuallyor
empirically,aboutwhiteness,wemayhavereifiedwhitenessasafixedcategoryofexperience;thatwe
haveallowedittobetreatedasamonolith,inthesingular,asan"essentialsomething"(1997,xi).

4.Theriskoftransformingwhitenessintoanessentialsomethingmightbeanecessaryrisk,forsure.
Wehavetochoosewhetheritsariskworthtaking.Buttheriskdoesnotexistindependentlyofother
risks.Theanxietyabouttransformingwhitenessintoanessentialsomethinggetsstucktootheranxieties
aboutwhatwhitenessstudiesmightdo.Oneoftheseanxietiesisthatwhitenessstudieswillsustain
whitenessatthecentreofintellectualinquiry,howeverhauntedbyabsence,lackandemptiness.AsRuth
Frankenburgaskswhytalkaboutwhiteness,giventheriskthatbyundertakingintellectualworkon
whitenessonemightcontributetoprocessesofrecenteringratherthandecenteringit,aswellasreifying
theterm,andits"inhabitants"(1997,1).

5.Anotherriskisthatincenteringonwhiteness,whitenessstudiesmightbecomeadiscourseoflove,
whichwouldsustainthenarcissismthatelevateswhitenessintoasocialandbodilyideal.Thereadingof
whitenessasaformofnarcissismisofcoursewellestablished.Thewhitenessofacademicdisciplines,
includingphilosophyandanthropologyhasbeensubjecttodevastatingcritiques(see,forexamples,Mills
1998;Asad1973).Forexample,apostcolonialcritiqueofanthropologywouldarguethatthe
anthropologicaldesiretoknowtheotherfunctionedasaformofnarcissism:theotherfunctionedasa
mirror,adevicetoreflecttheanthropologicalgazebacktoitself,showingthewhitefaceofanthropology
intheverydisplayofthecolourofdifference.Soifdisciplinesareinawayalreadyaboutwhiteness,
showingthefaceofthewhitesubject,thenitfollowsthatwhitenessstudiessustainsthedirectionor
orientationofthisgaze,whilstremovingthedetourprovidedbythereflectionoftheother.Whiteness
studiescouldevenbecomeaspectacleofpureselfreflection,augmentedbyaninsistencethatwhiteness
isanidentitytoo.Doeswhitenessstudiesfunctionasanarcissisminwhichthelovedobjectreturnsus
tothesubjectastheoriginoflove?Wedoafterallgetattachedtoourobjectsofstudy,whichmightmean
thatwhitenessstudiescouldgetstuckonwhiteness,asthatwhichgivesitselftoitself.Dyertalks
aboutthisriskwhenheadmitstoanotherfear:Idreadtothinkthatpayingattentiontowhitenessmight
leadtowhitepeoplesayingtheyneedtogetintouchwiththeirwhiteness(1997,10).Whitenessstudies
wouldherebeaboutwhitepeoplelearningtolovetheirownwhiteness,bytransformingitintoanobject
thatcouldbeloved.

6.Dyerisright,Ithink,tofeelsuchdread.Whitenessstudiesispotentiallydreadful,andscholarship
withinthefieldisfullofadmissionsofanxietyaboutwhatwhitenessstudiescouldbeifwasallowedto
becomeinvestedinitself,anditsownreproduction.WeshouldIthink,payattentiontosuchcritical
anxieties,andaskwhattheenunciationofsuchanxietiesisdoing.Intermsoftheconstitutionofthefield,
forexample,theanxietyisnotsomuchthattheborderswillbeinvadedbyinappropriateothers(aswith
traditionaldisciplines),butthattheborderswillthemselvesbeinappropriate.Butatthesametime,and
somewhatparadoxically,theanxietyaboutbordersworkstoinstallborders:whitenessbecomesanobject
throughtheexpressionofanxietyaboutbecominganobject.Therepetitionoftheanxiousgesture,thatis,
gesturestowardafield.Fieldscanbeunderstood,afterall,astheforgettingofgesturesthatarerepeated
overtime.Istherearelationshipbetweentheemergenceofafieldthroughtheenunciationofanxietyand
theemergenceofanewformofwhiteness,ananxiouswhiteness?Isawhitenessthatisanxiousabout
itselfitsnarcissism,itsegoism,itsprivilege,itsselfcenterednessbetter?Whatkindofwhitenessisa
whitenessthatisanxiousaboutitself?Whatdoessuchananxiouswhitenessdo?

7.SuchananxiouswhitenesswouldbedifferenttotheworryingwhitenessthatGhassanHagecritiques
inWhiteNation(1998)andAgainstParanoidNationalism(2003).Thisworryingwhitenessisonethat
worriesthatothersmaythreatenitsexistence.Ananxiouswhitenesswouldbeonethatisanxiousabout
suchworrying:thiswhitesubjectwouldcomeintoexistenceinitsveryanxietyabouttheeffectsithason
others,oreveninfearthatitistakingsomethingawayfromothers.Thiswhitesubjectmightevenbe
anxiousaboutitsowntendencytoworryabouttheproximityofothers.Soletsrepeatmyquestion:isan
anxiouswhitenessthatdeclaresitsownanxietyaboutitsworrybetter,wherebettermightevenevokethe
promiseof"nonracism"or"antiracism?

8.Beforeposingthisquestionthroughananalysisoftheeffectsofhowwhitenessbecomesdeclared,we
couldfirstpointtotheplacingofcriticalbeforewhitenessstudies,asasignofthisanxiety.Iam
myselfveryattachedtobeingcritical,whichisafterallwhatallformsoftransformativepoliticswillbe
doing,iftheyaretobetransformative.ButIthinkthecriticaloftenfunctionsasaplacewherewe
depositouranxieties.Wemightassumethatifwearedoingcriticalwhitenessstudies,ratherthan
whitenessstudies,thatwecanprotectourselvesfromdoingorevenbeingseentodothewrongkind
ofwhitenessstudies.Butthewordcriticaldoesnotmeantheeliminationofrisk,andnorshouldit
becomejustadescriptionofwhatwearedoingoverhere,asopposedtothem,overthere.

9.IfeltmydesiretobecriticalasthesiteofanxietywhenIwasinvolvedinwritingaraceequalitypolicy
fortheuniversityatwhichIworkintheUK,whereItriedtobringwhatIthoughtwasafairlycritical
languageofantiracismintoaneoliberaltechniqueofgovernance,whichwecaninadequatelydescribe
asdiversitymanagement,orthebusinesscasefordiversity.AllpublicorganisationsintheUKarenow
requiredbylawtohaveandimplementaraceequalitypolicyandactionplan,asaresultoftheRace
RelationsAmendmentAct(2000).Mycurrentresearchistrackingthesignificanceofthispolicy,interms
oftherelationshipbetweenthedocumentationithasgeneratedandsocialaction.Sufficetosayhere,my
ownexperienceofwritingaraceequalitypolicy,taughtmeagoodlesson,whichofcoursemeansahard
lesson:thelanguagewethinkofascriticalcaneasilylenditselftotheverytechniquesofgovernance
wecritique.Sowewrotethedocument,andtheuniversity,alongwithmanyothers,waspraisedforits
policy,andtheViceChancellorwasabletocongratulatetheuniversityonitsperformance:wedidwell.
Adocumentthatdocumentedtheracismoftheuniversitybecameusableasameasureofgood
performance.

10.Thisstoryisnotsimplyaboutassimilationortherisksofthecriticalbeingcoopted,whichwouldbe
awayofframingthestorythatassumeswewereinnocentandcriticaluntilwegotmisused(inother
words,thiswouldmaintaintheillusionofourowncriticalness).Rather,itremindsusthatthe
transformationofthecriticalintoaproperty,assomethingwehaveordo,allowsthecriticalto
becomeaperformanceindicator,orameasureofvalue.Thecriticalincriticalwhitenessstudies
cannotguaranteethatitwillhaveeffectsthatarecritical,inthesenseofchallengingrelationsofpower
thatremainconcealedasinstitutionalnormsorgivens.Indeed,ifthecriticalwasusedtodescribethe
field,thenwewouldbecomecomplicitwiththetransformationofeducationintoanauditculture,intoa
culturethatmeasuresvaluethroughperformance.

11.Mycommentaryontherisksofwhitenessstudieswillinvolveananalysisofhowwhitenessgets
reproducedthroughbeingdeclared,withinacademictexts,aswellpublicculture.Iwillhencebereading
WhitenessStudiesaspartofabroadershifttowardswhatwecouldcallapoliticsofdeclaration,inwhich
institutionsaswellasindividualsadmittoformsofbadpractice,andinwhichtheadmissionitself
becomesseenasgoodpractice.ByreadingWhitenessStudiesinthisway,Iamnotsuggestingthatitisa
symptomofbadpractice:rather,Ithinkitisusefultoconsiderturnswithintheacademyashaving
somethingtodowithotherculturalturns.TheexamplesaredrawnfromtheUKandAustralia,asthetwo
placesinwhichmyownantiracistpoliticshavetakenshape.Myargumentissimple:antiracismisnot
performative.IuseperformativeinAustins(1975)senseasreferringtoaparticularclassofspeech.An
utteranceisperformativewhenitdoeswhatitsays:theissuingoftheutteranceistheperformingofan
action(1975,6).
12.Iwillsuggestthatdeclaringwhiteness,orevenadmittingtoonesownracism,whenthedeclaration
isassumedtobeevidenceofanantiracistcommitment,doesnotdowhatitsays.Inotherwords,
puttingwhitenessintospeech,asanobjecttobespokenabout,howevercritically,isnotanantiracist
action,andnordoesitnecessarilycommitastate,institutionorpersontoaformofactionthatwecould
describeasantiracist.Toputthismorestrongly,Iwillshowhowdeclaringoneswhiteness,evenaspart
ofaprojectofsocialcritique,canreproducewhiteprivilegeinwaysthatareunforeseen.Ofcourse,this
isnottoreducewhitenessstudiestothereproductionofwhiteness,evenifthatiswhatitcando.AsMike
Hillsuggests:Icannotknowinadvancewhetherwhitecritiquewillprovepoliticallyworthwhile,
whetherintheenditwillbeafriendlierghostthanbeforeorwilldisplaythesamestealthnarcissismthat
feministsofcolorlabeledawhiteprobleminthelate1970s(1997,10).

Declaration1
I/wemustbeseentobewhite

13.Iamgoingtostarthere,withthisdeclarationthatisoftenmadewithintextsthatarepartofthe
genealogyofcriticalwhitenessstudies,asitsonethatsfamiliar.LetstakeRichardDyer,whosework
hasbeenimportantandcrucial:Whitesmustbeseentobewhite,yetwhitenessconsistsininvisible
properties,andwhitenessaspowerismaintainedbybeingunseen(1997,45).Thismustbeseenisa
curiousformofutterance.Partly,itispointingtohowwhitenessrestsontheveryexistenceofwhite
bodies,whichcanbeseenasapartfromotherbodies.SoDyershowsusaparadox:theremustbewhite
bodies(itmustbepossibletoseesuchbodiesaswhitebodies),andyetthepowerofwhitenessisthatwe
dontseethosebodiesaswhitebodies.Wejustseethemasbodies:thehistoryofwhitenesscanbetraced
throughitsdisappearanceasabodilyorculturalattribute.Buttheutterancenotonlydescribesaparadox,
italsofunctionsasadeclarationthattakestheform:Whitesmustbeseentobewhite.Asadeclaration,
thissentencewouldoperateasacallforaction:weshouldseewhitesaswhites.Youonlycallforan
actionwhentheactionisnotsomethingthatoccursinthepresent.Sothestatementisalsoaclaimabout
thepresent:whitenessisunseen,andthisinvisibilityishowwhitenessgetsreproducedastheunmarked
markofthehuman.

14.Thisbook,whichis,afterall,white(bynameandincolour)isaboutseeingwhitenessincultural
formssuchascinema.Sowecouldsayitseeswhatitdescribesasunseen.Theclaimtoseewhiteness
worksthroughadescriptionofwhitenessashavingproperties,asacolour:whitenessconsistsin
invisibleproperties.Whitenessasaracialisedpositionbecomeslikethecolourwhite:anabsenceof
colourinitself.Thetransformationofinvisibilityintoapropertyclearlyinvolvesreification.Itiseasy
andnotnecessarilyveryhelpfultopointoutwheretextsreifythecategoriestheyseektocritique.What
weneedtoaskhereiswhataretheeffectsofthereification;isthetransformationofwhitenessintothat
whichis(invisible)aneffectofhowwhitenessisbeingdeclared?Inotherwords,doestherequestthat
weseewhitepeopleasbeingwhiteironicallymakewhitenessinvisible,oratleastmaintainthis
invisibility?IcanrepeatasentenceIusedinmyopeningparagraph:Whitenessisonlyinvisibletothose
whoinhabitit.Tothosewhodont,thepowerofwhitenessismaintainedbybeingseen;weseeit
everywhere,inthecasualnessofwhitebodiesinspaces,crowdedinparks,meetings,inwhitebodiesthat
aredisplayedinfilmsandadvertisements,inwhitelawsthattalkaboutwhiteexperiences,inideasofthe
familymadeupofcleanwhitebodies.Iseethosebodiesaswhite,nothuman.

15.Thedeclarationthatwemustseewhiteness,whichcouldevenbedescribedasfoundationalwithin
whitenessstudies,assumesthatwhitenessisunseeninthefirstplace.Itishenceanexerciseinwhite
seeing,whichdoesnothaveothersinview,thosewhoarewitnesstotheveryformsofwhiteness,daily.
Ofcourse,Whitedoesnotclaimnottobeanexerciseinwhiteseeing.Butbytransformingwhatitsees
intoapropertyofthings,thepowerofthisgazeseemstodisappearfromitsview.Callingforwhitenessto
beseencanexerciseratherthanchallengewhiteprivilege,asthepowertotransformonesvisionintoa
propertyorattributeofsomethingorsomebody.

16.Iwouldalsoarguethatifwhitenessisdefinedasunseen,andthebookseeswhiteness(inthisor
thatfilm),thenthebookcouldevenbeconstructedasnotwhite(ornotwhiteinthesameway).Inother
words,theargumentthatwemustseewhitenessbecausewhitenessisunseencanconvertintoa
declarationofnotbeingsubjecttowhitenessorevenawhitesubject(ifIseewhiteness,thenIamnot
white,aswhitesdontseetheirwhiteness).Perhapsthisfantasyoftranscendenceistheprivilege
affordedbywhiteness,asaprivilegewhichdisappearsfromsightwhenithasitselfinview.Now,itis
importanttostateherethatIamnotlocatingthefantasyoftranscendenceinthisbook,whichisonethat
avoidstransformingwhitenessintoanotheridentity.Rather,IwouldsuggestthatwhenDyerstextis
readasadeclaration(wemustseewhiteness),andindeedwhenwhitenessstudiesbecomesadeclaration
aboutwhiteness,thenitconstitutesitssubjectastranscendingitsobjectinthemomentitseesor
apprehendsitselfastheobject(beingwhite).

Declaration2
Iam/weareracist

17.Thismightbealessfamiliarmodefordeclaringwhiteness.Butitisanintriguingmode.IntheUK,
thelanguageofinstitutionalracismhasbecomepartofinstitutionallanguage.Wecanseethistakingin
andtakingonofinstitutionalracismwithintheMacphersonReport(1999)intothepolicehandlingof
themurderofStephenLawrence.TheMacphersonreportisanimportantdocumentinsofarasit
recognisesthepoliceforceasinstitutionallyracist.Whatdoesthisrecognitiondo?Apoliticsof
recognitionisalsoaboutdefinition:ifwerecognizesomethingsuchasracism,thenwealsooffera
definitionofthatwhichwerecognize.Inthissense,recognitionproducesratherthansimplyfindsits
object;recognitiondelineatestheboundariesofwhatitrecognisesasgiven.Asothersocialcommentators
havepointedout,theMacphersonreportnotonlyinvolveddefinitionsofwhatisaracistincident(Chahal
1999),butalsoindefiningthepoliceasinstitutionallyracistofferedadefinition,albeithazy,of
institutionalracism(Solomon1999).Toquotefromthereport,institutionalracismamountsto:The
collectivefailureofanorganisationtoprovideanappropriateandprofessionalservicetopeoplebecause
oftheircolour,culture,orethnicorigin.Itcanbeseenordetectedinprocesses,attitudesandbehaviour
whichamounttodiscriminationthroughunwittingprejudice,ignorance,thoughtlessnessandracist
stereotypingwhichdisadvantageminorityethnicpeople.

18.Thelanguageofinstitutionalracismofcoursewasnot,ofcourse,inventedbythereport.Thepushto
seeracismasinstitutionalandstructuralcomesoutofantiracistandBlackpolitics:itisadirectcritique
oftheideathatracismispsychological,orthatissimplyaboutbadindividuals.Inthisreport,the
definitionofaninstitutionasbeingracistdoesinvolverecognitionofthecollectiveratherthan
individualnatureofracism.Butitalsoforecloseswhatismeantbycollectiveandinstitutionalbyseeing
evidenceofthatcollectivityonlyinwhatinstitutionsfailtodo.Inotherwords,thereportdefines
institutionalracisminsuchawaythatracismisnotseenasanongoingseriesofactionsthatshape
institutions,inthesenseofthenormsthatgetreproducedorpositedovertime.Wemightwishtosee
racismasaformofdoingorevenafieldofpositiveaction,ratherthanasaformofinaction.Inother
words,wemightwishtoexaminehowinstitutionsbecomewhitethroughthepositingofsomebodies
ratherthanothersasthesubjectsoftheinstitution(whotheinstitutionisshapedfor,andwhoitisshaped
by).Racismwouldnotbeevidentinwhatwefailtodo,butwhatwehavealreadydone,wherebythe
weisaneffectofthedoing.TherecognitionofinstitutionalracismwithintheMacphersonreport
reproducesthewhitenessofinstitutionsbyseeingracismsimplyasthefailuretoprovidefornonwhite
othersbecauseoftheirdifference.

19.Wemightnoticeaswellthatthepsychologicallanguagecreepsintothedefinition:processes,
attitudesandbehaviourwhichamounttodiscriminationthroughunwittingprejudice,ignorance,
thoughtlessnessandraciststereotyping.Inaway,theinstitutionbecomesrecognisedasracistonly
throughbeingpositedaslikeanindividual,assomeonewhosuffersfromprejudice,butwhocouldbe
treated,sothattheywouldactbettertowardsracialothers.Tosayweareracistisheretranslatedinto
thestatementitseekstoreplace,Iamracist,whereourracismisdescribableasbadpracticethatcan
bechangedthroughlearningmoretolerantattitudesandbehaviour.Indeed,iftheinstitutionbecomeslike
theindividual,thenonesuspectsthattheinstitutionalsotakestheplaceofindividuals:itistheinstitution
thatisthebadperson,ratherthanthispersonorthatperson.Inotherwords,thetransformationofthe
collectiveintoanindividual(acollectivewithoutindividuals)mightallowindividualactorstorefuse
responsibilityforcollectiveformsofracism.

20.Butthereismoretosayabouttheeffectsofthisdeclaration,andwhatitdoeswheninstitutional
racismbecomesaninstitutionaladmission.Howwouldwereadsuchdeclaration?Iamuneasyabout
whatitmeansforasubjectorinstitutiontoposititselfasbeingracist.Ifracismisshapedbyactionsthat
dontgetseenbythosewhoareitsbeneficiaries,whatdoesitmeanforthosebeneficiariestoseeit?We
couldsupposethatthedeclarationrestrictsracismtowhatwecansee:afterallthedefinitionalsoclaims
thatracismcanbeseenordetectedincertainformsofbehaviour.ButIwouldsuggestthedeclaration
mightworkbothbyclaimingtoseeracism(inwhattheinstitutionfailstodo)andbymaintainingthe
definitionofracismasunseeing.Ifracismisdefinedasunwittingandcollectiveprejudice,thentheclaim
toberacistbybeingabletoseeracisminthisorthatformofpracticeisalsoaclaimnottoberacistinthe
sameway.Theparadoxesofadmittingtoonesownracismareclear:sayingweareracistbecomesa
claimtohaveovercometheconditions(unseenracism)thatrequirethespeechactinthefirstplace.The
logicgoes:wesay,weareracist,andinsofaraswecanadmittobeingracist(andracistsareunwitting),
thenweareshowingthatwearenotracist,oratleastthatwearenotracistinthesameway.

Declaration3
Iam/weareashamedbymy/ourracism

21.Todeclareoneselfasbeingracist,orhavingbeenracistinthepast,ofteninvolvesaculturalpolitics
ofemotion:wemightfeelbadforonesracism,afeelingbadthatshowswearedoingsomethingabout
it.Butwhatdoesdeclaringonesbadfeelingdo?Forexample,whatwoulditmeantodeclareones
shameforbeingorhavingbeenimplicatedinracism,whichmayormaynottaketheformofshameabout
beingwhite?InAustralia,thedemandforrecognitionofracismtowardsIndigenousAustralians,andfor
reconciliation,takestheformofthedemandforthenationtoexpressitsshame(Gaita2000a,278;Gaita
2000b,8793).ThisdemandhasofcoursebeenrefusedbyHowardandhiswittinglyracistgovernment.It
mightseemlikeanoddstrategy,butIwantustothinkalittleaboutthepoliticalconsequencesofthe
actionthathasbeenrefused:thatis,whatwoulditmeanforthenationtodeclareitsshameforbeing
racist?LetsrecalltheprefacetoBringingthemHome:

Itshould,Ithink,beapparenttoallwellmeaningpeoplethattruereconciliationbetweentheAustralian
nationanditsindigenouspeoplesisnotachievableintheabsenceofacknowledgementbythenationof
thewrongfulnessofthepastdispossession,oppressionanddegradationoftheAboriginalpeoples.Thatis
nottosaythatindividualAustralianswhohadnopartinwhatwasdoneinthepastshouldfeelor
acknowledgepersonalguilt.Itissimplytoassertouridentityasanationandthebasicfactthatnational
shame,aswellasnationalpride,canandshouldexistinrelationtopastactsandomissions,atleastwhen
doneormadeinthenameofthecommunityorwiththeauthorityofgovernment(GovernorGeneralof
Australia,BringingthemHome1996).

22.Inthisquote,thenationisrepresentedashavingarelationofshametothewrongfulnessofthepast,
althoughthisshameexistsalongside,ratherthanundoing,nationalpride.Thisproximityofnational
shametoindigenouspainmaybewhatoffersthepromiseofreconciliation,afutureoflivingtogether,
inwhichtheriftsofthepasthavebeenhealed.Thenationpositedhereasouridentity,inadmittingthe
wrongfulnessofthepast,ismovedbytheinjusticesofthepast.InthecontextofAustralianpolitics,the
processofbeingmovedbythepastseemsbetterthantheprocessofremainingdetachedfromthepast,
orassumingthatthepasthasnothingtodowithus.Buttherecognitionofshameorshameasaform
ofrecognitioncomeswithconditionsandlimits.Inthisfirstinstance,itisunclearwhofeelsshame.
Thequoteexplicitlyreplacesindividualguiltwithnationalshameandhencedetachestherecognition
ofwrongdoingfromindividuals,whohadnopartinwhatwasdone.Thishistoryisnotpersonal,it
implies.Ofcourse,fortheindigenoustestifiers,thestoriesarepersonal.Wemustrememberherethatthe
personalisunequallydistributed,fallingasarequirementorevenburdenonsomeandnotothers.Some
individualstelltheirstories,indeedtheyhavetodoso,againandagain,giventhisfailuretohear(see
Nicoll2002,28),whilstothersdisappearunderthecloakofnationalshame.

23.Indeed,whitepeoplemightonlyappearwithinthedocumentaswellmeaningpeople,peoplewho
wouldidentifywiththenationinitsexpressionofshame.Thosewhowitnessthepastinjusticethrough
feelingnationalshamearealignedwitheachotheraswellmeaningindividuals;ifyoufeelshame,
thenyoumeanwell.Shamemakesthenationinthewitnessingofpastinjustice,awitnessingthat
involvesfeelingshame,asitexposesthefailureofthenationtoliveuptoitsideals.Butthisexposureis
temporary,andbecomesthegroundforanarrativeofnationalrecovery.Bywitnessingwhatisshameful
aboutthepast,thenationcanliveuptotheidealsthatsecureitsidentityorbeinginthepresent.In
otherwords,ourshameshowsthatwemeanwell.Thetransferenceofbadfeelingtothesubjectinthis
admissionofshameisonlytemporary,asthetransferenceitselfbecomesevidenceoftherestorationof
anidentityofwhichwecanbeproud.

24.Nationalshamecanbeamechanismforreconciliationasselfreconciliation,inwhichthewrong
thatiscommittedprovidestheverygroundsforclaimingnationalidentity.Itisthedeclarationofshame
thatallowsustoassertouridentityasanation.Recognitionworkstorestorethenationorreconcilethe
nationtoitselfbycomingtotermswithitsownpastintheexpressionofbadfeeling.Butinallowing
ustofeelbad,shamealsoallowsthenationtofeelbetteroreventofeelgood.Thisconversionofshame
intopridealsoshapestheSorryBooks,whichhavebeenpostedonthewebasavirtualformof
communitybuilding.SorryBooksworkasaformofpublicculture;individualpostingsareposted,and
togetherformthebook.EachpostingworksasanapologyfortheviolencecommittedagainstIndigenous
Australians,buttheyalsoworkasademandforthegovernmenttoapologiseonbehalfofwhiteAustralia
(foraconsiderationoftheapologyasaspeechactseeAhmed2004.AllSorryBookwebsitesaccessed
13/12/2002).

25.Takethefollowingutterance.ThefailureofourrepresentativesinGovernmenttorecognisethe
brutalnatureofAustralianhistorycompromisestheabilityofnonindigenousAustralianstobetruly
proudofouridentity.Here,witnessingthegovernmentslackofshameisinitselfshaming.Theshame
atthelackofshameislinkedtothedesiretobetrulyproudofourcountry,thatis,thedesiretobeable
toidentifywithanationalideal.Therecognitionofabrutalhistoryisimplicitlyconstructedasthe
conditionfornationalpride:ifwerecognisethebrutalityofthathistorythroughshame,thenwecanbe
proud.Asanothermessageputsit,IamanAustraliancitizenwhoisashamedandsaddenedbythe
treatmentoftheindigenouspeoplesofthiscountry.Thisisanissuethatcannotbehiddenanylonger,and
willnotbehealedthroughtokenism.ItisalsoanissuethatwilldamagefuturegenerationsofAustralians
ifnotopenlydiscussed,admitted,apologisedforandgrieved.Itistimetosaysorry.Unlessthisis
supportedbytheAustraliangovernmentandtheAustralianpeopleasawholIcannotbeproudtobean
Australian(seelink).

26.Suchutterances,whilstcallingforrecognitionofthetreatmentoftheindigenouspeoplesdoesnot
recognisethatsubjectshaveunequalclaimstobeanAustralianinthefirstplace.Ifsayingsorry,leads
topride,whogetstobeproud?Iwouldsuggestthattheidealimageofthenation,whichisbasedonsome
bodiesandnotothers,issustainedthroughthisveryconversionofshametopride.Insuchdeclarationsof
nationalpride,shamebecomesapassingphaseinapassagetowardsbeingasanation.Nowhereisthis
clearerthaninthemessage:IamanAustralianCitizenwhowishestovoicemystrongbeliefintheneed
torecognisetheshamefulaspectsofAustraliaspastwithoutthathowcanwecelebratepresent
glories.Here,therecognitionofwhatisshamefulinthepastwhathasfailedthenationalidealis
whatwouldallowthewhitenationtobeidealisedandevencelebratedinthepresent.

27.Suchexpressionsofnationalshameareproblematicastheyseekwithinanutterancetofinishan
action,byclaimingtheexpressionofshameassufficientforthereturntonationalpride.Inotherwords,
suchpublicexpressionsofshametrytofinishthespeechactbyconvertingshametopride:itallows
whatisshamefultobepassedoverintheveryenactmentofshame.Declarationsofshamecanworktore
installtheveryidealstheyseektocontest.AswiththedeclarationsofracismIdiscussedindeclaration2,
theymayevenassumethatthespeechactitselfcanbetakenasasignoftranscendence:ifwesayweare
ashamed,ifwesaywewereracist,thenthisshowswearenotracistnow,weshowthatwemeanwell.
Thepresumptionthatsayingisdoingthatbeingsorrymeansthatwehaveovercometheverythingwe
aresorryabouthenceworkstosupportracisminthepresent.Indeed,whatisdoneinthisspeechact,if
anythingisdone,isthatthewhitesubjectisrepositedasthesocialideal.

Declaration4
Iam/wearehappy(andracistpeoplearesad)

28.Aparadoxisclear.Theshamefulwhitesubjectexpressesshameaboutitsracism,andinexpressingit
shames,itshowsthatitisnotracist:ifweareshamed,wemeanwell.Thewhitesubjectthatisshamed
bywhitenessisalsoawhitesubjectthatisproudaboutitsshame.Theveryclaimtofeelbad(aboutthis
orthat)alsoinvolvesaselfperceptionofbeinggood.Thereisawidelyarticulatedanxietythatifthe
subjectfeelstoobad,thentheywillbecomeevenworse.Thisideaiscrucialtotheideaofreintegrative
shaminginrestorativejustice.Areintegrativeshameisagoodshameinsofarasitdoesnotmakesubjects
feeltoobad.InJohnBraithwaitesterms,reintegrationshameswhilemaintainingbondsofrespector
love,thatsharplyterminatesdisapprovalwithforgiveness,insteadofamplifyingdevianceby
progressivelycastingthedeviantout(1989,1213).

29.Shamewouldnotbeaboutmakingtheoffenderfeelbad(thiswouldinstallapatternofdeviance),so
expressionsofcommunitydisapprovalarefollowedbygesturesofreacceptance(Braithwaite1989,
55).Note,thismodelpresumestheagentsofshamingarenotthevictims(whomightmaketheoffender
feelbad),butthefamilyandfriendsoftheoffender.Itisthelovethatoffendershaveforthosewhoshame
them,whichallowsshametointegrateratherthanalienate.AssuchBraithwaiteconcludesthat,Thebest
placetoseereintegrativeshamingatworkisinlovingfamilies(1989,56).Theideathatshameshould
reintegrateisdependentonthefantasyofhappyfamilies;what''badothers'areintegratedintoasocial
formthatstilldependsontheexclusionofotherothers.Thepresumptionhereisthatthefamily(andwe
couldextendthistothenationasfamily)isgood,andthatbadfeelingscanonlybegoodiftheyreturned
byanallegiancetosocialform.

30.Itishencenoaccidentthenthatracismhasbeenseenascausedbybadfeelings.Forexamplethe
readingofwhitepeopleasinjuredandsufferingfromdepressioniscrucialtoneofascism:whitefascist
groupsspeakpreciselyofwhitepeopleasinjuredandevenhurtbythepresenceofracialaswellassexual
others(seeAhmed2004).ButithasalsobeenmadebyscholarssuchasJuliaKristeva,whosuggeststhat
depressioninthefaceofculturaldifferenceprovidestheconditionsforfascism:soweshouldeliminate
theMuslimscarf(1993,3637).ForKristeva,culturaldifferencemakespeopledepressed,andfascism
isapoliticalformofdepression:sotobeagainstfascism,onemustalsobeagainstsuchvisibledisplays
ofdifference.ThereismoresophisticatedversionofthisargumentinGhassanHagesAgainstParanoid
Nationalism(2003),whichsuggeststhatcontinuedxenophobiahassomethingtodowiththefactthat
thereisnotenoughhopetogoaround,althoughofcoursehedoesnotattributethelackofhopetocultural
difference.Despitetheirobviousdifferences,theimplicationofsuchargumentsisthatantiracismis
aboutmakingpeoplefeelbetter:safer,happier,morehopeful,lessdepressed,andsoon.

31.Itmightseemthathappy,hopefulandsecurenonracistwhiteshardlypopulateourlandscape.Sowe
reallyshouldnotbothertoomuchaboutthem.ButIthinkweshould.Forthisverypromisethisvery
hopethatantiracismresidesinmakingwhiteshappyoratleastfeelingpositiveaboutbeingwhitehas
alsobeencrucialtotheemergenceofpedagogywithinwhitenessstudies.

32.Evenwithinthemostcriticalliteratureonwhitenessstudies,thereisanargumentthatwhiteness
studiesshouldnotmakewhitepeoplefeelbadaboutbeingwhite(Giroux1997,310).Suchargumentsare
madeinthecontextofrightwingdismissalsofwhitenessstudiesasbeingaboutmakingwhites
ashamed.Theymayalsorespondtotheworkofbellhooks(1989)andAudreLorde(1984),whoboth
emphasisehowfeelingbadaboutracismorwhiteprivilegecanfunctionasaformofselfcenteredness,
whichreturnsthewhitesubjectbackintoitself,astheonewhosefeelingsmatter.hooksinparticularhas
consideredguiltastheperformanceratherthanundoingofwhiteness.Guiltcertainlyworksasablock
tohearingtheclaimsofothersinareturningtothewhiteself.ButwithinWhitenessStudies,doesthe
refusaltomakewhitenessstudiesbeaboutfeelingbadallowthewhitesubjecttoturntowards
somethingelse?Whatisthesomethingelse?Doesthisrefusaltoexperienceshameandguiltworktoturn
WhitenessStudiesawayfromthewhitesubject?

33.IwouldsuggestthatWhitenessStudiesdoesnotturnawayfromthewhitesubjectinturningaway
frombadfeeling.Instead,IwouldevensuggestthatWhitenessStudiesmightevenproducethewhite
subjectastheoriginofgoodfeeling.RuthFrankenberghasarguedthatifwhitenessisemptiedoutofany
contentotherthanthatwhichisassociatedwithracismorcapitalismthisleavesprogressivewhites
apparentlywithoutanygenealogy(1993,232).Theimplicationofherargumentisinmyview
unfortunate.ItassumesthesubjectsofWhitenessStudiesareprogressivewhites,andthatthetaskof
WhitenessStudiesistoprovidesuchsubjectswithagenealogy.Inotherwords,whitenessstudieswould
beaboutmakingantiracistwhitesfeelbetter,asitwouldrestoretothemapositiveidentity.Kincheloe
andSteinbergmakethispointdirectlywhentheycommenton:thenecessityofcreatingapositive,
proud,attractiveantiracistwhiteidentity(1998,34).Theshiftfromthecritiqueofwhiteguilttothis
claimtoaproudantiracismisnotanecessaryone.Butitistellingshift.ThewhiteresponsetotheBlack
critiqueofshameandguilthasenabledhereaturntowardspride,whichisnotthenaturnawayfrom
thewhitesubjectandtowardssomethingelse,butanotherwayofreturningtothewhitesubject.
Indeed,themostastonishingaspectofthislistofadjectives(positive,proud,attractive,antiracist)isthat
antiracismbecomesawhiteattribute:indeed,antiracismmayevenprovidetheconditionsforanew
discourseofwhitepride.

34.Here,antiracismbecomesamatterofgeneratingapositivewhiteidentity,anidentitythatmakesthe
whitesubjectfeelgoodaboutitself.Thedeclarationofsuchanidentityisnotinmyviewanantiracist
action.Indeed,itsustainsthenarcissismofwhitenessandallowswhitenessstudiestomakewhite
subjectsfeelgoodaboutthemselves,byfeelinggoodabouttheirantiracism.Onewondersagainwhat
happenstobadfeelinginthisperformanceofgood,happywhiteness.Ifbadfeelingispartlyaneffectof
racism,andracismisacceptedasongoinginthepresent(ratherthanwhathappenedinthepast),thenwho
getstofeelbadaboutracism?Onesuspectsthathappywhiteness,evenwhenthishappinessisaboutanti
racism,iswhatallowsracismtoremaintheburdenofnonwhiteothers.Indeed,Isuspectthatbad
feelingsofracism(hatred,fear,pain)areprojectedontothebodiesofunhappyracistwhites,which
allowsprogressivewhitestobehappywiththemselvesinthefaceofcontinuedracismtowardsnonwhite
others.

Declaration5
I/wehavestudiedwhiteness(andracistpeopleareignorant)

35.ThisdeclarationisareminderthatweshouldnotforgettheStudiesinWhitenessStudies.That
wordisalsomakingaclaim.Manyhavecommentedalreadyonhowwhitenessisrightatthecenterof
intellectualhistory,butitisanabsentcentre:itisnotstudiedexplicitly,asitwere.AsMicheleFinehas
argued,whitenesshasremainedbothunmarkedandunstudied(1997,58).Herarticleappearswithinan
excellentcollectionofessays,OffWhite.AsFineastutelyobserves,paradoxically,togetoffwhite,asthe
titleofthecollectionsuggests,firstrequiresthatwegetonitincriticalandpoliticallytransformative
ways(1997,58).

36.TheorganizingimpulsewithinWhitenessStudiesisthatthestudyingofwhitenesswillbecriticaland
transformative,quiteunderstandably,andevenquiterightly.Butitmightbeopportunetoquestioneven
thismostfoundingassumption.TheprojectofcriticalWhitenessStudiesisaboutshowingthemarkof
theunmarked,aboutseeingtheprivilegeconcealedbytheuniversalityofthehuman.ButwhatIwantto
questioniswhetherlearningtoseethemarkofprivilegeinvolvesunlearningthatprivilege.Whatarewe
learningwhenwelearntoseeprivilege?(Ofcoursethisquestionremindsusthattheprojectoflearning
toseeisaddressedtoprivilegedsubjects.)

37.Ofcourse,ifyouliveandworkintheworldofeducation,thenyouarelikelytoassumethatlearning
isagoodthing;wewouldprobablysharearesistancetodefininglearningastheachievementoflearning
outcomes,buthaveaviewoflearningastheopeningupthecapacitytothinkcriticallyaboutwhatis
beforeus.Butoneproblemwithbeingsousedtothelearning=goodequation,isthatwemighteven
thinkthateveryoneshouldaspiretosuchlearning,andthattheabsenceofsuchlearningisthereason
forinequalityandinjustice(cf.papersbyAvelingandNicollinthisissue).Thereisofcourseaclass
elitismthatpresumesuniversityistheplacewegotolearn,letalonetothink.Thisisthesameelitismthat
saysthatthosewhodontgettouniversity,havefailed,oraredeprived.Theaspirationofuniversityfor
alloffersatonelevelavitalhopeforthedemocratizationofaneliteculture,butatanother,sustainsthe
bourgeoisillusionthatotherswouldwanttheculturethatisconstitutedpreciselythroughnotbeing
availabletoall.

38.Now,thiselitismhasspecificimplicationsforracism.Itisoftenassumedthatifpeoplelearntnotjust
aboutwhiteness,butabouttheworldassuch,thentheywouldbelesslikelytoberacists.AsFiona
Nicoll(1999)andGhassanHage(1998)haveargued,thediscourseoftoleranceinvolvesapresumption
thatracismiscausedbyignorance,andthatantiracismwillcomeaboutthroughmoreknowledge.We
mustcontesttheclassismoftheassumptionthatracismiscausedbyignorancewhichallowsracismto
beseenaswhattheworkingclasses(orotherlessliterateothers)do.Howdoesthisclassismtravelinto
thesubjectconstitutionofwhitenessstudies?
39.Isuspectitdoes,oratleastthatitcoulddo.PhilCohenforhasexamplehassuggestedthatwhiteness
hasinthelastfewyears,undergonearadicalreinvention;itisaselfconsciousandcritical,nottaken
forgrantedordisavowed(1997,244).Heistalkingaboutwhitenesshere,ratherthanwhitenessstudies.
Butwhoisbeingaddressedinthisaffirmationofanewwhiteness?Thisideaofanewwhiteness,whichis
selfconsciousandcritical,isaboutaparticularkindofwhitesubject,onethatisnotequallyavailableto
allwhites,letaloneanyothers.Ihavealreadysuggestedthatthetermcriticalfunctionswithinthe
academytodifferentiatebetweenthegoodandthebad,theprogressiveandtheconservative,wherewe
alwayslineupwiththeformer.Thetermcriticalmightevensuggesttheproductionofgood
knowledge.Thetermselfconscioushasitsowngenealogy;itsownconditionsofemergence.Aself
conscioussubjectisonethatturnsitsgazetowardsitself,andthatmightmanageitself,orreflectupon
itself,oreventurnitselfintoaproject(Rose1999).Suchaselfconscioussubjectisclassicallya
bourgeoissubject,onewhohasthetimeandresourcestobeaself,asasubjectthathasdepthwhichone
canbeconsciousabout,inthefirstplace(Skeggs2004).Thetermselfconsciousmightevensuggestthe
productionofagoodsubject,onewhohaspositiveattributes.

40.Thefantasythatorganisesthisnewwhitesubject/knowledgeformationisthatstudyingwhitenesswill
makewhitepeople,selfconsciousandcritical.Thisisaprogressivestory:thewhitesubject,bylearning
(aboutthemselves?)willnolongertakeforgrantedorevendisavowtheirwhiteness.Thefantasy
presumesthattobecriticalandselfconsciousisagoodthing,andiseventheconditionofpossibilityfor
antiracism(seealsopaperbyWestcottinthisissue).Isuspectonecanbeaselfconsciouswhiteracist,
butthatsbesidethepoint.Thepointisthatracismisnotsimplyaboutignorance,orstereotypical
knowledge.Wecanlearnaboutracismandexpresswhiteprivilegeintheverypresumptionofthe
entitlementtolearnortoselfconsciousness.WecouldevenrecallheretheMarxiancritiqueofself
consciousnessaspredicatedonthedistinctionbetweenmentalandmanuallabour,andassupportedby
theconcealmentofthemanuallabourofothers(MarxandEngels1969).Indeed,iflearningabout
whitenessbecomesasubjectskillandasubjectspecificskill,thenlearnedwhitesarepreciselygiven
privilegeoverothers,whetherthoseothersareunlearnedwhitesorlearningorunlearnednonwhite
others.Studyingwhitenesscaninvolvetheclaimingofaprivilegedwhiteidentityasthesubjectwho
knows.Myargumentsuggeststhatwecannotsimplyunlearnprivilegewhentheculturesinwhich
learningtakeplaceareshapedbyprivilege.

Declaration6
Iam/wearecoloured(too)

41.Myfinaldeclarationreturnsustothequestionofthecolourofwhiteness.AsDyerswork(1997)
pointsoutsobeautifully,whitenessisoftenseenastheabsenceofcolour:colouriswhatotherpeople
have(blacknessascoloured).Tolearntoseewhitenessasacolourratherthananabsenceofcolouris
crucialtothemarkingofwhiteness.

42.Butthedeclarationthatwhitenessisacolour(too)canactuallyfunctionasareturnaddressthat
exerciseswhiteprivilege.Forexample,theturntowardsthelanguageofdiversitywithinAustraliaand
UKisoftenmadethroughtheadoptionofthelanguageofcolour.Racebecomesaquestionofsurface,of
differentcolours,whereinbeingacolour,whitenessbecomesjustacolour,alongwithothercolours.In
otherwords,thetransformationofwhitenessintoacolourcanworktoconcealthepowerandprivilegeof
whiteness:assuch,itcanexercisethatprivilege.Thisistherainbowviewofmulticulturalism,or
multiculturalismasacolourspectrum(Lury1996).Inparticular,Iaminterestedinexploringhowthe
rainbowviewinvolvesaclaimofwhitenessasanalongsideness.

43.Thisneutralizationofthedifferenceofwhitenesscanoperatewithoutreferencetocolour.IntheUK,
itisnowcommontosayequalityanddiversityarenotjustforminorities,theyareforeveryone.White
peopleareincludedinthiseveryone.Nowatonelevelthisinclusionisuseful:itstopsequalitybeing
seenassimplyaprojectforminorities:whitepeopletoohavearesponsibilityinthestruggleagainst
inequalityandracism.Racismdoesinthiswayaffecteverybody,includingthosewhomitgivesprivilege,
andhencetheresponsibilityforantiracismshouldbeeveryones.Buttheeveryoneisambivalent:it
canalsoimplythatwhitepeoplearepartoftheeveryone,notonlyinthesenseofsharingresponsibility
(whichisofcourseahoperatherthanasocialgiven),butalsointhesensethattheysufferdiscrimination.
Theeveryonecanworktoconcealinequalitiesthatstructurethepresent.Whenwhites,amongstothers,
areincludingintheeveryone,thentheycanbecomepresentasjustanotherminority.

44.TheconsultationdocumentproducedbytheWomenandEqualityUnitintheUK,Equalityand
Diversity:MakingitHappen,states:Weneedtomovebeyondtheideathatdiscriminationlegislationis
onlyaboutprotectingminoritygroups,importantthoughthatthis.Itisnowverymuchaboutproviding
protectionforeveryone.Here,everyoneneedsprotection,notjustminoritygroups.Assuch,everyone
suffersdiscrimination.Beingacolouramongstothercoloursbecomesaclaimtobeingdiscriminated
againstalongwithothers.Weneedtoreadthisneutralizationofhierarchywithcare.ThedeclarationI
am/weareacoloureddoeshave,initsform,thebracketedtoo.Thetoooftenevokesapronoun,even
whenthepronounisnotused:thespeechacttakestheformofametoo,orwetoo.Metoo,Ihave
suffered;wetoo,wehavesuffered.Itisalmostasifthewhitesubjectsuffersfrombeingleftoutofwhat
getsputinplacetodealwiththeeffectsofwhiteprivilege.

45.So,althoughtheweareallcolourslanguagedoesnotnecessarilytaketheformofalanguageof
injury,itprovidestheconditionsfortheuseofsuchlanguage:here,everybodymightbeinjured,mightbe
victimsofdiscrimination,evenracism,whateveryourcolour.Withinfascismtheclaimisstronger:the
whitesubjectistheonewhoisinjuredbyothersandneedstobeprotectedfromothers.Here,theclaimis
thatthewhitebodiesareinjuredalongwiththebodiesofothers,andneedtobeprotectedalongwith
others.Thedeclarationwearecolouredtoohenceallowsthedisappearanceoftheprivilegeof
whiteness,orthedisappearanceoftheverticalaxis;thewaysinwhichwhitebodiesarentsimplyplaced
horizontallyalongsideotherbodies.Totreatwhitebodiesasiftheywerebodiesalongsideothersisto
imaginethatwecanundotheverticalaxisofracethroughthedeclarationofalongsideness.

Conclusion

46.Imustadmittomyownanxietiesinwritingaboutsuchdeclarationsasnonperformative.Itfeelsabit
smugtobecriticalofwhitenessstudies,andevencriticalofcriticalwhitenessstudies,giventhatIhave
alreadyadmittedthatIdonotidentifywiththisfield.SowhereamIinthiscritique?ThereIam,you
mightsay,writingraceequalitypoliciesthatgetusedbymyuniversityasanindicatorofitsgood
performance.ThecritiqueIamoffering,asaBlackfeminist,isacritiqueofsomethinginwhichIam
implicated,insofarasracismstructurestheinstitutionalspaceinwhichImakemycritique,andeventhe
verytermsoutofwhichImakeit.Inthefaceofhowmuchweareinit,ourquestionmightbecome:is
antiracismimpossible?

47.GiventhatBlackpolitics,inallitsvariedforms,hasworkedtochallengetheongoingforceof
racism,thentoevenquestionwhetherantiracismispossibleseemsmisguidedandcouldevenbeseenas
adenialofthehistoricalfactofpoliticalagency.Surelythecommitmenttobeingagainstracismhas
donethingsandcontinuestodothings.Whatwemightrememberisthattobeagainstsomethingis
preciselynottobeinapositionoftranscendence:tobeagainstsomethingis,afterall,tobeinanintimate
relationwiththatwhichoneisagainst.Tobeantithisorantithatonlymakessenseifthisorthat
exists.Themessyworkofagainstnessmightevenhelpremindusthattheworkofcritiquedoesnot
meanthetranscendenceoftheobjectofourcritique;indeed,critiquemightevenbedependentonnon
transcendence.

48.Soourtaskmightbetocritiquethepresumptionthattobeagainstracismistotranscendracism.I
hencewouldnotfollowcriticssuchasPaulGilroyinsuggestingantiracismneedstogobeyondracein
ordertoavoidthereificationofrace(2000,5153).Iamverysympathetictothelogicofthisargument.
Butformewecannotdoawaywithrace,unlessracismisdoneaway'.Racismworkstoproduceraceas
ifitwasapropertyofbodies(biologicalessentialism)orcultures(culturalessentialism).Raceexistsasan
effectofhistoriesofracismashistoriesofthepresent.Categoriessuchasblack,white,Asian,mixed
race,andsoonhavelives,buttheydonothavelivesontheirown,asitwere.Theybecomefetish
objects(blackis,whiteis)onlybybeingcutofffromhistoriesoflabour,aswellashistoriesofcirculation
andexchange.Suchcategoriesareeffectsandtheyhaveaffects:ifweareseentoinhabitthisorthat
category,itshapeswhatwecando,evenifitdoesnotfullydetermineourcourseofaction.Thinking
beyondraceinaworldthatisdeeplyracistisabestaformofutopianism,atworseaformofneo
liberalism:itimagineswecouldgetbeyondrace,supportingtheillusionthatsocialhierarchiesare
undoneoncewehaveseenthroughthem(seealsopaperbyHaggisinthisissue).

49.Forme,thetaskistobuilduponBlackactivismandscholarshipthatshowshowracismoperatesto
shapethesurfacesofbodiesandworlds.Iamnotsayingthatunderstandingracismwillnecessarilymake
usnonracistorevenantiracist,althoughofcourseIsometimeswishthiswastrue.Butrace,likesex,is
sticky;itstickstous,orwebecomeusasaneffectofhowitsticks,evenwhenwethinkwearebeyond
it.Beginningtolivewiththatstickiness,tothinkit,feelit,doit,isaboutcreatingaspacetodealwiththe
effectsofracism.Weneedtodealwiththeeffectsofracisminawaythatisbetter.Racismhaseffects,
includingthediminishingofcapacitiesforaction,whichisanotherwayofdescribingtheexistentialand
materialrealitiesofrace.Livingwithracismwouldbefindingawaytobelessdiminishedbyitseffects.
Thisisnottopositracismastheoriginofeverything,whichwouldbetocreateanewmetaphysicsof
race.Racismisawayofdescribinghistoriesofstruggle,repeatedovertimeandwithforce,thathave
producedtheverysubstanceormatterwecallinadequatelyrace.

50.Thismightsoundlikeanargumentabouttheperformativityofrace.Iamsympatheticwiththeidea
thatraceisperformativeinJudithButlers(1993)senseoftheterm:raceasacategoryisbroughtinto
existencebybeingrepeatedovertime(raceisaneffectofracialisation).Ihaveevenarguedforthe
performativityofracemyself(Ahmed2002).ButthroughoutthispaperIhaveinsistedonthenon
performativityofantiracism.Itmight,seemnow,aratheroddtactic.Ifraceisperformative,andisitself
aneffectofracism,thenwhyisntantiracismperformativeaswell?Isantiracismaformofrace
troublethatisperformativeasitexposestheperformativityofrace,andwhichbycitingthetermsof
racism(suchaswhite)allowsthosetermstoacquirenewmeanings?Iwouldsuggestthepotential
exposureoftheperformativityofracedoesnotmakeantiracismperformativeasaspeechact.AsI
statedinmyintroduction,IamusingperformativityinAustinssenseasreferringtoaparticularclassof
speech,wheretheissuingoftheutteranceistheperformingofanaction(1975,6).Insuchspeechthe
sayingisthedoing;itisnotthatsayingsomethingleadstosomething,butthatitdoessomethingatthe
momentofsaying.Itisimportanttonoteherethat,forAustin,performativityisnotaqualityofasignor
anutterance;itdoesnotresidewithinthesign,asifthesignwasmagical.Foranutterancetobe
performative,certainconditionshavetobemet.Whentheseconditionsaremet,thentheperformativeis
happy.Thismodelintroducesaclassofunhappyperformatives:utterancesthatwoulddosomethingif
therightconditionshadbeenmet,butwhichdonotdothatthing,astheconditionshavenotbeenmet.

51.Iwouldhastentoaddthatinmyviewperformativityhasbecomeratherbanalandoverusedwithin
academicwriting;itseemsasifalmosteverythingisperformative,whereperformativeisusedasaway
ofindicatingthatsomethingisbroughtintoexistencethroughspeech,representation,writing,law,
practice,ordiscourse.Partly,Iamcritiquingthisbanalisationoftheperformative,aswellashow
performativityasaconceptcanbeusedinawaythatforgetshowperformativitydependsuponthe
repetitionofconventionsandprioractsofauthorization(seeButler1997).Iamalsosuggestingthatthe
logicthatspeechbringsthingsintoexistence(asaformforpositiveaction)onlygoessofar,andindeed
theclaimthatsayingisdoingcanbypassthatwaysinwhichsayingisnotsufficientforanaction,andcan
evenbeasubstituteforaction.

52.Myconcernwiththenonperformativityofantiracismhashencebeentoexaminehowsayingsare
notalwaysdoings,ortoputitmorestrongly,toshowhowtheinvestmentinsayingasifsayingwasdoing
canactuallyextendratherthanchallengeracism.Implicitly,IamcritiquingaclaimthatIhavenot
properlyattributed:thatis,theclaimthatantiracismisperformative.Iwouldarguethatthesix
declarationsofwhitenessIhaveanalysedfunctionasimplicitclaimstotheperformativityofantiracism.
Theclaimtotheperformativityofantiracismwouldbetopresumethatbeingantiistranscendent,and
thattodeclareoneselfasbeingsomethingshowsthatoneisnotthethingthatonedeclaresoneselftobe.
Itmightbeassumedthatthespeechactofdeclaringoneself(tobewhite,orlearned,orracist)worksas
itbringsintoexistencethenonorantiracistsubjectorinstitution.NoneoftheseclaimsIhave
investigatedoperateassimpleclaims.NoneofthemsayI/wearenotracistsorI/weareantiracists,as
ifthatwasanaction.Theyaremorecomplexutterances,forsure.Theyhaveaveryspecificform:they
defineracisminaparticularway,andthentheyimplyIamnotorwearenotthat.
53.Soitisnotthatsuchspeechactssayweareantiracists(andsayingmakesusso);rathertheysay
wearethis,whilstracismisthat,soinbeingthiswearenotthat,wherethatwouldberacist.So
insayingweareracedaswhites,thenwearenotracists,asracismoperatesthroughtheunmarkednature
ofwhiteness;orinsayingweareracists,thenwearenotracists,asracistsdontknowtheyareracists;or
inexpressingshameaboutracism,thenwearenotracists,asracistsareshameless;orinsayingweare
positiveaboutourracialidentity,asanidentitythatispositiveinsofarasitinvolvesacommitmentto
antiracism,thenwearenotracists,asracistsareunhappy,orinbeingselfcriticalaboutracism,thenwe
arenotracists,asracistsareignorant;orinsayingweexistalongsideothers,thenwearenotracists,as
racistsseethemselvesasaboveothers,andsoon.

54.Thesestatementsfunctionasclaimstoperformativityratherthanasperformatives,wherebythe
declarationofwhitenessisassumedtoputinplacetheconditionsinwhichracismcanbetranscended,or
attheveryleastreducedinitspower.Anypresumptionthatsuchstatementsareformsofpoliticalaction
wouldbeanoverestimationofthepowerofsaying,andevenaperformanceoftheveryprivilegethat
suchstatementsclaimtheyundo.Thedeclarativemode,asawayofdoingsomething,involvesafantasy
oftranscendenceinwhichwhatistranscendedistheverythingadmittedtointhedeclaration:so,to
putitsimply,ifweadmittobeingbad,thenweshowthatwearegood(seealsopaperbyHillandRiggs
inthisissue).SoitisinthisspecificsensethatIhavearguedthatantiracismisnotperformative.Orwe
couldevensaythatantiracistspeechinaracistworldisanunhappyperformative:theconditionsare
notinplacethatwouldallowsuchsayingtodowhatitsays.

55.Ourtaskisnottorepeatantiracistspeechinthehopethatitwillacquireperformativity.Norshould
webesatisfiedwiththetermsofracism,orhopetheywillacquirenewmeanings,orevenlookfornew
terms.Instead,antiracismrequiresmuchharderwork,asitrequiresworkingwithracismasanongoing
realityinthepresent.Antiracismrequiresinterventionsinthepoliticaleconomyofrace,andhowracism
distributesresourcesandcapacitiesunequallyamongstothers.Thoseunequaldistributionsalsoaffectthe
businessofspeech,andwhogetstosaywhat,aboutwhom,andwhere.Weneedtoconsiderthe
intimacybetweenprivilegeandtheworkwedo,evenintheworkwedoonprivilege.

56.Youmightnotbesurprisedtohearthatawhiteresponsetothispaperhasaskedthequestion,but
whatarewhitepeopletodo.Thatquestionisnotnecessarilymisguided,althoughitdoesrecenteron
whiteagency,asahopepremisedonlackratherthanpresence.Itisaquestionaskedpersistentlyin
responsetohearingaboutracismandcolonialism:Ialwaysrememberbeinginanaudiencetoapaperon
thestolengenerationandthefirstquestionaskedwas:butwhatcanwedo.Theimpulsetowardsaction
isunderstandableandcomplicated;itcanbebothadefenseagainsttheshockofhearingaboutracism
(andtheshockofthecomplicityrevealedbytheveryshockthatthiswasashock);itcanbean
impulsetoreconciliationasarecoveringofthepast(thedesiretofeelbetter);itcanbeaboutmaking
publiconesjudgment(whathappenedwaswrong);oritcanbeanexpressionofsolidarity(Iamwith
you);oritcansimplyanorientationtowardstheopennessofthefuture(rephrasedas:whatcanbe
done?).Butthequestion,inallofthesemodesofutterance,canworktoblockhearing;inmovingon
fromthepresenttowardsthefuture,itcanalsomoveawayfromtheobjectofcritique,orplacethewhite
subjectoutsidethatcritiqueinthepresentofthehearing.Inotherwords,thedesiretoact,tomove,or
eventomoveon,canstopthemessagegettingthrough.

57.Toheartheworkofexposurerequiresthatwhitesubjectsinhabitthecritique,withitslengthy
duration,andtorecognisetheworldthatisredescribedbythecritiqueasoneinwhichtheylive.The
desiretoactinanonracistorantiracistwaywhenonehearsaboutracism,inmyview,canfunctionasa
defenseagainsthearinghowthatracismimplicateswhichsubjects,inthesensethatitshapesthespaces
inhabitedbywhitesubjectsintheunfinishedpresent.Suchaquestioncanevenallowthewhitesubjectto
reemergeasanagentinthefaceoftheexposureofracism,bysayingIamnotthat(theracistsofwhom
youspeak),asanexpressionofgoodfaith.Thedesireforaction,oreventhedesiretobeseenasthe
goodwhiteantiracistsubject,isnotalwaysaformofbadfaith,thatis,itdoesnotnecessarilyinvolvethe
concealmentofracism.Butsuchaquestionrushestooquicklypasttheexposureofracismandhence
riskssuchconcealmentintheveryreturnofitsaddress.

58.Iamofcourseriskingbeingseenasproducingauselesscritiquebynotprescribingwhatananti
racistwhitenessstudieswouldbe,orbynotofferingsomesuggestionsaboutwhatwhitepeoplecando.
Iamhappytotakethatrisk.Atthesametime,Ithinkitisquiteclearthatmycritiqueofantiracist
whitenessisprescriptive.Afterall,Iamarguingthatwhitenessstudies,eveninitscriticalform,should
notbeaboutredescribingthewhitesubjectasantiracist,orconstituteitselfasaformofantiracism,or
evenasprovidingtheconditionsforantiracism.Whitenessstudiesshouldinsteadbeaboutattendingto
formsofwhiteracismandwhiteprivilegethatarenotundone,andmayevenberepeatedandintensified,
throughdeclarationsofwhiteness,orthroughtherecognitionofprivilegeasprivilege.

59.Inmakingthisprescription,itisimportantthatIdonotrushtoinhabitabeyondtotheworkof
exposingracism,asthatwhichstructuresthepresentthatwedifferentlyinhabit.Atthesametime,itis
alwaystemptingtoendonesworkwithanexpressionofpoliticalhope.Suchhopeiswhatmakesthe
workofcritiquepossible,inthesensethatwithouthope,thefuturewouldbedecided,andtherewouldbe
nothinglefttodo.Perhapsitstimetoreturntotheturnofwhitenessstudies,byaskingwhereelsewe
mightturn.Ifwhitenessstudiesturnstowardswhiteprivilege,asthatwhichenablesandendures
declarationsofwhiteness,thenthisdoesnotsimplyinvolveturningtowardsthewhitesubject,which
wouldamounttothenarcissismofaperpetualreturn.Rather,whitenessstudiesshouldinvolveatleasta
doubleturn:toturntowardswhitenessistoturntowardsandawayfromthosebodieswhohavebeen
affordedagencyandmobilitybysuchprivilege.Inotherwords,thetaskforwhitesubjectswouldbeto
stayimplicatedinwhattheycritique,butinturningtowardstheirroleandresponsibilityinthesehistories
ofracism,ashistoriesofthispresent,toturnawayfromthemselves,andtowardsothers.Thisdouble
turnisnotsufficient,butitclearssomeground,uponwhichtheworkofexposingracismmightprovide
theconditionsforanotherkindofwork.Wedontknow,asyet,whatsuchconditionsmightbe,or
whetherweareevenuptothetaskofrecognizingthem.

SaraAhmedhasrecentlytakenupanewpostasReaderinRaceandCulturalStudies,Goldsmiths
College,UniversityofLondon.Herwritingsinclude:DifferencesthatMatter:FeministTheoryand
Postmodernism(1998);StrangeEncounters:EmbodiedOthersinPostColoniality(2000)andThe
CulturalPoliticsofEmotion(2004).Sheiscurrentlyworkingontwobooks:Orientations:Towardsa
QueerPhenomenologyandDoingDiversity:RacismandEducatedSubjects.Thelatterbookwill
drawondatacollectedfromtheresearchprojectIntegratingDiversity?Gender,Raceand
LeadershipinthePost16SkillsSector,whichishousedinWomen'sStudies,LancasterUniversity
andtheCentreofExcellenceforLeadership(CEL),andisfundedbytheDfES.Theproject,which
shecodirectswithElaineSwan,asksthequestion'whatdoesdiversitydo'withinthecontextof
adultandcommunitylearning,furthereducationandhighereducationintheUK,andincludes
comparativeanalysesofthe'turns'todiversitywithinAustraliaandCanada.Email:
s.ahmed@gold.ac.uk

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