institutional racism

   Sometimes known as systemic racism, institutional racism is a form of racism that occurs in institutions such as corporations and public bodies. The term was originally coined by black American activist Stokely Carmichael in the late 1960s: he defined it as ‘the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin’. In the aftermath of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993, the resulting MacPherson inquiry detected the existence of institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police. He concurred with the above definition and felt that it can be seen ‘in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantages minority ethnic people . . . if the result or outcome of established laws, customs or practices is racially discriminatory, then institutional racism can be said to have occurred’.

   The suggestion underlying the phrase is that in the organisations affected, there exists a culture in which employees at all levels understand that racist language and practices will be acceptable because they are known to have the tacit approval of those at the helm.