Systemic Racism in Science

Racism in science is a systemic problem that has been present for centuries.

The systems that produce and teach scientific knowledge have misrepresented, marginalized and mistreated people of colour and under-represented communities1. The research system has justified racism — and, too often, scientists in positions of power have benefited from it. Source

Some scientists propose that systemic racism itself is not a central threat to science, but rather it is the attempts by the academy, scientific organizations, and journals to ameliorate the impacts of racism and to develop anti-racist structures that is the problem. Such assertions appear in articles, editorials, and academic essays and give voice to the argument that the quest to redress racism in science is problematic and that the quality and future of scientific endeavors are suffering for it. Source

Among those worst excesses is racism. For centuries, science has built a legacy of excluding people of colour and those from other historically marginalized groups from the scientific enterprise. Institutions and scientists have used research to underpin discriminatory thinking and have prioritized research outputs that ignore and further disadvantage marginalized people. Source

Racism in science is endemic because the systems that produce and teach scientific knowledge have, for centuries, misrepresented, marginalized and mistreated people of colour and under-represented communities. The research system has justified racism — and, too often, scientists in positions of power have benefited from it. Source

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