Key Takeaways and Concepts
- Two key features of caste systems are the use of scapegoating and “policing,” methods designed to keep the subordinate caste “in the basement.”
- Some key concepts in this section are:
- Dominant group status threat
- Intergenerational wealth gap
- Intrusions – a more neutral term Wilkerson uses instead of “microaggressions”
Discussion Questions
How does “central miscasting” (Chapter 10) appear in our students, classrooms, and educational systems? What are the effects?
Researchers found that by adulthood, 80% of Whites and roughly one third of Blacks hold unconscious, automatic negative biases against Black people (Chapter 11). These automatic thoughts are deeply ingrained so people may not realize how their behavior is being shaped. How can we deal with this unconscious bias as medical school faculty and staff?
What is the dominant group status threat, and how is it manifested in the statements, “Who are you if there is no one to be better than?” and “The assumptions of superiority can burden those at the top with unsustainable expectations of needing to be several rungs above” (Caste, p. 183). How does this concept help us understand what has happened in the U.S. in the recent past?
Wilkerson provides numerous stories about caste status playing out in everyday situations through scapegoating and “policing” – methods to keep the subordinate caste “in the basement.” Which stories impacted you most? Can you think of any stories of your own – ones that have affected you, that you have witnessed, or even participated in?
