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Social Justice: Implicit Bias and Microagressions

This guide was compiled as an introduction to resources on the topics of (1) racial disparity, (2) racial diversity, (3) implicit bias & microaggression, (4) cultural sensitivity, & (5) protests.

Implicit Bias and Microagressions

Implicit bias refers to negative unconscious prejudices, stereotypes, or beliefs held by a person that they may be unaware of having. Despite this unawareness, implicit biases are often expressed in real-life situations through a person's actions and attitudes and thus have real-world implications.

"Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership. In many cases, these hidden messages may invalidate the group identity or experiential reality of target persons, demean them on a personal or group level, communicate they are lesser human beings, suggest they do not belong with the majority group, threaten and intimidate, or relegate them to inferior status and treatment" (Source: Derald Wing Sue, “Microaggressions: More than Just Race”).

This section offers resources that explain implicit bias and microaggressions, as well as content to help people recognize their own biases, and ways to mitigate some of their effects.


Table of Contents: Implicit Bias and Microagressions Section

Books 

Articles

Organizations

Websites

Blogs

Videos


 

Books (available at HUSL Library)

Articles

Organizations

Websites

Blogs

Videos

Hidden Injustice: Bias on the Bench (2016)

This video from the American Bar Association discusses bias in the legal system, judges' experiences taking the implicit bias test, and some ways to mitigate implicit bias in the legal field.


 

New York Times--Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism (2016)

"What is implicit bias? NYT/POV's Saleem Reshamwala unscrews the lid on the unfair effects of our subconscious."


 

PBS NewsHour--How the biases in the back of your mind affect how you feel about race (2015)

"Americans born in the Millennial generation are more likely to say they're not racist and less likely to use racist expressions. But subconscious prejudices still persist. Hari Sreenivasan visits a psychology lab at New York University, where researchers test subjects’ instinct and decision-making to learn more about these implicit biases."


 

TEDx--Implicit Bias -- How it affects us and how we push through | Melanie Funchess | TEDxFlourCity (2014)

Melanie Funchess defines implicit bias, discusses how to recognize our assumptions about unknown people, and shares a way forward.


 

Wiley--Microaggressions in Everyday Life (2010)

"Bestselling author Derald Wing Sue explains what a microaggression is, how it manifests itself, how it impacts people, and what can be done to address it."

 

 

© Howard University School of Law Library.  Questions about this guide should be directed to reference@law.howard.edu.