Language as Microaggression: the New Lexicon of American Racism

There are countless occasions where marginalized groups bear witness to language-based discriminatory practices. Language, as defined here, is a species of symbolism. After reviewing the sociological literature, the term "microaggressions" appears to best describe the phenomena in its everyday occurrences. Microaggressions are "the brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, sexual-orientation, and religious slights and insults to the target person or group" (Sue, Capodilupo, et al., 2007; Sue, 2010). Sue classifies microaggressions into three forms: microassaults, microinsults, microinvalidations. The purpose of the project was tri-fold. By an analogous process of inference and conjecture, I demonstrate how Sue's taxonomy of microaggressive forms are grades of subjective intensity that are presupposed, if not conceptually integrated. First, an overview of the theory of double consciousness and the literature on microaggressions is presented. Six participants were interviewed, analyzed and then classified into Sue's taxonomy. Responses indicated that microaggressions are real despite their subtle, phantasmal and illusory nature. Additional findings suggest that Sue's microaggressive forms may not only be categorical, but also the locus of a proposition, or 'lure for feeling.' Implications for these subtle intensities are considered, then compared and contrasted with a transmutated concept of Du Boisian double consciousness to demonstrate through a theory of perception the limitations of Sue's Microaggression Process Model. Examples from popular culture are considered throughout the study for added clarity.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. in Southern Studies

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Thurmond, Juan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Zandria Robinson
• Kirk Johnson
• Jeffrey Jackson

• Language
• Microaggression
• Race
• American Studies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/283

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:egrove.olemiss.edu:etd-1282