The Double Consciousness And African American
The main argument surrounding sociological theories of the self it that our individual selves are the results of ‘social processes constructed and reconstruct through ongoing social interaction’. (Itzigsohn & Brown, 2015 pg. 232) For Mead, what characterises the self is that ‘it Is an object to itself’. (Mead, 1964 pg. 200) Explained In simpler terms, the individual self emerges through processes of social interactions as a result of the ability of individuals to reflect on themselves, their actions and their beliefs by taking the positions of other individuals. The self develops from internalising the view that others have of us and at the core of this are the acts of mutual recognition and communication between individuals within society. Racism has become a prominent discussion throughout society for decades, and racial discrimination is one of the many terms used to describe the mistreatment of a person or a group as a result of their race, solely their physical features and cultural beliefs.
It is a concept prominent in our contemporary society and is at the core of the work of Du Bois and his theorised concepts surrounding double consciousness, the veil and colour blindness. Drawing upon ‘The Final Quarter’ (2019) we analyse the way individuals perpetuate racism in sport, and argue how the notions of race are expressed and contested at both individual and societal levels. It is through society’s influence that we look to analyse and understand what drives racism, how race is influenced by societies preconceived idea’s and opinions, using them as a way to outcast minority groups within society and how double consciousness is experienced by society in regards to racial discrimination in both society and sport.
Double consciousness was first introduced by Du Bois in his work ‘The Souls of Black Folk’ (1903) where Du Bois describes double consciousness as ‘this sense of always looking at ones self through the eyes of others’. (Du Bois, 1903 pg. 07) The concept describes the feelings individuals experience when they feel they have more than one social identity, making it difficult to develop a sense of self. Often experienced by cultural minorities, Du Bois (1982) theorised that the process of becoming a social minority involves the membership of two different group’s of communities that ultimately result in the pressure to adhere to both sets of standards and / or evaluating oneself on the basis of others perceptions and attitudes. ‘Double consciousness is a way of explaining the conflict that can exist between one’s positive self perception and the negative perception of others’. (Harriford and Thompson, 2017 pg. 39)
Despite arguments that we live in a post racial society, there are still many disadvantages and inequalities based upon race that make it difficult for people of colour to reconcile their identities as both black and as members of dominant white societies. For Indigenous Australian’s, despite being the traditional owners of Australian land, since white settlement they have experienced racism and discrimination, despite their ancestry. Creating a war between past and present and between identifying with their traditional culture and feeling obligated to conform to the radicalised society they are surrounded. by. ‘For black people, double consciousness is a simultaneous sense of one’s self ad dynamic and evolving alongside the sense of being despised, guarding against the daily stereotypes projected onto one’s humanity’. (Harriford and Thompson, 2017 pg. 42) The perceived attitudes and evolution of race contribute to the experiences of double consciousness Indigenous Australian’s face to celebrate their culture while trying to conform to a radicalised white society and society often find it challenging to embrace our nation’s celebrated history since white settlement when confronted with the harsh realities behind the mistreatment and ancestral history of the Indigenous Australians
