Disrupting White Fragility and Colorblind Racism: Using Games to Measure How Race and Ethnicity Courses Change Students’ Racial Ideologies

Authors

Alicia L. Brunson, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow
Christopher Benedict Cartright, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow

Abstract

This research provides instructors teaching race and ethnicity a tool to assess the racial ideologies of their students in the form of “race talk.” In particular, Bonilla-Silva’s (2010) concepts denoting colorblindness and DiAngelo’s (2018) concept of white fragility were measured before and after completing one race and ethnicity course by having students play a live version of the game “Guess Who” (Hasbro Co.). At the end of the course, student responses during the game, and their subsequent reflections, revealed a significant decrease in white fragility. Using this game, instructors can assess students’ racial ideologies and whether or not they have acquired an improved understanding of systemic inequalities by analyzing changes in students’ race talk.

Recommended Citation

Brunson, Alicia L. and Benedict Cartright, Christopher (2020) "Disrupting White Fragility and Colorblind Racism: Using Games to Measure How Race and Ethnicity Courses Change Students’ Racial Ideologies," Race and Pedagogy Journal: Teaching and Learning for Justice: Vol. 4: No. 4, Article 2.
Available at: https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/rpj/vol4/iss4/2