Exploring racism.

Full Abstract

Whilst the concept of 'race' has no basis in genetics or biology, the dynamics of racism pervade all aspects of modern life--including the consulting room. In this paper the relationship between a white therapist and a black patient is explored through an unbidden thought and a verbal slip that occurred in the course of the therapy. The amplification and examination of these unwanted 'slips' are used to shed light on the subtleties of the effects of difference in colour on the relationship. It is argued here that the interaction reflects and illuminates the asymmetrical relationship between 'black' and 'white' in modern-western society. This is then considered using the concepts of the cultural unconscious and social unconscious as ways of understanding the tenacity of racism in ourselves.

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Author information

Author/s: Morgan, Helen (H);

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The Journal of analytical psychology (J Anal Psychol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Oct; vol 47 (issue 4) : pp 567-81

Dates: Created 2002/11/05; Completed 2003/02/21; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12416293, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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