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Race versus the human
1Department of Education and Social Justice, School of Education, University of Birmingham.
The American Psychologist
|December 11, 2025
Summary
Western colonialism's racialization profoundly damages Black individuals, hindering their ability to experience themselves as fully human. This decolonial study explores psychological harm and rehumanization possibilities.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Decolonial Studies
Background:
- Western colonial powers imposed racial hierarchies, impacting global psychological well-being.
- The concept of race and its enforcement through racialization are key mechanisms of colonial power.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the conflict between race and humanity from a decolonial perspective.
- To investigate how individuals racialized as Black can assert their humanity.
- To analyze the psychological consequences of race and racialization.
Main Methods:
- Developed a methodology for analyzing dehumanization.
- Interrogated the relationship between the colonial world, race, and psychological experience.
- Drew on the work of Black decolonial scholars like Du Bois, Fanon, and Wynter.
Main Results:
- Psychological damage resulting from race is severe and dehumanizing.
- Racialization practices prevent individuals racialized as Black from experiencing themselves as human.
- The practice of 'race-ing' obstructs knowledge of humanity and human-to-human connection.
Conclusions:
- The field of psychology can contribute to decolonial efforts aimed at rehumanization.
- Addressing the psychological impacts of race is crucial for decolonization.
- Reclaiming humanity requires challenging the constructs of race and racialization.
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