Job Discussion Forums

[johnslat]

Well, there's my example. I've taught in Indonesia and in the Middle East. In both places I had Black colleagues. Based on what I saw and on what those colleagues confided, I'd have to say that Blacks would be far less likely to encounter racism/prejudice/discrimination in Indonesia than is, say, Saudi Arabia.
Regards,
John

[Kootvela]

What about white people, such as me?

[johnslat]

Dear Kootvela,
Well, the OP was asking about "mixed-race." I don't think whites (such as you and I) get to experience much racism directed towards us in too many places - although I suppose that in some African countries, whites might experience racism (Zimbabwe, perhaps) - though in none of the ones I've visited (Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Morocco, Algeria) did I ever experience any.
Whites from the USA could very well have negative experiences these days, as the administration in office has, over the last 7 1/2 years seemingly done its best to ensure that Americans are disliked by many other nationalities and loathed by some.
As an aside, I once did experience racism - in the USA, when I attended Florida A&M, a school whose student and staff population is about 98% Black. My Black English Literature teacher gave me a failing grade on a paper I had written about "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison. When I asked him why he'd failed me, he said that no white person could ever understand or interpret the writings of a black person. I replied that, in that case, I felt sorry for him. When he demanded to know why I felt that way, I told him it was because if he was right, then he would never be able to understand the writings of any white person or, for that matter, any woman writer, whether she was white or black.
To his credit, he adjusted the grade to a "B" (but it should have been an "A.")
Regards,
John

[MO39]

I don't know if this could be considered racism, but in Mexico (and no doubt elsewhere in Latin America), white women are considered a real "catch" by many men and are often pursued (nicely and not so nicely) for their skin color rather than for their other qualities. It's very prestigious to have a white girlfriend by your side, and even better if she's a blonde!

[Kootvela]

I was turned down for a job in UK because of my accent (we did a phone interview). I find it quite racist as well because the UK accent isn't the most important thing in the world, esp. with all this 'communicative' crutch method around.

[johnslat]

Dear Kootvela,
Sorry to hear that. However, I don't think that would fall into the category of "racial prejudice." Ethnic prejudice, maybe, or (I'm making up a new concept here) dialectical prejudice.
But I think racial prejudice is based on the (to my mind mistaken) notion that the human race is divided into "Caucasoid (or Caucasian), Mongoloid, Negroid, and in some systems Australoid" populations (although historically, the number of such "races" has varied between three and thirty.)
Regards,
John

[JZer]

[Kootvela]

[MO39]

[Kootvela]

No, the position was open to anybody just EU nationals were preferred (visa stuff, I guess).

[MO39]

[Kootvela]

The fact they didn't mention it was why I replied to their ad in the first place.

I think even with the red tape thing the schools that ask for EU nationals and native speakers will soon a) have to pay a LOT to their staff for keeping them b) bankrupt unless thei hire non-native speakers because I can hardly imagine the UK moving to Europe for teaching purposes!

[guty]

[JZer]

[JZer]