A webpage hosted by a research lab at a major state university frames the societal challenges of racism through a startling lens: a “whiteness pandemic.” The site, belonging to the University of Minnesota’s Culture and Family Lab, doesn’t simply acknowledge racial bias, but posits a pervasive cultural force needing active intervention.
The webpage directly addresses individuals raised in the United States, asserting their participation in this “whiteness pandemic.” It specifically calls upon those identifying as White to leverage their “power and privilege” to actively “halt and reverse” the issue, framing it as a moral imperative.
The lab’s approach centers on the idea that racism isn’t merely a series of individual acts, but a deeply ingrained cultural system. This system, characterized by “colorblindness, passivity, and White fragility,” is identified as the core driver of racial inequality, originating and perpetuating itself within family structures.
The website emphasizes personal responsibility, stating that while socialization into “the culture of Whiteness” isn’t inherently a fault, adults have a duty to engage in self-reflection and “re-education.” This includes cultivating a “healthy positive White identity” alongside “courageous antiracist parenting.”
Resources provided on the site include materials geared specifically towards White parents, referencing the death of George Floyd and offering guidance on fostering racial awareness in children. The goal is to equip parents with tools to address the perceived insidious spread of this cultural phenomenon.
Research highlighted on the webpage, based on a survey of predominantly liberal White mothers with substantial incomes, concludes that family socialization perpetuates U.S. racism through these ingrained cultural traits. The study explicitly links these dynamics to the “whiteness pandemic.”
The project receives funding from sources including the National Institute of Mental Health, lending institutional weight to the research. The site also features literature from prominent voices in anti-racism scholarship, offering further avenues for exploration.
Critics argue this framing is a form of divisive ideology infiltrating higher education. Concerns have been raised about the legitimization of these ideas through academic research and the potential for biased programming within public universities.
The university itself defends the webpage as an exercise in academic freedom, maintaining its commitment to open inquiry and diverse perspectives. However, this comes amidst broader scrutiny of the university’s curriculum and its embrace of ethnic studies lessons with explicitly progressive viewpoints.
This situation is part of a larger trend, with reports indicating the University of Minnesota is also providing K-12 teachers with lessons promoting causes like defunding the police and highlighting the dangers of “white supremacy” and “settler colonialism.”
