Author： Rohrer Judy
Publisher： Routledge Ltd
ISSN： 1466-4356
Source： Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol.31, Iss.6, 2008-09, pp. : 1110-1125
Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.
Abstract
This article analyses two dominant discourses of racial politics in Hawai'i and the work they do naturalizing haole (white people or whiteness in Hawai'i) in the islands. The first is the well-worn discourse of racial harmony representing Hawai'i as an idyllic racial paradise with no conflict or inequality. Frequently contrasting the islands with the 'racist mainland', this discourse circulates among many communities and is widely referenced. There is also a competing discourse of discrimination against non-locals which contends that haoles and non-local people of colour are disrespected and treated unfairly in Hawai'i. As negative referents for each other, these discourses work to reinforce one another and are historically linked. I suggest that the question of racial politics be reframed towards consideration of the processes of racialization themselves - towards a new way of thinking about racial politics in Hawai'i that breaks free of the not racist/racist dyad.
Related content
Access to resources
Recommend
Mission Studies, Vol. 10, Iss. 1, 1993-01 ,pp. :
Re-Thinking the Military in Hawai'I
By Ferguson Kathy Turnbull Phyllis Ali Mehmed
Mission Studies, Vol. 10, Iss. 1, 1993-01 ,pp. :
Seeking health care: Marshallese migrants in Hawai'i
Ethnicity and Health, Vol. 13, Iss. 1, 2008-01 ,pp. :