Exploring White Privilege in the Context of Eastern European Culture

Introduction

There is no doubt that, in Eastern Europe, a region of mixed cultural and historical landscapes, the shadow of white privilege and discrimination looms lengthy and complicated. The prevalence of the phenomenon was best illustrated in one story, where an academically successful young Hungarian Roma student was still suffering discrimination and being blocked from fulfilling educational opportunities, a bitter reflection of how systemic inequalities persist. Nevertheless, white privilege is accepted as a social imposition in the realities of Eastern Europe that can be applied to different people considered to be 'white' within this region's unique historical and socio-economic circumstances. This phenomenon is not a thing of the past but rather a living reality that influences various aspects of life, from the workplace to education (“Arab Berlin,” 2023b).

Historical Context

The invasions, the rise of empires, and the fall of nations characterize the historical aspect of Eastern Europe. The very idea of creating a classless society led by communism brings about complex dimensions in the definition and reaction of race and equality (Amnesty International, 2021).Under the broad light of the communist era, such racial issues were often sidelined to instead focus on class struggle, at the end of which there wasn't any discussion on the question of race but rather an illusion of equality that hid shadowed prejudices underneath it. This background has dramatically influenced attitudes towards race and racial discrimination in a region where racial homogeneity was commonly but wrongly assumed (“‘Skin on the Cable,’” 2023& Kóczé, 2017b).

Status of White Privilege and Racial Discrimination Today

On the other hand, in Eastern Europe today, white privilege is indicated in all its sections. There is discrimination even in employment, where people from the minority group are highly challenged in getting the kind of jobs their qualifications deserve. It is also realized in education where children from minority groups, specifically the Roma communities, are segregated and put into an education system of a poorer quality than that of the whites. Policing systems also indicate that there are embedded biases because even racial profiling is still very much on the increase, with harassment being done without reason.

However, several examples of the mentioned discrimination in practice can easily be enumerated. In Slovakia, for example, Roma communities were subject to separate housing as well as systemic educational inequalities. Migrants and refugees, on their part, are many times viewed as 'the other,' suffering from exclusion and xenophobia. This means that culture and social norms can be changed, and nothing is absolute.

These cultural perceptions often support the workings of white privilege and somehow boost discrimination. The media, literature, and public discourse are full of ethnic stereotypes and prejudices that can, of course, cover for hostile behavior justified by these prejudices (Rankin, 2022; Quarles & Bozarth, 2022; Office & Du Travail, 2020& Race, Migration and Neoliberalism: Distorted Notions of Romani Migration in European Public Discourses - GIWPS, 2021). However, nationalist fervor and an ideology of holy ethnicity have added murkier waters to this struggle, giving rise to racial attitudes that imply superiority to any group whose characteristics are dissimilar to the ethnic or racial 'norm.'

Personal stories and testimonies

Personal histories contribute an irreplaceable dimension to scholarly discourses on the nature of inequality and privilege. On a continuum from subtle to overt, these testimonies depict everyday experiences negotiating daily social institutions by which color or race affirms a person's worth and access to resources.

Anna's Experience in the Workplace

Anna is a very ambitious young woman hailing from Roma. She graduated with distinction from one of the most prestigious universities in Eastern Europe. But when seeking a job, she had to face plenty of rejection. In fact, she experienced how the weather changed her mood in an interview when the person who took the interview discovered her ethnicity. Later, she spoke to one of her friends from that firm, who confessed to not being invited for an interview as they had viewed her resume and found it a bad sign that she is Roma - unreliable. Then, Anna understood how hidden discrimination could affect her labor market opportunities despite successful studies (Agoda, 2023).

Mikhail at the Police Station

However, being an African student from one of the states comprising Eastern Europe, Mikhail was more than once stopped and searched by police. And he couldn't even clearly explain the reason for those checks. His peers - local Caucasian students - never had such experiences. The experience with the police left Mikhail feeling ostracized and unsafe among his classmates - a racial profiling carried out discriminately by these agencies (Russian Federation: Mikhail Vedernikov on the New Precinct Police Station: The Presence of Law Enforcement Officers Will Ensure the Safety of Citizens., 2021).

Elena's Education Endeavors

When Elena became interested in more diligent study and declared her desire and ability for that kind of work, the teacher also encouraged her to develop within the walls of the vocational line. Once again, the advice and information were given under much higher systemic bias. This kind of subtle discrimination kept pushing Elena so far from the prospects that would likely be the most compatible with her dreams and abilities (Elena Lomeli | Learning Endeavors, n.d.& Defourny & Nyssens, 2021).

Though challenges remain, some beams of hope come from initiatives and movements geared to the fight against prejudice and the promote equality. In such a context, the civil societies and agencies take the initiative. Still, they are given space only by those unwilling to act. At the same time, governmental actions now arise under the influence of pointing to the persistence of systemic change made by civil societies and NGOs.

Conclusion

White privilege and discrimination issues in Eastern Europe are deeply layered in complexity and deeply embedded into the fabric of society. The first move to change is acceptance of these realities. It requires a collective journey to reach greater comprehension, tolerance, and equality. That is a way with all its bitter realities to face and sins to struggle with. Still, it's only in this way that some other type of society can be considered, in which every human might prosper regardless of their racial background.

References

Non-Academic Sources

Arab Berlin. (2023b). In Urban studies. https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839462638

Amnesty International. (2021, August 17). Europe’s Roma community still facing massive discrimination. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2009/04/europe039s-roma-community-still-facing-massive-discrimination-20/

“Skin on the cable.” (2023). In Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/report/2010/01/25/skin-cable/illegal-arrest-arbitrary-detention-and-torture-people-who-use-drugs

Rankin, J. (2022, December 8). Migrants face ‘unprecedented rise in violence’ in EU borders, report finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/dec/08/migrants-face-unprecedented-rise-in-violence-in-eu-borders-report-finds

Office, I. L., & Du Travail, O. I. (2020). World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2020.

Quarles, C. L., & Bozarth, L. (2022). How the term “white privilege” affects participation, polarization, and content in online communication. Plos one, 17(5), e0267048.

Agoda. (2023, March 23). Anna’s 10-year journey at Agoda as an employee and a working mother - Careers at Agoda. Careers at Agoda. https://careersatagoda.com/blog/anna-career-working-mother/

Russian Federation: Mikhail Vedernikov on the new precinct police station: The presence of law enforcement officers will ensure the safety of citizens. (2021, November 23). Document - Gale Academic OneFile. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA683632793&sid=sitemap&v=2.1&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E9d392529&aty=open-web-entry

Defourny, J., & Nyssens, M. (2021). Social enterprise in central and eastern Europe. In Routledge eBooks. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429324529.

Academic Sources

Race, Migration and Neoliberalism: Distorted notions of Romani Migration in European Public Discourses - GIWPS. (2021, October 28). Georgetown Institute of Women Peace and Security. https://giwps.georgetown.edu/dei-resources/race-migration-and-neoliberalism-distorted-notions-of-romani-migration-in-european-public-discourses/

Kóczé, A. (2017b). Race, migration and neoliberalism: distorted notions of Romani migration in European public discourses. Social Identities, 24(4), 459–473. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2017.1335827

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