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Traci Jo Elliott
Professor Marie Lo
UNST-101A: Race & Social Justice
November 10, 2015
Argumentative Paper Assignment
Debate has become a natural exchange among people in the United States of America,
one of the most present debates throughout history has been race; how race is defined and
presented, what racism is, the ramifications of racial prejudice, etc. In both The Possessive
Investment in Whiteness written by George Lipsitz and Racial Formation in the United States
written by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, they each address the broad concept of racism and
race in the United States in very different, much more narrowed analysis of their own chosen
concepts covered. One concept that both pieces address and investigates into carefully is the idea
that race is a socially dominated structure perpetuated by historical and political hegemony, this
key concept also allows to examine more about how whiteness is not only defined but functions
in society, Racial Formation in the United States presents this key concept in a way that truly
highlights not only how race is a socially dominated construct but how whiteness is characterized
and operates, The Possessive Investment in Whiteness, while it covers such information, does
more for explaining the distinct racism between people of color and white people rather than the
distinction of whiteness.
In Racial Formation in the United States by Omi and Winant, the authors cover and
analyze what race is, the construction of race, varying racial projects, race in regards to politics,
religion, and science, racial dictatorship, the progression of racial awareness, and what racism is
pertaining to both the authors on beliefs and referencing how their beliefs are accurate through

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history and analysis. In each section two different primary focuses that the authors focus on,
those being factual information to advance their conclusion or an analysis and explanation of
thoughts all posed to answer questions that they themselves have set forth. One of the key
concepts they cover both in a broad sense and in detailed form is the idea of race that depends
both on cultural representation and social structure to further the concept of race. The various
racial projects they discuss is the political range that racial formation has both for conservative
and liberal parties, the construction of race being a daily struggle, and the fact that racial projects
can be seen historically and how that is identified in modern times. The political range that racial
formation is used for in this case is to say that politically neither party is very beneficial to
racism, as the liberal views have adapted into the idea of color-blindness and conservatives
have taken to overtly favoring white supremacist ideologies. The daily experience of racial
formation can be examined by stereotypes, commentary that holds subtle racial biases, and that
racial identity and classification is common sense to label those according to race. The final
conclusion is the final question of what is racism? (Omi & Winant, 69) and assists in providing
how exactly the way the white race has been construed and built has become a huge driving
force into the discrimination and prejudice of people of color in the United States.
Throughout Omi and Winants writings they heavily address the ramifications that have
been perpetuated by the socially dominated idea of race that is a not only a hierarchical system,
but also one that is culturally misrepresented and encourages racial profiling. The construction of
race is highlighted throughout the reading and outlines not only the consequences of whiteness
but the privilege that comes with this perceived white identity compared to people of color. An
example of how white race, as well as race as a whole is defined, is by the quote race is a
concept which signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests by referring to different

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types of human bodies. (Omi & Winant, 55) This example exemplifies what race is, therefore
proving exactly how white race can be defined as well. Within this idea that race is not only just
a conceptual idea, but one that greatly is affected by societal influences and hostility is a very
clear part of whiteness is. Whiteness has been lead by society to be set to a higher standard for
merely existing as the classification of white in the United States, making you not only a higher
class but more important, more valued, and more visible because societal influences such as
governmental power. The argument that state actions in the past and present have treated people
in very different ways according to race, (Omi & Winant, 57) is a another critical piece as it is
clearly stating that government measures have and are currently discriminating against people of
color and excessively favoring white people. The way that Omi and Winant go about this
transitioning from religion through science over to political aspects all furthers their definitions.
The beginning of white people being defined synonymous with civilized and slowly making its
way to just completely superior fairly quickly throughout history. Whiteness has been defined by
history, by societal structures, and by the constant misrepresentation of other racial identities
differing from the ideology of race maintained by white societal leaders, this is extremely
highlighted throughout Omi and Winants piece.
The Possessive Investment in Whiteness by George Lipsitz is extremely focused on the
consequences that white supremacy and identity has had on people of color throughout history.
The piece does begin rather sharply with an introduction saying, this book identifies the ways in
which power, property, and the politics of race in our society continue to contain
unacknowledged and unacceptable allegiances to white supremacy, (Lipsitz, xviii) and it does
just that. The main structural parts of Lipsitz first chapter are the explanation and clarification of
what the possessive investment in whiteness is, as well as addressing the white supremacist

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principles are directly linked to this investment in whiteness, how people of color throughout
history both assisted in racial discrimination and racially driven violence but also how they aided
in helping one another against the whites, gentrification, health consequences for people of color
due to gentrification and racial discrimination regarding employment, the criminal justice
system, and how home loans affects people of color significantly. Lipsitz fills his writing with a
massive amount of textual support for all of his examples, especially gentrification and the
consequences on the health of people of color due to white superiority and systematic racism.
The last topic covered before the conclusion is focused on turning the subject to the future
generation and young whites being ignorant and at times becoming violent against people of
color due to their own perception. The conclusion of Lipsitz piece is focused more broadly on the
possessive investment in whiteness, how it relates to modern day society, and how whites must
accept responsibility, the current and past systems of racism, fight against racial inequality, and
accept and correct the consequences of racism in the United States.
Throughout the Lipsitz writings he relies very heavily on textual evidence to further his
point and it does exactly that, without the textual evidence he presents it would be not only a
much smaller piece but a not a particularly strong piece. He analyzes all of the textual evidence
he present and relates it directly to the aftereffect of the possessive investment in whiteness and
white supremacy. The focus of the piece is the ramification on people of color due to white
people throughout history and how the system of racism is not at all eliminated rather it has just
evolved outside of slavery and discrimination against people of color. The power of whiteness
depended not only on white hegemony over separate racialized groups, but also on manipulating
racial outsiders to fight against one another, to compete with each other for white approval, and
to see the rewards and privileges of whiteness for themselves at the expense of other racialized

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populations, this quote especially exemplifies Lipsitz overall approach to his analysis in his
writings. The writing is most definitely focused on the repercussions on people of color and how
exactly whites have and are affecting people of color through white superiority and control. The
vast majority of his paper is analyzing the housing situation, specifically looking at gentrification
and housing loans, crime rates and the court system continually punishing those of color and
racially profiling people of color to be inherently breaking the law, and the consequences the
housing market specifically has on the deterioration of health for people of color. The
consequences of white superiority is truly what overall shapes Lipsitz argument, though there are
other key concepts in his piece, the main focus is addressing the results of the continual
hierarchy of whites and racism in the United States.
Though both papers are extremely different in writing styles of presenting their
arguments, as well as the execution of those chosen arguments, there is one common key theme
that connect the two pieces; the idea that race is socially dominated structure and concept
furthered by white supremacy to enforce hierarchy. The identification that lead to the linking of
key concept was the line, race is a cultural construct, but one with deadly causes and
consequences. (Lipsitz, 2) This sentence is a pivotal point in Lipsitz piece as his argument
begins to become singularly addressing the consequences of whiteness rather than the actual
whiteness in our society. Omi and Winant are clear in their construction of race and concise in
defining not only race, but also white racial identity. A racial project is simultaneously an
interpretation, representation, or explanation of racial dynamics, and an effort to recognize and
redistribute resources along particular racial lines, (Omi & Winant, 56) this concept of racial
projects is a tool Omi and Winant use heavily throughout their piece to further define and
construct race, which presents a clear line between whites and people of color. While Lipsitz has

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much more textual evidence in his writings he does not define what race, or even white race is,
nor does he describe how white racial identity operates.
The crucial idea that connects both Racial Formation in the United States by Michael
Omi and Howard Winant and The Possessive Investment in Whiteness by George Lipsitz is
how race is a socially commanded and influenced structure that is shaped by historical and
political hierarchy of whites, this concept is also driven by what white is and how it functions
and is key to the development of either argument. When comparing both writings the piece that
has the most distinctive and coherent argument of what whiteness not only is but how it
functions and effects on a societal measure is Racial Formation in the United States, as it not
only directly identifies what race is and how it can be characterized, but how racial identities are
differing due to social structure and white superiority.