A critical case study on the meaning and role of 'race' in human rights work

Abstract

Throughout history, whenever society has used 'race' as a human identity and categorization of people it has been associated with denial of dignity and rights. However, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948, with the goal to promote and protect equal dignity and opportunity for all people, incorporated 'race' as a neutral and valid human identity. This article presents the findings from a qualitative case study on the meaning and role of 'race' in contemporary human rights work. The case study is based on three human rights discrimination in employment complaint cases, filed by women of different ancestry: Aboriginal, African and European. Framed within Structural Social Work (critical theory and postmodernism), this study exposes the complexity and contradictions within 'race'. It demonstrates that 'race' is a distinct and necessary prohibited ground of discrimination; however, 'race' as a human identity is in and by it-self oppressive, and identifies six distinct discourses of 'race'. These findings imply a need for further research and critical work on the position of 'race' in human service programs that reify 'race'.