Divide and Conquer: Gendered Division Within the Process of Internalised Racism

ABSTRACT

Utilising a socio-psychological understanding of the concept of internalised racism (IR), this article examines the racialised romantic/sexual preferences for White Western men amongst Asian Australians subjects. By psychoanalytically analysing the notion of White nation-building and its inherent gendered dynamics, the article examines how the White patriarchal national will aims to secure its dominance over national space. In doing so, it necessarily engages in two simultaneous strategic plays of power. First, it must secure access to the racialised female element – a symbolic penetration of the motherland’s other. Second, as corollary and catalyst, the national will engenders an emasculation of the racialised male element – a symbolic castration of the phallic signifier of the counter-will. By examining how both these dynamics are internalised by racialised subjects, this article demonstrates how IR ultimately works to fracture a racialised community from within.

KEYWORDS:

• Internalised racism
• Australia
• racialised romantic preferences
• interracial dating
• whiteness

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Professor Yin Paradies, and Ms. Hannah Garden of Deakin University, Ms Claudine Lam of the University of Melbourne, and 3WO Eugene Wong, along with the two anonymous reviewers and editors for taking the time to read early drafts and provide constructive feedback. Additionally, to Dr Jessica Walton and Dr Mridula Chakraborty for their time and effort in organising this special issue.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Adam Z. Seet is a PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne. His first degree is in Social Sciences counselling; he has a Master’s in Counselling and a Graduate Diploma in Educational Research. His current research involves examining the salience of internalised racism as it manifests within racialised groups and individuals in contemporary Australian society. His work draws upon the scholarship on race and the postcolonial literature. [email protected] (Corresponding Author).