Renowned sociologist Lawrence Bobo made appearances in several classes this week and presented a lecture to the Tufts community Tuesday afternoon on new forms of discrimination. His speech, entitled "A Color Line for 21st Century?: Laissez- faire Racism and the Status of African Americans," was delivered to a diverse audience in Barnum 8.
A professor at Harvard University, Bobo stressed that discrimination this century may not be as visible as in former times, but continues to persist in the United States. African Americans, Bobo explained, have a power disadvantage, lack cultural capital, face a wealth gap, and are still prone to ideological stereotypes.
Questioning why people no longer fervently discuss discrimination issues, Bobo suggested it is because "everyone's ideologically comfortable" with the status quo, especially in the current era of economic prosperity. Although the American government is legally anti-discriminatory, there is an "invisible hand" that promotes discrimination in the market, according to Bobo.
"We don't have race-neutral market dynamics, even though we'd like to think so," he said.
Bobo condemned Time magazine for having darkened a front-page photograph of O.J. Simpson in one occasion and having titled an article "What color is black?" Bobo asked the audience why most people think that "white is the air we breathe."
Taking advantage of the event's timing to share his political views, Bobo did not hesitate to offer his perspective on the election. He explained that African Americans have a short history as members of the middle class and said that the wealth gap between blacks and whites reflects a tradition of exclusion in America. Bobo pointed to Governor Bush of Texas as an example to illustrate his point that "wealth is inherited."
Expanding on his political views, Bobo asserted that black leadership is not consistent enough in holding the Democratic Party accountable for the changes African Americans would like to see made. African Americans are "co-opted for very little payoff" Bobo said, "and if Gore wins, it will be due to black votes."
Mohammed Bulama, a Fulbright Research student from Nigeria who is studying at the Fletcher School, called Bobo's lecture "a ground breaking presentation." As an outsider, he explained, the United States appears to be a completely integrated society. However, Bulama was startled by the statistics presented by Bobo.
"Now I know where this problem in America stands," he said.
"We're very lucky to have Lawrence Bobo visiting us. He's a major figure in both sociology and political science, and there aren't that many people who have feet in both places," political science Professor James Glaser said. Glaser organized Bobo's visit along with mathematics professor Todd Quinto and sociology professor Susan Ostrander.
After the two-hour lecture, Bobo answered questions from the energized crowd, many of whom were searching for a political strategy to end discrimination in America. Bobo responded that not all protests generate change, but that "out of small things, sometimes greater things come... You've got to start somewhere," he said.
The majority of the audience seemed to agree with Bobo's stance. Asked if class had a greater impact on discrimination than race, Bobo responded that it was certainly an important issue, but "not the main part of variance."
He went on to cite an example from his research, explaining that in Los Angeles, many whites choose to live in cheaper all-white neighborhoods as opposed to more expensive multi-racial neighborhoods. The latter, explained Bobo, are simply "off the white radar scale."
Bobo was brought to campus by the honor society Phi Beta Kappa, which is sponsoring Bobo's trips to a number of national universities.
