The Mythology of Racial Progress

Thursday, April 1, 2021

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm CT

Hosted via Zoom
If you do not receive your Zoom link or need technical assistance the day of the program, please contact Lee at [email protected] or 952-657-8405.

Speaker: Jennifer Richeson, Ph.D.

The Minnesota Psychological Association cosponsors Distinguished Scholar Lectures with Macalester College's Psychology Department

This session is at the introductory level and is designed for psychologists, other mental health professionals, students and faculty.

About the Program

Our perceptions of, beliefs about, and solutions for, racial inequality in the United States are shaped, at least in part, by a mythology of racial progress. Central to this mythology is the dominant narrative that American society has achieved substantial gains toward racial equality, and is automatically, perhaps naturally, continuing to make steady, linear progress toward the same. In this talk, the presenter will argue that our fidelity to this narrative elicits a persistent pattern of, often willful, ignorance regarding some present-day racial disparities, including the wealth gap between Black and White Americans. The presenter will illuminate some of the psychology that sustains the narrative and consequences of efforts to disrupt it. Implications of the mythology of racial progress for efforts to engender actual racial equity in contemporary society will be discussed.

This session qualifies for 1.5 continuing education credits. You must attend the full 1.5-hour program to get continuing education credit for the event.

Participants will be able to:

1. Identify various instances of racial disparities.

2. Recognize the psychological processes that sustain the mythology of racial progress.

3. Describe how the mythology of racial progress has implications for achieving actual racial equity.

About the Presenter:

Jennifer Richeson, Ph.D., has completed research examining multiple psychological phenomena related to cultural diversity. For instance, she examines how people experience racial and other forms of societal diversity, be it efforts to navigate one-on-one interracial interactions or the political consequences of the increasing racial/ethnic diversity of the United States. Much of Professor Richeson’s recent research considers how people reason about and respond to societal inequality and injustice. Further, Richeson and her students examine multiple consequences of managing the threats associated with being the target of discrimination. Through her teaching and research, Richeson hopes to contribute to a better understanding of intergroup relations, including how best to foster culturally diverse environments that are cohesive. She received a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Harvard University and is currently the Philip R. Allen Professor of Psychology, Yale University.

To Register:

To register for free (no CE credit), click here.

Registration to attend with CE credit is closed.

Click here to download a PDF registration form and flyer.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: A 100% refund will be made if the event is cancelled. Refunds, less a $5 handling fee, will be given if a written cancellation is received at least two working days before the scheduled program begins. No refund or transfer is given the day of the program.