institutional racism

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Institutional Racism

Definition: Institutional racism refers to the systematic and entrenched discrimination or unfair treatment of individuals or groups based on their race or ethnicity within social, economic, political, or other institutions.

Sense 1: As a noun, institutional racism describes the collective policies, practices, and procedures that perpetuate racial inequality within institutions such as government, education, healthcare, or criminal justice systems. It can result in differential treatment, limited opportunities, and marginalization for certain racial or ethnic groups.

Sense 2: In a broader sense, institutional racism can also refer to the norms, behaviors, and ideologies that are ingrained within society and promote discriminatory practices at both individual and institutional levels.

Sample sentences:

The disproportionate sentencing of people of color in the criminal justice system is a clear example of institutional racism.
The lack of diverse representation in leadership positions within corporations is emblematic of institutional racism prevailing in the business sector.
Institutional racism can be subtle, such as discriminatory housing policies that limit access to affordable homes for marginalized communities.