Question

CASE STUDY: THE CASE OF ROSA N.*

In many parts of the world the kind of blatant racism, sexism, and discrimination

described in the denial section of this chapter is becoming less common. Two such

places are The Netherlands and California, both of which have the reputation of

being racially progressive and tolerant when compared to other European countries

or U.S. states. People articulate the virtues of pluralism, deny the presence of racism

in their communities, and condemn its presence in other societies. One would

expect them, and the organizations that operate within them, to be sites in which

race is not an important part of people's everyday experiences. Philomena Essed

decided to test this assumption through a very simple process—conducting extensive interviews with 55 black women about their everyday experiences, both at work and outside of their organizations. Rosa N. was typical of these women.

She was born in Suriname in 1951, but lost both parents before age 10. Her mother's sister adopted her and raised her along with four other daughters. After finishing high school in Suriname she receives a scholarship to study medicine in The Netherlands where she specialized in geriatrics. She married a Dutch man. When Essed interviewed her, she was an intern in a medical research complex. She had never been physically molested; her life had never been threatened. She rarely has had to deal with blatant "bigots;" has been called a "black whore" only once; is gifted and successful. So, as Essed says, "What is the problem?" Her answer, based on all of her interviews, is that race is subtlety woven into the fabric of everyday life. And dealing with is complicated by the notion that "racism just doesn't happen here" and with her coworkers' fervent belief that they are not racist. As Rosa says, "If you want to say something about racism, you've got to state your case very well. . . otherwise they tackle you... and they make you look ridiculous." You appear to be overly sensitive, and overly emotional.

For the only Black woman in her med school (and the only black woman physician in her medical center), "fitting in" was almost impossible for Rosa. Even when she didn't feel different than the Dutch, her fellow students reminded her that she wasn't like them. She remembered making a phone call in a dorm when a Dutch man said "There's Rosa with that laugh of hers." She was laughing loudly, as Surinamese people do. But, she doesn't do it anymore, except when she is alone with her husband Rob; nor does she use any of the other aspects of the communicative style of her homeland: "It was always getting thrown in my face."

Rosa was more often offended by the way in which other members of minority groups— especially Turks and Moroccans—were treated than by the way she was treated. In a surgery class a professor talked about an industrial accident in which a Turk had sliced open his hand (which eventually became so infected that it had to be amputated). He repeatedly insulted his patient: "That stupid Turk. His hand is not a can!" He made fun of another "stupid foreigner" who had lost his heel in an industrial accident. He never explained that "foreigners" are more prone to industrial accidents because the Dutch do not do dangerous factory work, foreigners do. Rosa recalled:

The students thought it was real funny. They don't give it much thought, because it arouses a kind of hilarity when it's told that way. Then everybody laughs about it. . . .I waited until the man was finished. The lights went on, I told him he should make remarks like that again because they are offensive, and I chose that attitude because I thought: I must not become uncontrolled,

agitated, or aggressive (1991, pp. 149-150).

And then one time in a general health class, this extremely stupid civil servant blamed the foreigners for overpopulation. I said something about that then, but

what struck me was that someone said: oh, there's Rosa with that racism again... . And I thought, I'll turn in a complaint. But—and that really disappointed me—when I asked a few people I got on well with if they would testify, the one said, like no, because I have a child and a job I don't want to lose.... Then I spoke with my advisor, and he gave me some literature which showed that it has never been demonstrated that foreigners cause overpopulation. [However, because the Dutch reproduction rate is negative and their immigration policy allows immigrants into the country to do menial jobs, the proportion of foreigners in the population is growing]. I very politely sent the man a letter. He sent such a nasty letter back.

It was a totally degrading letter that ... attacked me on personal points: that I had used my boss's FAX number—while my boss had even approved my letter (1991, p. 50).

In fact, race infused comments were made directly to her in strange ways. A student introduced a patient who had genital herpes by noting that she was Surinamese. Then "he looked at me and said: sorry. I thought, what's all this? Why in God's name does he say `sorry?!' Then another student patted me on the back [in sympathy]." The student went on to say,"Oh, yeah women in Suriname have more than one man. I jumped in immediate with,

then everyone in Suriname must have herpes!" When Rosa came back after lunch, her boss "came up and said: you reacted in a way in which you did not want to react. That was true enough.... But afterward, what surprised me was [that] he said it's because I'm Surinamese. Anything at all can happen, and [people interpret it as me] reacting as a Surinamese [rather than me reacting as me].

Sometimes race was reflected in pronoun choice. The Dutch language has a formal form of address, used with people who are older or of higher social status or organizational rank (" U') and an informal form ("pi"), used with younger or lower-status persons (much like the words "vous" and "tu" in French). But, Rosa found that the Dutch used jij to refer to her, even when they knew she was a physician. And, even when she was addressed formally, the same people treated other Surinamese employees as children. Rosa concluded her interview with Essed with the following statement:

I used to think, when I am a doctor, this will be in the past, then I'll have proved myself, but no such thing. Then the long, hard road begins. Then you start to notice that you aren't there yet, that the fight has just begun. I would really like for it to be over, because I'd like to just be able to live. I'd find it wonderful if I could just feel good with my job and not have a third-rate position in the job. If you spend all your time competing, then it never stops. I participate in this consciously and take care that I don't backslide. I think: just keep it up. I read a lot more about discrimination now—but then, not so much about Holland, because you don't' get any further if you keep on thinking only about how they do that and they do that and they do that (1991, p. 156).

Rosa's story is echoed by other minority women in other cultures. The black

women that Essed interviewed in California all told of experiences like Rosa's.

Many of the Latinas that Denise Segura interviewed talked about subtle discrimination, comments that devalue their culture or their gender/ethnicity—"that subtle baloney that people pass over you because they think that women of color aren't as brilliant as they [Anglos] are," as one phrased it. A Latina with a light complexion recalled that people tell her "you have a funny accent. And I say, I'm Mexican.' And people are really surprised. They say, `You don't look Mexican.' And so I ask, `How many Mexican people do you know? And they say, "Oh, just you. (p. 303)."'

Answer the following questions base on what you have leaned.

1. Which of the taken-for-granted assumptions of Rosa's society influence her experiences? How do those influences operate?

2. Can Rosa fit in to her society/organization? What effects would trying to do so have on her and her

work relationships?

3. What kind of "diversity" training programs should Rosa's organization develop to deal with "everyday racism?" Why would you make those choices?

4. What intended and unintended consequences is a program like the one you've described likely to have? Why?

Answer 1

Case study: lets first analyze the case first and list the known

· The Netherlands and California are racially progressive and tolerant compared you other European or US states.

· They deny and condemn such practices among them.

· Philomena Essed conducted the research with 55 black women to know their day to day experiences

· Rosa N was typical among these 55 and this case study is about her

· Born in Suriname 1951, lost both parents at age of 10

· Was adopted by her aunt, after schooling joined medicine in the Netherlands on scholarship. Specialized in geriatrics and married a Dutchman

· She was never physically molested once was verbally abused.

· But the race infused comments and discrimination were done subtlety, strangely and directly.

· Even after becoming a physician, and addressing another person formally, she was treated not well.

Answers to questions

1. Following are the taken for granted assumptions of Rosa’s society which influenced her and how these influenced operate

· Her laugh was ridiculed as she laughed loudly usually as Surinamese people do. So, she started to laugh softly Infront of others, except her husband.

· A politely sent letter over remark that immigrants cause over population was criticized very badly.

· For every reaction she gave was given a mention that all Surinamese react that way or she reacted like that she is from Surinamese.

· Colour of skin determines the brilliancy, Rosa has stopped competing, even if she does in some cases, she makes sure she doesn’t back slide.

2. Though Rosa can have a good time but fitting completely without feeling discriminated is quite impossible. To fit in she must completely become like the one in society, it means to lose oneself and become someone else. The effects it would have on her would be frustration, irritation and eventually looking for self in mirror which means lots of emotional and psychological stress.

3. Different types of diversity training programs Rosa’s Organization should develop to deal with everyday racism are as follows

· Sharing the richness about every culture. Practicing empathy and respecting everyone.

· Awareness that it is punishable offense to pass racists comments on anyone.

· Case studies regarding the issues.

· Role playing: this would have high impact on how one feels when such things happen.

These choices I would make as trainings involve the participants and give the first-hand experience of how one feels in such cases, which would definitely change their perspective.

4. Intended consequences likely to happen are improved relationships as they would treat everyone in the same way. Reduced racism remarks being made as after knowing its punishable offense. And coming to unintended consequences likely to happen after knowing about other culture more, make more fun about any strange rituals.