Question

Can you give some specific examples of institutional discrimination? How often do you think this type of discrimination happens? Is it common?

Answer 1

Racial profiling is an instance of institutional discrimination that takes place even do this day and age. People of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent report being routinely profiled at the nation’s airports. States like Arizona have attempted to pass anti-immigrant legislation that has led to racial profiling of Hispanics. Furthermore, Black and Latino men have been disproportionately targeted by the New York City Police Department’s stop and frisk program.

In my view, although the prevalence of institutional discrimination has reduced over the years, we are far from being a discrimination-free society. This is because stereotypes and prejudices are still deeply embedded into our mindsets including those possessing the power to draft laws and policies. Unless these implicit attitudes are eliminated, we are likely to find institutional discrimination despite best efforts of eradicating it.