racialization
noun
ra·cial·iza·tion
ˌrā-sh(ə-)lə-ˈzā-shən 
plural racializations
: the act of giving a racial character to someone or something : the process of categorizing, marginalizing, or regarding according to race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) : an act or instance of racializing
the racialization of poverty
Historians such as David Roedigger and Noel Ignatiev have illustrated how a series of ethnic minorities, such as the Irish and Ashkenazi Jews, experienced fierce racialization and discrimination but over several generations managed to scale the hierarchy of whiteness.—
Manning Marable
Manning MarableThe racialization of disease that results in entire groups of people being portrayed as dangerous "others" based solely on physical appearance or skin color subjects Asian communities to persistent marginalization.—Justin A. Chen et al.
Justin A. Chen et al.The subsequent criminalization of "illegal aliens" rests upon US citizens' racializations of those residing south of the border and disproportionately endangers Mexican women and children.—Ronald L. Mize
Ronald L. MizeExamples of racialization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Chávez-Moreno is interested in how schools contribute to the racialization of Latinx students in the U.S.
—Marybeth Gasman, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
The sequence of films used footage of emancipation fighters, and contemporary scenes shot by Akomfrah himself bears witness to a story of Black poetry and strength in the face of displacement, migration, and racialization.
—Simon Njami, Artforum, 16 Apr. 2024
This racialization of industrial farms has been especially well documented in North Carolina’s hog industry and points to the depth of other coalitional possibilities.
—Jonathan Safran Foer, Vox, 7 Aug. 2024
The intersection of poverty, immigration, and racialization results in a lack of knowledge and resources to navigate a system that does not take these families into consideration.
—Nicole Froio, refinery29.com, 21 May 2024
At the core of the book is the racialization process that has taken place to define Mexican Americans in the US, which ignores and erases the historical Indigenous, Black, and/or European ancestry of persons of Mexican descent.
—Michael Aguilar, JSTOR Daily, 26 Feb. 2024
Reading Lists Chicanx Studies: A Foundational Reading List The field of Chicanx studies continues to expand, embracing analyses of racialization, gender, sexuality, Indigineity, and trans-ethnic identity.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
Through speculative fiction, Jackson confronts the racialization and sexualization of Black bodies, honoring the survivors of the transatlantic slave trade while envisioning a world of powerful, resilient women.
—Andrew S. Jacobson, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2024
Cheng dedicates a chapter to Wong, whose iconic image is produced simultaneously by the objectifying practices of film, celebrity, racialization and sexualization.
—Kathy Chow, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Marybeth Gasman, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
The sequence of films used footage of emancipation fighters, and contemporary scenes shot by Akomfrah himself bears witness to a story of Black poetry and strength in the face of displacement, migration, and racialization.
—Simon Njami, Artforum, 16 Apr. 2024
This racialization of industrial farms has been especially well documented in North Carolina’s hog industry and points to the depth of other coalitional possibilities.
—Jonathan Safran Foer, Vox, 7 Aug. 2024
The intersection of poverty, immigration, and racialization results in a lack of knowledge and resources to navigate a system that does not take these families into consideration.
—Nicole Froio, refinery29.com, 21 May 2024
At the core of the book is the racialization process that has taken place to define Mexican Americans in the US, which ignores and erases the historical Indigenous, Black, and/or European ancestry of persons of Mexican descent.
—Michael Aguilar, JSTOR Daily, 26 Feb. 2024
Reading Lists Chicanx Studies: A Foundational Reading List The field of Chicanx studies continues to expand, embracing analyses of racialization, gender, sexuality, Indigineity, and trans-ethnic identity.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
Through speculative fiction, Jackson confronts the racialization and sexualization of Black bodies, honoring the survivors of the transatlantic slave trade while envisioning a world of powerful, resilient women.
—Andrew S. Jacobson, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2024
Cheng dedicates a chapter to Wong, whose iconic image is produced simultaneously by the objectifying practices of film, celebrity, racialization and sexualization.
—Kathy Chow, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
Articles Related to racialization
Dictionary Entries Near racialization
Cite this Entry
“Racialization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racialization. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share