[Elsie Owusu] alleged that the election [for Riba’s vice-president of practice and profession] was rigged in favour of a rival candidate, and in a complaint to Riba’s president, Jane Duncan, she claimed it was “tantamount to institutionalised racism in my view”. [...]
“The banter, discrimination and treating black people worse than other staff goes through architecture like a stick of rock. It’s absolutely disgraceful and it starts at the top with Riba."
— theguardian.com
In response to Owusu's allegation, RIBA has initiated a formal investigation, and states that a report will be filed in time for discussion at the next national council meeting in March of 2016.
According to the Guardian, the allegations include not only accusations that the election of the Vice President of Practice and Profession was rigged in favor of Owusu's competing candidate, who is not black, but also references "sexist" banter by council members.
Also as quoted in the Guardian, Owusu invokes the Equality Act of 2010 in her claim that being passed over in the election constitutes institutional racism:
And this is an example: when there are two people up for a job, one an elected member, the other not, to use the weight of the institution from the president’s chair to support a white person over a black person, when we are both equally qualified, to me is the institution using its power to support behaviour that is tantamount to racism.
More details on the allegations can be found here.
129 Comments
"I'll point out that gwharton and I disagree vehemently on politics but s/he often says things I agree with, too, and s/he does a good job explaining them."
Likewise, Donna. I don't have to agree with somebody to respect them or their positions, which in your case I do on both counts because you can explain why you hold them and have obviously given it some thought.
Nor does agreement necessarily correlate with respect either. There are plenty of people who coincidentally agree with me on certain issues whom I loathe and feel nothing but contempt for. I imagine that is a fairly common feeling in the world these days.
And, just FYI, I am a "he" not a "s/he". :)
Sorry to split hairs, but it's important split to make.
The case in question is not about institutional racism/exclusion, it is about structural racism/exclusion. The difference being that the latter relies upon the former being so engrained into social practices that even when it is highly visible there is little fear of impact.
Examples (US specific):
Laws to prevent persons from moving into a given state based on race, or a state law making interracial marriage unlawful would qualify as institutional.
Telling people not to apply for a promotion because they're not looking for "qualifications of your kind," or being encouraged to consider another line work based on what what you look like and not your overall performance- or having to defend yourself against peers simply because a person of authority has said you can never work at the same level based on appearance- each with no fear of repercussion because it that's the way it is- that's institutional. Even casual statements like "I have black friends," or "kill whitey" portray a level of privilege.
So as Ms. Owusu files this complaint, it's not about the rules, it's about all the inappropriate baggage that people bring to the table.
(Just covering my bases, gwharton, now that I know you're a he I'll use that pronoun. I assumed so, but assuming makes us asses, or something.)
Thank you Marc for bringing the "institutional" and "structural" terms correctly, to the discussion. It's not splitting hairs at all for us to use language properly.
thanks Donna,I figured if i yelled long enough people would show-up on topic, like Marc and davvid. i mean i only drank like a 12 pack of beer and polished a macallan or two off to get full white boy on, watched a little Fox news, blared some David Allan Coe (not really).............and then the fucking BIG comments, which are representantive of 'good design' as anesthesia to 'pain' of reality. seriously! everything is hokey dokey funtime!!!! see Istanbul Biennelle........this discussion in this thread itself is representive of something "structural". how many comments were actually about this news report? ..................Marc so this is "structural" racism? i could probably swallow that better than "institutional" but the premises for proof acceptable under any "rational" body of laws seems a bit allusive in both definitions and as you note its about baggage - people (although what I am reading is "structural" is not about individuals)........with that said google Woodrow Wilson, princeton, racism, etc (while learning about this I heard you should read W.E.B. DuBois)..................Now "Capitalism" vs "Communism" are clearly both "institutional" and "structural" with sound "economics" that effect and "discreminate" based on laws or causal behaviors. why can't that be done with race and sex? so stats are produced, public jobs require Minority and Women owned Business to take a equavalent piece of the construction project pie - Those are clear counters to the 'supposed' racism and sexism right? now why can't the inverse be done right? for EXAMPLE ............. https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v70n4/v70n4p49.html now if Ms Owusu could prove something similar she might stand a chance. these are RIBA architects no less....English pseudo-lawyers if you know what i mean by not saying what i mean while we enact a law that clearly proves you did not know what I indeed meant........with that said calling an entire organization racist or sexist also insults those who are not and if claims can not be proven you lose the trust of those who trusted you (that's the flipside).....................Marc, "kill whitey" is from the Chris Farley movie "Black Sheep".
note: the example i show was the first to come up when googling, but its quite comprehensive with regard to the research, and of course its interesting to note the findings were considered incorrect amd therefore posted on a government website? (common sense with an 8th grade history education would tell you otherwise) BUT common sense is "structural" (joking, well mind of)
Never understood why people liked Chris Farley...
I'm curious about what the desired outcomes of this case are. Ms. Owusu made accusations that were not directly relevant to her case, but nonetheless creates an striking image of RIBA practitioners. My bet is that this complaint is not about winning, but about saying "enough is enough."
With respect to structural inequality (expanding the term) in the US, look at the research by Nancy DiTomaso at Rutgers. And here's an opinion piece from the US edition of the Guardian that links economics to structural inequities based on gender, race and wealth. It's short, but the embedded links provide context. But I just can't shake the image of Skip Gates and Cornell West in a pbs short series casually talking and one of them saying "we've known that it was always about economics."
The Woodrow Wilson "thing" is so very interesting and so very complicated (and so very frustrating).
All structures of power create inequality. Its the nature of organized institutions. The human species seems to be genetically programmed towards forming "social orders." Even tribal societies breed inequality. Tribal fighting over all sorts of small cultural/racial differences. Point is, to make racism a white issue is quite shortsighted. All societies are racist against someone. All. Its a sad truth. The US and UK are run by whites so naturaly racism is mainly white on minority. Im not saying that makes racism any less bad, but rather that structure in general is maybe the problem because it gives power to racism. In other words, if you want to stop/help inequality don't focus on polite speech and sensitivity training. Rather, shatter the power structure. Decentralize the power. Let the dumb bastards be as racist as they like, just dont allow power to condense to a point where it has real weight.
Another argument against professional licensure and organizations
like many knuckleheads on this site i posted before reading, then after reading the context in which I posted "kill whitey" I realized the character of Olaf had to go Trump style rhetoric, you know extremism followed by - well I didn't really say that....
jla-x English and Tribal, hmmmm that's a tough compute, haha Yes, and anti-fraternity is good.
".... economics to structural inequities based on gender, race and wealth." - after "Enough is Enough" this would have to be flushed out to be successful, or spelled out piece after piece of heavy English style rhetoric...
______________________________for example
"All social communication requires institutions,. All institutions require architectural frames. The societal function of architecture is to order/adapt society via the continuous provision and innovation of the building environment as a system of frames." (p.364)
"The autopoiesis of architecture is the ongoing communication process that takes place in myriad architectural practices, schools of architecture, magazines, books and web-sites: a gigantic parallel process producing a swarm-formation of cross-referencing." (p.2)
- Patrik Schumacher
Apply Ms Owusu and RIBA here, Patrik it's quite political this architecture ;)
If you want a definition of structural racism, look at how many black architects have been kept out by AIA over the years. Most in my program quit because only the super wealthy could move on
Some here want to vilify architects as sexist or racist but it's the system and its many defenders (and on this site enforcers).
"Males automatically assume.... " yeah, ok
This conversation has become useless. It is no longer about great designers who are changing the world, just people talking to hear themselves talk. So sad.
If these institutions were less corrupt, maybe great talent could be released from its shackles.
Hey Nate in '07 the AIA president was black. And for D the last two have been women. It doesnt matter so stFUCKup!
Just because your head is a Person of Color doesn't mean the structure is ok. Skepticism is even more necessary in these cases, or when firms use the issue as a PR tool.... I find it belittling to all. Still, calling an institution racist is so much more personal and degrading to archs. It's the structure
ARP1 this was your contribution to the conversation
"Nate because you don't understand what we do only shows you are not keeping up with the trends. BIG is the future - most projects ever."
Nate and FrAC at least discussed "structural" racism.
how will Bjarke of all people 'cure' the industry or sexual and racial bias?
The BIG stooges and AIA stooges here will merge to create another payola scheme where archs will have to pay 2k a year hear 100 hours of racial musings from the Church of BIG... Ironically many blacks won't be able to afford certification.
Let's get back to ARP1's point that this discussion was about great designers changing the world.
In an article highlighting her role as a RIBA role model Ms. Owusu makes the statement that "some people can be defensive when you talk about inclusion, seeing it as an implicit criticism when actually it’s just an invitation to join the party." Yes, it's easy to use pull the quote, along with the one about the benefits of a multicultural talent pool, but that is what they are for? But at the end she challenges assumptions about gender roles saying "Many of the men who exert most power in the profession are WHAMs, or ‘Warm-Hearted Alpha Males’. They are talented and highly educated men who enjoy the company of strong-minded women, including their own daughters. We need these men to think and talk about their aspirations for the women and girls in their lives. If an out-dated notion of masculinity is one of the obstacles to inclusion, then women and men must challenge it together."
Is this not a challenge to the new guard to expand the pool of designers which the practice fall back to for glossy/ hi res images (eg. BIG as someone else suggested)? Is this not a great designer -albeit through an unconventional path- trying to change the world?
In my mind, the tread is about how this person is challenging a status quo and that is the topic of greatness or strength. If it becomes the means by which we start talking about the formal prose of others, then it really it really does become a set of irrelevant tropes.
Because blaming mysterious exogenous forces for personal failure has always been a winning strategy and mark of greatness and strength?
1- I'm not sure her CV supports that suggestion...
2- Are you suggesting all conversation should lead back to the "architects du jour?"
I
Last time I checked, CVs don't guarantee success. The world is full of talented, qualified architects with great resumes.
How the hell does BIG keep coming up?
"How the hell does BIG keep coming up?"
/\ Bench, ask Knoa and ARP1... and Marc suggested via Ms Owusu viaWHAM (i'm using that one now) as an example, Knoa or ARP1 essentially say that above somewhere.
.
Olaf, that's just wrong...
Gwharton- your solution? Beyond that she shouldn't say race and/or gender are to blame for her short comings.
White Fragility, or moreover, White Male Fragility.
It's gotten to the point where we need to treat White Men like we treat misbehaving toddlers, or dogs that pee on carpets.
Do you poor mistreated "architects" need warm milk with your humble pie?
It's Ms. Owusu who claims to be the poor, mistreated 'architect', you stupid fuck.
ORANGE MOCHA FRAPPACINOS!
at least we are talking about the subject......i offered Patrik Schumacher, no one is going to bite?
I would love to see how designers can solve problems, rather than create narratives about how they are interested in solving a problem for self promotion. In that way she has already succeeded more than any WHAM pretends to.
Olaf, PS actually crossed my mind . I'm guessing you bring him up because of anarchocapitalism?
Sort of related to the idea of structure itself being to blame for inequality, no?
yes, but I think you have to follow the path of economics (mathematical sociology) into architecture into professional structure and you may be able to find indicators of "structural" or "institutional" racism and sexism in actual 'coded' policies.....see it's not so straight forward, no?
My solution to what? The fact that she wasn't elected to some RIBA position? My solution to that is: move on to the next opportunity and put energy into winning that instead. Seems obvious.
But her blackness prohibits her from being elected to anything. Not to mention her lack of a ding-dong.
DOUBLE WHAMMY!
I lurve how white people, who create these racist, misogynistic systems are complaining when a woman of color calls them on their bullshit.
#whitemalefragility
:_____(
You'll take note, that the first three letters in FRaGILE, are the FiRst three letters in FRaC.
#whitemaleheterofragility
#whitemalefragility
#whitemalefragility
#whitemalefragility
It's seems to me that she is doing just that. If you look at her "history of service," you'll note that she has a clear commitment to gender if not gender and race, even within RIBA. So her first line of attack to address perceived (this we cannot debate, based on a lack of information) deficiencies in her professional organization failed, she's moved on to plan b.
In short, she is so committed to righting the wrongs to improve the organization she is kicking and screaming from outside. Entire political parties have been established tactic.
beta?
oh, i'm definitely white, a pasty white male. i'm also keenly aware of two things; first, my privilege, and my part in a racist America, and b. the FRagility of white men.
proof of my whiteness:
Membership has it's privileges.
the FUCK is your part in 'racist america'?
beta I know you have a fetish for h8ting on white boys ... but you sayin' other than that you straight up racist, bro?
"When her father told her, as he did more than once, that “all white people are racist,” Emily concludes, “He meant that we are blind to the depth of our own prejudice and that as long as there is prejudice, there can never be any such thing as a fair trial.” "
Disturbing the Universe
That's what I mean "bro". FRaCking douCheCanoe.
trog·lo·dyte
ˈträɡləˌdīt/
noun
(especially in prehistoric times) a person who lived in a cave.
a hermit.
a person who is regarded as being deliberately ignorant or old-fashioned.
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know you grew up as a little girl, emily. Good luck with that, sweetie!
FRaCking. ha. you so cra.
I'll be the best girlfriend you've ever had, i'll actually let you touch me, plus you won't need an air pump.
Look! My new boyfriend!
#whiteprivilegehasitsprivileges
I'm Fric, he's FRaC.
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