Perpetuating Racism in the Ivory: Well-Meaning Whiteness in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Although there has been a recent increased awareness of the lack of support to Black scholars in academia, initiatives and action plans to address such inequity are severely lacking. Lack of support from individuals and institutions contributes to such disparities for Black scholars, stifling growth and discovery in social and behavioral research. This flaw is due to the lack of diverse representation in the research and the academic workforce. We must acknowledge the role of anti-Black racism in science and how our fellow Black scientists are negatively affected, including the impact on their careers, work-life harmony, and overall mental wellness. We address the multifaceted effects of anti-Black racism throughout the Ivory on Black scholars, academic spaces, and the field of social and behavioral sciences in general. Finally, we offer concrete recommendations to be implemented immediately and, over time, by individual White scholars and academic institutions at large.