Sociologists often distinguish between individual and institutional racism. Individual racism refers chiefly to the prejudicial beliefs and discriminatory behavior of individual whites against blacks and other minority groups. It is based on assumptions of superiority and inferiority. Institutionalr acism, on the other hand, refers to the policies of communities, schools, businesses, and other groups and organizations that restrict the opportunities of minority groups. Institutional racism may or may not have been intentionally set up to practice discrimination. Regardless, it can produce harmful results. For example, a company may hire only college graduates for work that does not require a college degree. However, a far smaller proportion of blacks than whites may have had the opportunity to earn a degree. Thus, the company policy lessens the job opportunities of blacks even though the firm might not have intended to do so.
Mainly the white majority against ethnic minority groups directs racism in countries where whites form a majority. Such groups include blacks, American Indians, Mexican Americans, Australian Aborigines and Asians. These minorities have been discriminated against in such areas as housing, education, and employment. For a detailed discussion of such discrimination, see Segregation; Minority Group; Ethnic Group; Australian Aborigines; and Indian, American. In South Africa, a white minority controlled the government for many years. It imposed racist laws affecting housing, education, and employment on the much larger non-white majority.
This policy was known as apartheid. In Asian countries racist takes various forms and very complex. In Iraq and Syria, for example, racism has been conducting by the state against ethnic Kurdi. In Pakistan, racism is conducted against Tamil. In Indonesia, ethnic Chinese doesn't only suffer discrimination by the state, but as well by the majority. Ethnic Chinese often suffer from mass discontents. In Asia, racism is not only connected to race and ethnic discrimination, but also religion. India, for example, there is still conflict between Hindu and Sikh.
In Indonesia, conflict between Christian and Muslim still occurs. Maluku (South and North) conflicts, Poso, Mataram, Medan, etc. -- conflicts between Christian and Muslim -- had spread become the so-called "holy war." Ten thousands people were killed; hundred thousands left their houses; houses, churches, mosques, school building, public building, are damaged, burnt. [Note: The war has been going on for 18 months now. Update: July 2000.]
Racism in Asia has deep root in colonialism. It is very complex. Therefore, if we want to eliminate racism in Asia, we need a fundamental change in Asian societies. Solidarity among people and anti-racism organization is very important. The fundamental change must be democracy. In Indonesia, for example, eliminating racism (racial prejudices) is an effort to create a new civilization, that people recognizes the differences, human rights, and democracy.
