Professor Leslie Picca discusses her work, Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage and Frontstage, which examines the racial attitudes and behaviors exhibited by whites in private versus public settings. Prof. Picca explains how simple racial jokes work to maintain dominant racism while offering up an easy out for racists. The creation of these white safe spaces where intolerance and prejudice are elaborated are rarely challenged by other whites, instead the behaviors are excused or dismissed. How “color-blind” excuses work to help whites act, avoid, and deny race while keeping white people comfortable and safe in integrated spaces. Finally, Prof. Picca explains how an individual’s actions in safe white spaces fit into larger systems of racism, white privilege, and minority discrimination.
Dr. Leslie H. Picca is a Professor of Sociology and the Roesch (Endowed) Chair in the Social Sciences. She joined the faculty in 2005 and has been entrusted with many leadership positions at the University of Dayton, including Chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work (2014-19), Interim Director of Criminal Justice Studies Program (2016-17), President of the Academic Senate (2020-21) and Co-Chair of the University Inclusive Excellence Council (2019-22).