Discrimination Without Traits: From Social Construction to the Politics of Discrimination

Popescu-Sarry, Diana E

Abstract

Theories of discrimination typically select properties such as race, gender, sexuality, or ethnicity as being of special concern. These properties, which are customarily identified as genuine grounds of discrimination, are also at the forefront of constructionist efforts to understand reality as a product of social interactions. Theories of discrimination have so far neglected the important question of how understanding the nature of these properties impacts our theoretical views of the kind of phenomenon discrimination is. This article outlines some pitfalls of assuming away complexities regarding the ontology of the underlying properties, and systematically develops a constructionist account of discrimination, which I call Discrimination without Traits. I argue pursuing a constructionist view of grounds reveals discrimination to be not a discrete process involving a discriminator and a victim, but an ongoing process of (re)negotiating social reality that is fundamentally political. This uncovers neglected avenues for designing political remedies to discrimination.

Citation

Popescu-Sarry, D. E. (2023). Discrimination Without Traits: From Social Construction to the Politics of Discrimination. American Political Science Review, 118(2), 890-902. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003055423000679

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 20, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Aug 22, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 25, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: May 2, 2025
• Journal: American Political Science Review
• Print ISSN: 0003-0554
• Electronic ISSN: 1537-5943
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 118
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 890-902
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003055423000679
• Keywords: Political Science and International Relations; Sociology and Political Science
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/26528352
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/discrimination-without-traits-from-social-construction-to-the-politics-of-discrimination/05906F839A62B6306EEAAD8950A9A810