Topic > The existence of the concept of double consciousness in America

What does White America think when it hears the words “black male”? The recordings in people's heads bring out a certain image of what a black male is. Maybe in the way he wears his clothes, earns money, or what activities he is involved in. To say that Double Consciousness is not relevant today would be simply false. Stereotypes still exist, so Double Consciousness still exists. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay I can't speak for the black community, as I am a white woman, but I imagine there is a split identification for many black Americans. When people think about what an American is, white America usually comes to mind because it is the “dominant” culture. Therefore white Americans do not struggle with this divided identity. But for black Americans the process of identification looks different or separate. Stereotypes are so prevalent in the eyes of white America that it almost seems as if black Americans should fall into the category of a stereotypical role. The concept of Double Consciousness is also applicable to other populations. Let's take Muslims for example. The stereotype of Muslims is that they are all affiliated with terrorism. How should American Muslims feel included and accepted when the dominant culture views them so negatively? I am of Syrian descent, so when my classmates found out about my origins, they would call me names like "terrorist". That wouldn't make me feel anti-American. It certainly made me feel discriminated against, but I personally didn't feel like I had a divided identity. I just thought my classmates were immature and ignorant about diversity. But all they did was insult me. There have been cases where Muslims have been discriminated against to the point of ostracising. A prime example of this would be the arrest of Ahmed Mohamed in September of 2015. Ahmed Mohamed, 14, built an electronic clock to show to his teachers at his high school in Irving, Texas. Instead of applauding him for his brilliance, his English teacher thought the clock was a bomb and reported it to the principal. He was handcuffed in front of the entire school, taken to jail and suspended from school. This incident involved allegations of racial profiling and Islamophobia. Justice was finally served when the police found that Mohamed was innocent and had no malicious intent. Mohamed now lives in Qatar with his family after accepting a scholarship offered by the Qatar Foundation. I think Double Consciousness contributes to racial division. It only reinforces pre-existing stereotypes. Stereotypes about groups of people have existed since the beginning. Unfortunately it is part of human nature to judge others. But living in a supposedly “post-racial society,” these stereotypes still exist and extreme actions are taken, which only further divide races and groups. Watch Ahmed Mohamed's experience with stereotypes and extreme action. This probably made him feel very isolated from his classmates and the dominant culture. How often do you hear about a white male being hauled into prison for questioning about a fake bomb? Now think about how often Muslims face this stereotype and how far other Americans are willing to go to isolate Muslims as a group. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Regarding the The “Up/Down” exercise showed me that I can't fit everyone into a neat little box. Every person.