Research Summary
Racial inequality continues to be a deeply rooted social problem in Canada. As Canada Research Chair in Racial Inequality in Democratic Societies, Dr. Debra Thompson is identifying the mechanisms that create, solidify and maintain systemic racism in Canada and exploring how it affects Black and other racialized people’s experiences of democratic life.
She and her research team are identifying why and how systemic racism operates across the most visible and immediate examples of state power in racialized people’s lives. They are also looking at systemic racism in less obvious exercises of state power, such as the collection of racial data (or lack thereof). Part of this work involves determining the effectiveness of institutions that are designed to hold the state accountable for citizens’ experiences of racial discrimination. Their work will advance our understanding of the relationship between racial inequality and democracy, ultimately demonstrating the kinds of changes required to achieve more equitable outcomes for everyone.