October-07-13
10:40 PM
Author: Richard Dyer
NOTES: the following notes on this article contains sections of the paper the author deems to be important. It is not intended to infringe upon any copyright laws. It is simply meant to highlight the important sections of the paper.
The capter considers the implicatons of a particular group of people being categorized by means of the colour white
-to apply the colour white to white people is to ascribe a visible property to a group that thrives also on invisibility
-the fact that "we" are called and call "ourselves" white suggests the centrality of notions of colour to white representation
THE COLOURLESS SOURCES OF RACIAL COLOUR
-A person is deemed white not only on their flesh tones but also by the shape of the nose, eyes and lips, the colour and set o f hair, body shape….
-ie. It is generally the shape of the eyes that is critical in deciding whether someone is "white" or "yellow"
-Jews were perceived as black in the 19thC and before because certain features (nose) were seen as being like African
-non-colour factors are also used by non-european art to identify europeans (pointy nose and round eyes)
-White people's hair and eyes (unlike their skin) come in a variety of colours
-the author once heard that hair and eye colour variations was used to argue for the greater diversity of white people< -- they can be used to show that some white ppl are demonstrably whiter than others
COLOUR, VISIBILITY, INVISIBILITY
-in a visual culture (culture that gives a primacy to the visible as a source of knowledge, control and contact with the world ), social groups must be visibly recognisable and represented, as it is a major currency of communication and power
-being visible as white grants one privileges
-White also does not need to be visible; it is shown through the how the white people's way of life have perpetrated and dominated other culture's way of life
-also, POV