The Black Lives Matter Movement Through Different Lenses
This world is developing rapidly, and an important factor in its progress is that many acute problems either disappear or become less disturbing thanks to society’s efforts. People learn to accept each other despite their considerable differences, and the influence of stereotypes is getting weaker every day. However, one of the issues that still makes many humans suffer daily is racial discrimination. Some individuals still refuse to accept that one cannot humiliate or hurt a person because of their skin color, which is why this world needs organizations such as Black Lives Matter. This movement was created to protect Black Americans and empower them to express themselves, create, and live freely and without fear (Black Lives Matter, 2021). Moreover, one of the goals of this movement is also to eliminate racially motivated police brutality and the desire of the authorities to cover up the incidents with Black Americans. It may be rather beneficial to view the BLM movement through the lens of the natural and applied sciences, which is the purpose of this paper.
To begin with, it is required to define the lens of the natural and applied sciences. It may be divided into two parts, where the first is connected with fields like physics, biology, and chemistry (natural sciences), and the second part is related to “other STEM-related disciplines like technology and mathematics” (applied sciences) (Southern New Hampshire University, n.d.). This is the study of the physical world that people live in, and viewing an issue or event through this lens means trying to the role of nature in shaping this issue and people themselves. Moreover, natural scientists seek to answer the questions that have been bothering humans for centuries (Southern New Hampshire University, n.d.). It is general for researchers to conduct interviews or experiments and provide proofs and statistics when using the lens of the natural and applied sciences.
For example, researchers may be interested in finding out whether addressing racially motivated police brutality is enough for achieving the mission of the Black Lives Matter movement. Particularly this question may be answered with the help of the natural and applied sciences lens. Even though preventing police officers from abuse of authority and illegal actions against Black Americans is a significant step towards racial equality, there is an extended number of other fields that require the movement’s support.
For instance, according to Makgoba (2020), since the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been “the disproportionately high vulnerability and mortality in African-American, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latin communities” (para. 1). Ruiz et al. (2020) also provide statistics that show that 21% of Black adults (compared to 8% of white adults) report being subject to jokes and slurs because of their race since the coronavirus outbreak. During these terrifying times when relatives and friends lose each other, it should be especially important for people to care for one another and forget about stereotypes and differences between them. The fact that it happens the other way around proves that the issue is rooted deep in individuals’ minds, and greater efforts are required to achieve racial equality.
Further, there is also a severe problem in the scientific field. Numerous researchers become concerned about the fact that there is significant underestimation and underrepresentation of Black American scientists (“Black Lives Matter in ecology and evolution,” 2020). Their research is not supported, and their valuable and hard work does not receive enough attention, which also undermines scientific progress in general. Thus, in order to make a serious step towards racial equality and inclusion of Black Americans, it is also vital to consider this issue. Scientists highlight the contributions of their Black colleagues, without whom the effective development of the various scientific fields is impossible, and racism will become weaker. This is one way science can help enhance the power of Black Lives Matter. Additionally, statistics gathered by scientists and interviews conducted by researchers can also be very helpful for the BLM movement because they will have more tools for spreading awareness of the problem.
References
Black Lives Matter. (2021). About. Web.
Black Lives Matter in ecology and evolution. (2020). Nature Ecology & Evolution, 4, 893–894. Web.
Makgoba, M. W. (2020). Black scientists matter. Science, 369(6506), 884.
Ruiz, N. G., Horowitz, J. M., & Tamir, C. (2020). Many Black and Asian Americans say they have experienced discrimination amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Pew Research Center. Web.
Southern New Hampshire University. (n.d.). IDS the four general education lenses [PDF document]. Web.
The Lens of the Social Sciences
It is hard to disagree that everyone can think of five, ten, and even a hundred issues that have to be addressed in this world for it to become a better place. These ideas will vary depending on people’s backgrounds, social status, and even luck. However, a problem that will be common and most significant for a vast number of people worldwide is racial discrimination and white privilege. Indeed, despite all the great things and concepts that have been recently introduced to most countries, it is still impossible to call any nation free of stereotypes or racially motivated violence. Many people deny the idea of equality and think that they have the right to judge others based on the color of their skin and the origin of their ancestors. Further, many police officers consider themselves eligible to humiliate Black Americans and abuse their authority whenever they want because they feel unpunished. All of these concepts have to be changed immediately, which is the mission of Black Lives Matter. The purpose of this paper is to view this movement through the lens of social sciences.
The BLM movement impacts different social issues. For example, they are racism, white privilege, underrepresentation of Black Americans in science fields, institutional injustice, police brutality, and people’s unawareness of all these problems. The lens of social sciences helps articulate a deeper understanding of the social issues impacted by the movement by allowing researchers to see whether the world is in the phase of active social change (Whyte, 2020). This lens deals with society and the relationships between humans, and this knowledge allows scientists to evaluate the way people live and how to enhance their everyday experiences (Southern New Hampshire University, n.d.).
It is hard to disagree that racism is rooted in people’s minds, and it is rather challenging to eliminate this idea since previous generations were made to judge others based on their skin color. Through the lens of social sciences, it is evident that humans’ relationships are the key to the solution, and this lens highlights the importance of “equipping the next generation with critical skills and insights that can possibly lead to social change” (Whyte, 2020). Some persons’ attitudes towards others are based on racially motivated hatred and exclusion, and social sciences emphasize the necessity of changing the situation and making people treat others based on their real actions, talents, and skills. Through the lens of social sciences, it is evident that Black Lives Matter demand that society starts valuing Black Americans’ humanity, rights, lives, and principles (Lebron, 2017). There should not be a white privilege, and all humans need to collaborate against global problems.
References
Lebron, C. J. (2017). The making of Black Lives Matter: A brief history of an idea. Oxford University Press.
Southern New Hampshire University. (n.d.). IDS the four general education lenses [PDF document]. Web.
Whyte, A. (2020). Four ways to approach the Black Lives Matter protests with your sociology students. Collins. Web.