César Cabezas is the ACLS Postdoctoral Fellow in the Philosophy of Race at Temple University. Prior to Temple, he completed his PhD in philosophy at Columbia University with a dissertation titled “Structural Racism and the Reproduction of Racial Inequality”. His research lies at the intersection of philosophy of race, social philosophy, and the social sciences.
What excites you about philosophy?
I enjoy philosophy the most when I am exchanging ideas and working collaboratively on philosophical problems with both my colleagues and my students. I find it very exciting to be a part of a collective effort in which everyone feeds off each others’ insights in order to advance our understanding of the matter at hand. I especially appreciate moments when someone offers a different perspective that I hadn’t considered and that may even pose a fundamental challenge to my own views. While initially frustrating, the confusion that ensues often leads to asking new questions, rethinking my assumptions, and eventually attaining a higher (if still partial) degree of understanding.
What are you working on right now?
I am currently working on two main projects. The first project addresses the normative implications of my account of structural racism. In particular, I build on my theory of the motivational effects of structural racism to answer questions about moral responsibility and blame for advantaged agents who contribute to racial inequality. I also explore the moral tension that arises for agents who benefit from and contribute to racial inequality, while also maintaining a sense of moral innocence vis-à-vis racial oppression. I am interested in the transformative potential of this moral tension as a tool for positive social change, as well as in the various strategies that agents use to prevent this tension from becoming explicit.
My second project revolves around refuting common challenges raised against non-individualist accounts of racism. In “On the Connection Between Institutional Racism and Racist Ideology”, I defend impact-based accounts of institutional racism against the criticism that they are too expansive. According to this critique, if having a negative impact on non-whites is enough to make an institution racist, then too many institutions would count as racist. To address this challenge, I clarify the relation between institutional racism and racist ideology. I argue that racist ideology limits social criticism of and collective action against institutions that have a negative racial impact.
In “Institutional Racism and the Conceptual Inflation Challenge”, I respond to the challenge that the concept of institutional racism inflates the term ‘racism’ without proper analytical rigor. Conceptual inflation critics argue that the concept of institutional racism undermines our assessment of race-related wrongs, gets in the way of cross-racial dialogue, and weakens the explanatory power of the concept of racism. In response, I show that my account of institutional racism actually improves our understanding of race-related wrongs and contributes to the explanation of durable racial inequality. Moreover, the aim of having a concept of institutional racism is not to facilitate cross-racial dialogue, but rather to articulate the mechanisms behind the reproduction of racial inequality
What books are currently on your ‘to read’ list?
Matthew Desmond, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City.
Arlie Hochschild, Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right.
Elizabeth Barnes, The Minority Body: A Theory of Disability.
If you could have a one-hour conversation with any philosopher or historical figure from any time, who would you pick and what topic would you choose?
I would love to talk to Iris Marion Young about the ethical and political implications of her views on structural injustice.
What would you like your last meal to be?
I enjoy plates from different cuisines, but I would have to go back to my Peruvian roots for this one. I would choose an extra spicy fish ceviche and anticuchos (beef heart skewers) as appetizers, seco de cabrito (goat stew) for the main dish, and a combo of mazamorra morada (purple corn pudding) and arroz con leche (rice pudding) for dessert.
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Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
