Racial Color-Blindness and Privilege Awareness in Relation to Interest in Social Justice among College Students

An online survey examining racial color-blindness, privilege awareness, and social justice was administered to a sample of 381 college students (Mage = 20.53, SD = 4.35). Using multiple regression, increases in heterosexual and class privilege awareness predicted increases in student interest in social justice while increased levels of racial color-blindness predicted decreases in student interest in social justice. These findings suggest that racial color-blindness may serve as a barrier to engagement in social justice while heterosexual and class privilege awareness may buffer the aforementioned barrier. Professors and university administration should consider ways in which they infuse conversations around diversity, privilege, and racial color-blindness into their curriculum.