‘White silence’: a theory of inaction and complicity

Why ‘white silence’?

Silence could be due to several reasons. For example:

• to keep or retain ranks or favour – carry on without rocking the boat to shore up the favour of the perpetrator
• not my problem – turn a blind eye
• risk minimisation – backlash or victimisation is presumed from the perpetrator and/ or others acting in their interest
• power imbalance¹ – more junior in rank or having less positional power and/or influence within the organisation
• jealousy and/or dislike – perceived or actual tension or fissure in the relationship between the minority ethnic individual and the ‘silent observer’
• complicity – treatment of minority ethnic individual explained away and/or justified; agreement with the actions of the perpetrator

Effects/ consequences of ‘white silence’

Regardless of reason for staying quiet, ‘white silence’ can reinforce, widen and in some cases sustain [existing] power imbalance between minority ethnic and white people, as well as ‘legitimise’ individual ‘bad’ behaviours and/ or poor institutional practice. There appear to be three primary consequences of ‘white silence’ for minority ethnic people:

• Organisational ostracising – minority ethnic people branded as troublemaker and ostracised organisationally, effectively rendering them ‘sitting ducks’.
• Psychological and positional insecurity – minority ethnic people are left feeling devalued, belittled, bullied, betrayed, gaslighted, and in some cases, losing their jobs and/ or experiencing mental health breakdowns.
• Relationships and reputational management – minority ethnic people are left having to pound the corridors of their organisations to rebuild their reputation and relationships, often facing deep suspicion and apathy from colleagues, especially those who are white.

Why is white silence problematic?

• All white people benefit from whiteness (system of power), regardless of their position or status in an organisation. On the other hand, minority ethnic people, no matter their position or status do not enjoy the same organisational freedoms that white people do. As a result, remaining silent in the face of individual and organisational wrongs and injustices, regardless of reason for doing so, represents a fundamental misuse of privilege or a complicity with whiteness or both.

Citation: Paul Miller (2023). ‘White silence’: a theory of inaction and complicity, London: Institute for Educational & Social Equity.

¹ Positional imbalance is not to be confused with powerlessness since all white people benefit from white privilege regardless of position or status within an organisation.