Whiteness
A social construction that has created a racial hierarchy that has shaped all the social, cultural, educational, political, and economic institutions of society. Whiteness and the normalization of white racial identity throughout history have created a culture where nonwhite persons are seen as inferior or abnormal. This white-dominant culture also operates as a social mechanism that grants advantages to white people, since they can navigate society both by feeling normal and being viewed as normal. Whiteness is a dominant cultural space with enormous political significance, with the purpose to keep others on the margin.
white
The definition of white has changed over time and has been (and continues to be) determined by the people in power. White is a socially constructed category of “race” with no biological/scientific foundation. White people frequently construct themselves as not possessing race or ethnicity even when they are beneficiaries of their whiteness. White ethnicity possesses powers that often mark it out from other ethnicities. Being white means having privileges and power, such as the privilege of not having to deal with racism.
The Expanding Definition of Whiteness