Whiteness is property. Race is a social construct and, as such, it influences behavior and perception; our own and those around us. Cheryl Harris argued that whiteness and property share a common core feature which is the right to exclude.1 She also discusses the history of legal discussions in which whiteness has played a similar role to property. The ability to create a role and confer upon those in that role specific privileges in such subtle moves is one way for aristocracy to masquerade as meritocracy. Using this right to exclude, whiteness has the ability to divide the working class.
If whiteness is property, and whiteness, like race in general, is socially constructed, then couldn’t all racial identity be property?