Patricia Williams' "Alchemy of Rights" is a profound exploration of the intersections between race, law, and identity. Through a series of poignant and thought provoking passages, Williams challenges readers to confront the deeply ingrained social constructs that shape our perceptions of equity and justice. This review highlights the key passages that resonate deeply, encapsulating the essence of Williams' arguments and the emotional weight they carry. Her incisive critique of societal norms and legal principles not only reveals the persistent racial biases that underpin the American legal system, but also urges a re-evaluation of how we define and pursue true equality.

On Double Consciousness

Discussions on race can provoke discomfort and guilt, causing many to adopt a race neutral stance. However, Williams (1991) argues that terms like "black" or "white" are necessary to recognise the deep psychological and cultural power of racial constructs. These constructs significantly shape our identities and interactions. The issue is not with categories like race, class, ethnicity, or gender, but with the lack of responsibility in examining these boundaries. These boundaries set social expectations and standards, reinforcing hierarchies and defining what is acceptable, which often perpetuates inequality by maintaining rigid social structures.

Society advocates for inherent worth, respect, and fairness for all individuals, rooted in equal moral and ethical standing. Despite this, we often feel like outsiders, striving for acceptance that depends on the willingness of others. This raises questions about equity and equality, highlighting the limitations of imposing inclusion in a society that can only see us as “outsiders”.

On Our Colour-Blind Society

Standards reflect socially accepted subjective preferences, becoming ingrained in societal norms and perceived as natural. Once established, they guide behaviour and expectations through laws, policies, and social practices.

Standards, or principles, should be upheld consistently and ethically. Compromising these principles weakens our foundational values and questions our integrity. Society often displays selective moral indignation, reacting based on biases or political agendas rather than consistent principles. For long we’ve seen disproportionate attention to some incidents while ignoring others, as seen in global reactions to tragedies that befall blacks [whether in Africa or America for example] against conflicts in Europe. Selective morality has normalised accepted cruelties, allowing circumstances where the New York State department can secure USD$183 million to compensate holocaust victims, an atrocity which occurred on European soil, yet no substantial reparations have been offered to African Americans who were displaced by the slave trade – an atrocity on American soil.

Race-neutral principles often dismiss victims of racism as being stuck in the past, paranoid, overly sensitive, or “reverse racist” when applied without considering historical and social contexts. This form of implicit racial bias burdens victims to validate their experiences to an unempathetic society, at times leaving us in an echo chamber of doubt. This minimises us, reducing our experiences to harmful stereotypes.

There is a disconnect between our struggles and societal acknowledgment. This gap is partly due to a lack of perspective, leading to deflection, hate, moral disengagement, or invalidation to avoid feelings of responsibility, discomfort, or guilt.

Williams critiques how educational materials and perspectives perpetuate racial biases, marginalising non-white students. For example, exams often specifying race only when referring to non-whites, implicitly normalising "white" as the standard. Non-white students must then adopt an external perspective, objectifying themselves to rationalise an exam question.

On Our Dignity

The focus is on the racial dignity of Black people—how we perceive and value our identity. Our self-perception and sense of self-worth are shaped by the narratives we identify with. This is crucial in challenging and changing how we see ourselves, no longer feeling ashamed or the need to justify or explain our existence.

Williams shares an experience on one Easter Sunday in Harlem, where a group full of white people [and herself] touring the district treated black churches like "living museums" – visiting some churches to observe ongoing services without asking permission. Which made her question how a group of black people would be received if they walked uninvited into a synagogue on Passover or a church [with a white parish] during high mass. This cultural insensitivity mirrors familiar experiences like the constant fascination and need to touch our hair, reflecting a socialised blindness to the impact of such actions.

"Kuzvininipisa," a Shona word meaning to submit or make oneself smaller, encapsulates the experience of trying to fit in out of shame of being seen as ourselves. Suppressing our true self to conform and not stand out.

Racial dynamics and societal attitudes significantly impact self-perception. Being viewed as undesirable or threatening influences how we see ourselves, leading to internalised self-hatred.

On Our Future

Williams questions whether the “standard” road, though good, is the only good road. In a society dominated by Eurocentric culture, we often see ourselves through the lens of those who hold us in contempt. This comparative reasoning leads us to interpret life from their reality.

Efforts to make society understand our struggles are important, but there comes a point where gradual change is no longer acceptable. We need to shift focus from seeking validation to demanding meaningful change from/for ourselves.

We cannot be comfortable in our own skin until we appreciate ourselves. To appreciate ourselves requires knowing, understanding, and accepting who we are. Only at that point can we realise the importance of nurturing both personal and communal aspects of our identity so we can create the reality we want to see.