I was published in the January 28, 2007 issue of Le Québécois Libre with an article titled “Celebrity Big Brother: Who Are the Real Racists?”

The treatment of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty on Britain’s Celebrity Big Brother has produced an enormous controversy, with insults and conflicts inside the house widely presented as evidence of racism. I question whether this interpretation adequately distinguishes racial prejudice from personal hostility, class resentment, and cultural conflict.

I also contrast Britain’s intense reaction with the much deeper forms of prejudice found in India, where skin color, physical characteristics, and social standing routinely determine how people are treated. The controversy reveals not only how readily accusations of racism are made, but also how selectively prejudice is recognized.

Read “Celebrity Big Brother: Who Are the Real Racists?” at Le Québécois Libre →