The Importance of Location

Location has various negative physiological, social, and psychological implications on a particular society. Root Shock written by Mindy Fullilove, explores these psychosocial implications associated with urban renewal projects which displace numerous individuals from their homes leading to both a loss of a social support system as well as feelings of isolation and confusion. In the article, “Racial Residential Segregation: A Fundamental Cause of Racial Disparities in Health” presented by David Williams and Chiquita Collins, we can clearly see the physiological manifestations of location driven racial segregation which has proven to cause an overwhelming account of health disparities. Hence, the importance of race and power relations are brought to attention as these factors play an integral role in establishing reasons for why the displacement of individuals occurred, reasons for why a cycle of inequality exists and finally, why this cycle is constantly and repeatedly propagated.

Fullilove’s explains root shock and its potential impact by creating an equal parallel to burn wounds. This leads to two primary implications. Firstly, root shock is further understood as a phenomenon which impacts different individuals not only by different methods but also in different degrees. This contextualizes the psychological manifestations as one is required to approach different “victims” of root shock through different levels of care and support. Secondly, this example aids in illustrating the very impact of root shock itself. By using burning, a highly painful and sometimes permanent wound, the author helps us understand the potency of root shock and its manifestation on the mind. Therefore, by equating a physiological condition to a psychological one, Fullilove presents an argument which allows an individual to appreciate the extent to which the experience of root shock can be utterly devastating and life altering.

Fullilove’s work also deconstructs race and power relations by analyzing why such an incessant need for urban renewal projects initially took place. She distinctly notes that such projects were executed more so for economic advantage and for hiding poverty for the visual convenience of the rich rather than addressing it through effective means. Hence, the process of such “hiding” also has unfortunate physiological consequences as discussed by the Williams and Collins article.

Diseases often times thrive in conditions of structural inequalities making such inequalities even more pronounced and incapacitating. Hence, racial segregation by location as a product of institutionalized racism can be perceived as a fundamental social cause of disease. Disease and health, in this context, can be used in some regards as a scale of social inequality. Certain conditions such as tuberculosis flourish among vulnerable populations where individuals are living in poor and crowded housing conditions. Other health conditions like asthma have also been linked directly to the exposure to pollutants and other airborne toxins. Recently, even the occurrence of heart disease has been higher among populations with compromised living conditions as noted by Williams and Collins. Therefore, in analyzing the relationship between health, race and location, we must not only look at the social conditions for disease but also how certain diseases only occur in specific social conditions. Hence, we have to begin to perceive the presence of many diseases as a manifestation of a fundamental problem within the social and structural system itself.

Therefore, racial segregation by location leads to the lack of access of proper housing, nutrition, education and work opportunities all contributing to poor health conditions. Such limitations foster more inequality as individuals are not able to escape the cycles of disparity which have been set in place by systems of institutionalized racism. On the other hand, such conditions also have other connotations for marginalized populations. The social and economic inequalities in such societies provide a fertile ground for crime, violence as well as other grave occurrences. Furthermore, these occurrences are then in turn used to crucify individuals and justify both explicit and implicit expressions of racism by portraying marginalized populations in a largely negative light. The conditions caused by institutionalized racism are also the very conditions used to validate such injustices. This catastrophic relationship of consequence is one which is both cyclic and inescapable.

In the light of such injustices, strong social relationships play a crucial role in fostering a community which supports positive growth and development. Hence, when urban renewal projects took place, they fragmented and disintegrated the community unit making individuals feel largely disconnected. This only served to add to the many other inequalities that the communities were already facing. In addition, the projects socially crippled individuals who found comfort in social ties and relations. By disregarding such ties and relations, the urban renewal projects not only displaced numerous individuals but also created one more obstacle in the lives of individuals.