Denying racial animus: Political discourse in Arizona anti-ethnic studies legislation

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature on racism denial through an analysis of the political discourse in defense of 2010’s Arizona Revised Statute 15-112 (ARS § 15-112), which can be considered a key antecedent to political moral panics centered on the presentation of history and identity in US schools. ARS § 15-112 was designed with the expressed intent of terminating Mexican American Studies education, and eventually all ethnic studies, in Arizona public and charter K-12 schools. This paper considers the discursive maneuvering used by political actors to simultaneously justify this legislation and dodge accusations of racial animus, both prior to the legislation’s signing and in the years following. It further analyzes the political discourse that allows for racism denial in certain spheres, including the legal realm, despite politically benefiting from the use of the Latino Threat Narrative. This paper discusses four primary forms of racism denial pervasive in this political discourse: 1) Absence discourse; 2) Framing racism around ‘extremes’; 3) Positive self-presentation; 4) Helping discourse. In addition to exploring how all four forms of denial are used in this case, the paper teases out helping discourse from positive selfpresentation, showing how the former focuses on reframing the actor while the latter reframes the action. Importantly, anti-MAS political actors and members of their shielding institutions attempted to frame racism and racial animus as inherently individual rather than systemic in every form of denial discussed.