dead white European male
- noun
- Slur
:
[término ofensivo para hombres blancos europeos fallecidos]
- Discussions about art history often center on the contributions of dead white European males.
Examples
-
Some students demand a broader syllabus that is not dominated by dead white European males.
-
The university's curriculum was criticized for focusing mainly on dead white European males.
-
Many scholars criticize the influence of dead white European males in literature.
-
The curriculum often reflects the views of dead white European males.
-
Many art courses emphasize the perspectives of dead white European males over other voices.
-
Critics argue that dead white European males dominate discussions in historical narratives.
-
Students are increasingly questioning the relevance of dead white European males in contemporary studies.
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
dead + white + European + male
The phrase is compositionally built from easily understood words — ‘dead’ + ‘white’ + ‘European’ + ‘male’ — so a learner would grasp the literal referent (a deceased white European man). However, its specialized, culturally loaded use as a stereotype in academic and political discourse (criticizing traditional privileged perspectives) is pragmatic and evaluative, not fully predictable from the parts alone, so full understanding requires extra sociocultural knowledge.
Etymology
Dead white European male began as a blunt label students and critics used for the usual pictures in old history and art books — men who were dead, white, European, and male. Because those same people were the ones most taught and praised, the phrase now means 'a traditional, limited point of view that leaves out other voices'.