What is White Saviorism?
White saviorism is a mindset where some people believe they are superior and are the only ones capable of helping those in need. Themrise Khan, an expert in international development, describes it as the tendency of the wealthier parts of the world to intervene in less developed areas without proper collaboration.
This often happens when researchers and workers from wealthy countries rush into poorer regions, thinking they can “save” people without truly engaging with them. It’s about the idea that the industrialized West needs to rescue the marginalized non-Western world.
Khan brings a wealth of experience, having spent nearly 30 years in the field of global development. She recently talked about white saviorism on the Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Dr. Garry Aslanyan.
In her discussion, she notes a lack of progress in making healthcare systems more equitable. She believes that to address these issues, we need a radical change—a complete redesign. Khan argues that white saviorism stifles true development and maintains existing power dynamics.
One story that resonated with her involved foreign donors coming to oversee projects in her community. She noticed how these visitors were treated like royalty simply because they had funding. This created a divide between the “saviors” and the local people, emphasizing the inequality ingrained in international development work.
Can We Hope for Change?
Khan sees herself as somewhat pessimistic yet recognizes that calling for radical change isn’t entirely negative. She believes we can rebuild better systems after dismantling what’s currently in place. There is a glimmer of hope in starting fresh.
To hear more about this important topic, check out the episodes from the Global Health Matters podcast.
Image Credits: TDR | Global Health Matters Podcast.
Check out this related article: Revolutionizing Crisis Care: How Indiana Mental Health Centers are Diverting Individuals from Jails and Hospitals
Source link