Unconscious Bias – I’m still not convinced
“Sway, Unravelling Unconscious Bias”[1] by Dr Praya Agarwal, a British Indian behavioural and data scientist, author, and consultant, offers the expected “research-based” narrative on a contemporary issue of the day. Although much of her research was based prior[2] to the watershed race relations issues, which climaxed in 2020 with the killing of George Floyd, the author undoubtedly released her book at a prime moment, speaking into the zeitgeist of the era. I will write about one specific area of agreement I have with the author and one significant concern which questions the author’s premise.
I agree with the author, “Race is a social construct.”[3] In other words, it is not a biological reality but rather a system of classification created by societies to categorise people based on physical features such as skin colour, facial structure, and hair type. While there clearly are genetic differences among individuals, these differences do not divide humanity into biologically distinct racial groups.
Some of the significant aspects of the social construct of race include:
- No Scientific Basis for Race. Genetic studies show that there is more variation within racial groups than between them. All humans share 99.9% of their DNA. The small genetic variations that do exist do not align neatly with racial categories.[4],[5]
- Race Changes Over Time and Place. Different societies define race differently. For example, in the U.S., someone with one Black grandparent might be classified as Black (the “one-drop rule”), while in Brazil, racial identity is often more fluid and based on skin tone rather than ancestry.[6] The definition of who is considered “White” has shifted historically. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Irish, Italian, and Jewish people were often not considered fully “white” in the U.S.[7]
- Race is Used to Justify Social Hierarchies. Throughout history, race has been used to justify systems of oppression, such as slavery, colonialism, and segregation.[8] Laws and policies, such as apartheid in South Africa or Jim Crow laws in the U.S., were based on the idea of racial categories being real and meaningful.
- Race Still Has Real-World Effects. Even though race is not biologically real, it has powerful social consequences. Racial categories affect people’s access to resources, opportunities, and rights due to overt racism and discrimination.[9]
My concern with the author’s writing stems from her underlying premise. Even before reaching page 14, where Agarwal mentions moving to the UK from India as an adult, my intuition[10] had already suggested that she was an international resident in the UK. I appreciate her presence here and admire her courage in moving to the UK for study, work, and family. However, while her premise does not explicitly criticise UK culture, I couldn’t help but anticipate the familiar narrative that Britain is inherently racist, and I am certain that if I moved to India, I would face many of the same challenges she describes experiencing in England. She writes that she was one a few women of colour in the University.[11] Is it wrong for me to say, “So what?” She further writes about how she was asked how it felt to be a foreigner after living in the UK for 20 years.[12] Again, so what? I am British born raised in Australia, living back in England for 30 years, and most days, I am asked about Australia and my heritage. Am I offended? No. Surely this makes life interesting? Opponents of what I write will cite my skin colour and that I don’t understand. That’s why Coleman Hughes’s book, “The End of Race Politics,”[13] is so refreshing; he is advocating for a colourblind nation. Agarwal seems to want to be treated like everyone else, but when she is, she claims issues surrounding “positive discrimination.”[14] No-one wins.
Ok, so the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate and anterior temporal cortex light up when stereotypes are activated.[15] I’m sure they light up with many other things, too. Does this research really prove unconscious bias or the more insidious accusations of systemic racism? Is not “lighting up” evidence of the confirmation hypothesis?[16]
There are three of many reasons why I question the overly simplistic accusations of systemic or Institutional racism in the UK.
Firstly, in March 2021, the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities published a report concluding that the UK does not have a systemic racism problem.[17] The report suggested that while disparities exist, factors such as socioeconomic background, culture, and family structure play more significant roles than institutional bias. The commission recommended shifting the focus from institutional racism to addressing broader socio-economic inequalities.
Secondly, many scholars argue that the term “institutional racism” is over-applied and lacks precise definition, leading to misconceptions about the root causes of disparities.[18] They contend that not all disparities are a result of systemic bias; instead, individual choices, cultural differences, and socioeconomic factors significantly influence outcomes. This perspective suggests that focusing solely on systemic racism may overlook other critical factors contributing to inequality.
Thirdly, data from various studies indicate that outcomes for ethnic minorities in the UK have improved over time in areas such as education and employment.[19] For instance, some ethnic minority groups have higher university attendance rates than their white counterparts, and there have been increases in employment rates among these groups.
In short, I’m still not entirely convinced that unconscious bias is inherently negative. Perhaps it depends on the person?
[1] Agarwal, Dr Pragya. 2021. Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias. 1st edition. Bloomsbury Sigma.
[2] Ibid, 10.
[3] Ibid, 65.
[4] National Research Council (US) Committee on Human Genome Diversity. Understanding Human Genetic Variation. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 1997. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20363/
[5] Witherspoon, D. J., et al. “Genetic Similarities Within and Between Human Populations.” Genetics 176, no. 1 (2007): 351–359. https://academic.oup.com/genetics/article-abstract/176/1/351/6064640
[6] Daniel, G. Reginald. Race and Multiraciality in Brazil and the United States: Converging Paths? University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2006. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/j.ctv14gp6sn
[7] Ignatiev, Noel. How the Irish Became White. New York: Routledge, 1995.
[8] Telles, Edward E. “Race, Racism, and Affirmative Action in Brazil and the United States.” Latin American Research Review 54, no. 2 (2019): 419–437. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/latin-american-research-review/article/race-racism-and-affirmative-action-in-brazil-and-the-united-states/56F1932D42E86B2C6CC3327F63AB4064
[9] Smedley, Audrey, and Brian D. Smedley. “Race as Biology Is Fiction, Racism as a Social Problem Is Real: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives on the Social Construction of Race.” American Psychologist 60, no. 1 (2005): 16–26.
[10] Agarwal, 27.
[11] Ibid, 14.
[12] Ibid, 15.
[13] Hughes, Coleman. 2024. End of Race Politics, The: Arguments for a Colorblind America. New York: Penguin Books – USA.
[14] Agarwal, 14.
[15] Ibid, 68.
[16] Ibid, 35.
[17] The Report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. London: Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, 2021. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-report-of-the-commission-on-race-and-ethnic-disparities
[18] Sewell, Tony. “The Real Causes of Racial Inequality.” The Spectator, April 3, 2021. https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-real-causes-of-racial-inequality
[19] “Are Employment Opportunities for Ethnic Minorities in the UK Really Improving? Fact-Checking the Sewell Report.” London School of Economics and Political Science, April 19, 2021. https://www.lse.ac.uk/research/research-for-the-world/race-equity/are-employment-opportunities-for-ethnic-minorities-in-the-uk-really-improving-fact-checking-the-sewell-report
About the Author
Glyn Barrett
I am the founding & lead Pastor of !Audacious Church in Manchester, England. I was born in Manchester, but moved to Australia at the age of two. My wife and I were married in Australia and began married and ministry life in England 29 years ago. After serving as youth pastors for 12 years, we moved to Manchester to pioneer !Audacious Church. As a church we now have 7 locations. 3 in Manchester, Chester, Cardiff (Wales), Sheffield, and Geneva (Switzerland). In 2019 I became the National Leader of Assemblies of God in Great Britain. We have over 650 churches in our movement and have planted 98 new churches since May 2022 with a goal of planting 400 new churches between May 2022 and May 2028. I am the Global Chair for Church planting for Assemblies of God which currently has 420,000 churches and also chair Empowered21 Europe. I'm happily married to Sophia, with two children, one dog and two motorbikes. I love Golf, coffee and spending time with friends. I love to laugh, make friends and create memories!5 responses to “Unconscious Bias – I’m still not convinced”
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Thanks for your post Glynn. Always appreciated. In thinking syntopically about Hughes’ book and Argawal’s, what points of connection do you see them both making that help you in the leadership role you have in the AG movement in the UK?
Thanks Ryan. Reading Agarwal and Hughes syntopically highlights a shared concern for how society navigates identity, belonging, and progress, albeit from different lenses. Agarwal’s focus enables understanding how unconscious bias is perceived to subtly influence interactions, even with the best intentions, while Hughes reminds me not to be consumed by identity politics or overly deterministic narratives. Both challenge me, in my leadership, to go beyond surface-level responses and cultivate a culture that values individual dignity, fosters honest dialogue, and resists simplistic answers. Their work encourages me to lead with clarity and compassion, recognising the power of personal story and collective responsibility in building a truly united, Spirit-led church movement.
Glyn,
Nice post, In my cultural and human diversity class I teach a week on white minorities, focusing on Jews, Irish, German and Italian and highlight the struggles they faced in the US early on. The Italians were considered the missing link. Referencing your comment about the various parts of the brain lighting up, I also choose not to use the Implicit Association Test in my classes due to the mixed results. I do not want to communicate a potentially false narrative.
I do not have my copy of SWAY in front of me as I type this, but what struck me is the fact that I bought mine used and it was previously owned by a library in the UK. I wondered, did the library just buy a lot of copies when it was first published and then sold them off, or did people in the UK take offense to the book so that is why the library sold it. Any insights for how UK’s general population feel about this topic?
Jeff, thanks for your thoughts, mate.
The fact that Sway was owned by a UK library and then sold off could be due to any number of practical reasons; libraries regularly rotate stock, but you’re wondering if there’s a deeper cultural discomfort with the book is a fair and perceptive question.
In the UK, conversations around race, unconscious bias, and systemic racism are complex and, at times, polarising. While there is certainly an appetite among some for books like Sway, which tackle bias and identity through a research-based lens, others can find this type of content overly academic, culturally imported, or even accusatory, especially when it seems to paint the UK as systemically racist. In my blog, I shared my concern that Agarwal, although not overtly hostile to British culture, seemed to present a narrative that some readers might perceive as reinforcing a “Britain is inherently racist” theme. That kind of framing, even if unintentional, can generate resistance among readers who feel that their country is being misrepresented or misunderstood.
So while it’s impossible to know exactly why the library let go of that copy, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sway found a mixed reception in the UK. Some might have welcomed it as a timely, needed conversation starter; others may have dismissed it as part of a broader ideological wave they’re wary of. The national conversation here often walks a tightrope between genuine reflection and defensiveness, which makes leading in this space both challenging and necessary.
Glyn, great side-by-side analysis and also, great data to back up your point of view.
You mentioned that you are not entirely convinced that unconscious bias is inherently negative. Could you elaborate on what circumstances or contexts might lead you to view unconscious bias as potentially beneficial?