Institutional racism can be best understood as the systematic policies and practices within institutions that create and perpetuate __________ inequalities, often without overt acts of prejudice.

Institutional racism refers to the ways in which policies and practices within organizations, such as schools, governments, or businesses, create and maintain racial inequalities. These inequalities can happen without anyone intentionally being racist; instead, they are built into the system itself. For example, if a school has funding policies that favor neighborhoods with higher property values, students in poorer, predominantly minority areas may receive less support and lower quality education. This means that even if the people running the school are not personally prejudiced, the rules they follow can still disadvantage certain groups. Understanding this concept helps us see how change must occur at a structural level to achieve true equality.