  Our focus lies at the intersection between two broader research perspectives:
(1) the scientific study of algorithms and (2) the scholarship on race and
racism. Many streams of research related to algorithmic fairness have been born
out of interest at this intersection. We think about this intersection as the
product of work derived from both sides. From (1) algorithms to (2) racism, the
starting place might be an algorithmic question or method connected to a
conceptualization of racism. On the other hand, from (2) racism to (1)
algorithms, the starting place could be recognizing a setting where a legacy of
racism is known to persist and drawing connections between that legacy and the
introduction of algorithms into this setting. In either direction, meaningful
disconnection can occur when conducting research at the intersection of racism
and algorithms. The present paper urges collective reflection on research
directions at this intersection. Despite being primarily motivated by instances
of racial bias, research in algorithmic fairness remains mostly disconnected
from scholarship on racism. In particular, there has not been an examination
connecting algorithmic fairness discussions directly to the ideology of
color-blind racism; we aim to fill this gap. We begin with a review of an
essential account of color-blind racism then we review racial discourse within
algorithmic fairness research and underline significant patterns, shifts and
disconnects. Ultimately, we argue that researchers can improve the navigation
of the landscape at the intersection by recognizing ideological shifts as such
and iteratively re-orienting towards maintaining meaningful connections across
interdisciplinary lines.
