n a paper presented at the Transcultural Psychiatry Society workshop in October 1982, the author clarifies the term racism, discusses depression, and examines the ways in which racism is implicated in the genesis of depression in the UK. Racism is viewed as an attitude or behavior that arises from a belief that people can be differentiated from one another mainly on the basis of ancestral lineage, which is often identified by some physical characteristics (e.g., skin color). Racism is not just an added stress to individuals of minority groups but is also a pathogen that generates depression. A social model of depression is analyzed, and ways in which racism affects self-esteem, causes losses in a psychological sense, and promotes learned helplessness are outlined. A scheme is presented in diagram form to outline how, rather than implicating the patient in the genesis of depression, the "victim" approach should be emphasized. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)