Racialized Politics: The Debate about Racism in America (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226744078 ISBN 13: 9780226744070

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2000

Synopsis

Are Americans less prejudiced now than they were thirty years ago, or has racism simply gone "underground"? Is racism something we learn as children, or is it a result of certain social groups striving to maintain their privileged positions in society?

In Racialized Politics, political scientists, sociologists, and psychologists explore the current debate surrounding the sources of racism in America. Published here for the first time, the essays represent three major approaches to the topic. The social psychological approach maintains that prejudice socialized early in life feeds racial stereotypes, while the social structural viewpoint argues that behavior is shaped by whites' fear of losing their privileged status. The third perspective looks to non-racially inspired ideology, including attitudes about the size and role of government, as the reason for opposition to policies such as affirmative action. Timely and important, this collection provides a state-of-the-field assessment of the current issues and findings on the role of racism in mass politics and public opinion.

Contributors are Lawrence Bobo, Gretchen C. Crosby, Michael C. Dawson, Christopher Federico, P. J. Henry, John J. Hetts, Jennifer L. Hochschild, William G. Howell, Michael Hughes, Donald R. Kinder, Rick Kosterman, Tali Mendelberg, Thomas F. Pettigrew, Howard Schuman, David O. Sears, James Sidanius, Pam Singh, Paul M. Sniderman, Marylee C. Taylor, and Steven A. Tuch.

About this title

From Booklist:

Social scientists from various disciplines explore the current debate surrounding racism in America, particularly in relation to white public opinion. The editors begin with an excellent overview of racial conflicts in the U.S. The essays present various theories on white resistance to "policies intended to increase racial equality." The selections reflect academic debate at its best, with clear consensus on the offensive nature of historical U.S. race relations but not on much else. Several contributors suggest that white opinions that oppose policies intended to improve racial conditions for blacks have nonracial foundations, such as the valued principle of individualism. But further objective analysis usually reveals a more race-centered basis for the opinion. Contributors also note that extreme racial positions, such as biological inferiority, have been replaced with more modern racism that tends to shift the blame to blacks and poor personal choices. The underlying focus of this work is that racism has adapted to a "politically correct" context for the twenty-first century. Vernon Ford

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0226744078
• ISBN 13: 9780226744070
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 439
• Editor: Sears David O., Sidanius James, Bobo Lawrence