Racialized Politics: The Debate about Racism in America (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion)
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--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.