Race and Ethnicity in Society: The Changing Landscape

by Elizabeth Higginbotham, Margaret L. Andersen

This engaging reader is organized in four major thematic parts, subdivided into thirteen different sections. Part I ("The Social Basis of Race and Ethnicity") establishes the analytical frameworks that are now being used to think about race in society. The section examines the social construction of race and ethnicity as concepts and experience. Part II ("Continuity and Change: How We Got Here and What It Means") explores both the historical patterns of inclusion and exclusion that have established racial and ethnic inequality, while also explaining some of the contemporary changes that are shaping contemporary racial and ethnic relations. Part III ("Race and Social Institutions") examines the major institutional structures in contemporary society and investigates patterns of racial inequality within these institutions. Persistent inequality in the labor market and in patterns of community, residential, and educational segregation continue to shape the life chances of different groups. Part IV ("Building a Just Society") concludes the book by looking at both large-scale contexts of change, such as those reflected in the movement to elect the first African American president.

Genres: Nonfiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book as assigned for my race & ethnic relations class. There were a few sections that we didn't have to read for class, but after the class ended I went ahead and read them all before selling my book back. Overall this is a good reader; much better than that other one I reviewed a couple months ago. Some sections are better than others; the unit on race and the media was the section that was the weakest. It probably actually has less essays that are real stand-outs for me--fewer of the essays blew me away individually--but the whole collection is just a lot more even. It accomplishes the goal of filling the audience in on a breadth of information and gives a clear assessment of the state of race and ethnicity in society. I know I've said it before but Tumblr can teach anyone this stuff just as well, for free, in a really accessible way. And, though a lot of Trudy's essays are academic, most of Tumblr isn't particularly so, and it is always good to have academic sources. There are lots of studies, empirical research, and statistical analyses in this book and the articles are all useful to understanding the underpinnings of the racial situation in the United States.

The following essays/articles/excerpts were my personal favorites from this volume (although almost every piece contributes something important):
"Planting the Seed: The Invention of Race" by Abby L. Ferber
"How Did Jews Become White Folks?" by Karen Brodkin
"American Racism in the Twenty-First Century" by Matthew Desmond and Mustafa Emirbayer
"'Playing Indian': Why Native American Mascots Must End" by Charles Fruehling Springwood and C. Richard King"The First Americans: American Indians" by C. Matthew Snipp
"Impossible Subjects" by Mac M. Ngai
"Toward a New Vision" by Patricia Hill Collins
"Race and the Invisible Hand" by Deirdre A. Royster
"The Family and Community Costs of Racism" by Joe R. Feagin and Karyn D. Mckinney
"Child Welfare as a Racial Justice Issue" by Dorothy Roberts
"Sub-Prime as a Black Catastrophe" by Melvin L. Oliver and Thomas M. Shapiro
"Poisoning the Planet: The Struggle for Environmental Justice" by David Naguib Pellow and Robert J. Brulle
"Race, Place, and the Environment in Post-Katrina New Orleans" by Robert D. Bullard and Beverly Wright
"The Mark of a Criminal Record" by Devah Pager
"Post-Racism?: Putting President Obama's Victory in Perspective" by Thomas F. Pettigrew

[Juliet C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this text in class. Most of the readings are accessible and important to the topic.