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The W. E. B. Du Bois Lectures
The Anatomy of Racial Inequality
Speaking wisely and provocatively about the political economy of race, Glenn C. Loury has become one of our most prominent black intellectuals—and, because of his challenges to the orthodoxies of both left and right, one of the most controversial. A major statement of a position developed over the past decade, this book both epitomizes and explains Loury’s understanding of the depressed conditions of so much of black society today—and the origins, consequences, and implications for the future of these conditions.
Using an economist’s approach, Loury describes a vicious cycle of tainted social information that has resulted in a self-replicating pattern of racial stereotypes that rationalize and sustain discrimination. His analysis shows how the restrictions placed on black development by stereotypical and stigmatizing racial thinking deny a whole segment of the population the possibility of self-actualization that American society reveres—something that many contend would be undermined by remedies such as affirmative action. On the contrary, this book persuasively argues that the promise of fairness and individual freedom and dignity will remain unfulfilled without some forms of intervention based on race.
Brilliant in its account of how racial classifications are created and perpetuated, and how they resonate through the social, psychological, spiritual, and economic life of the nation, this compelling and passionate book gives us a new way of seeing—and, perhaps, seeing beyond—the damning categorization of race in America.
Using an economist’s approach, Loury describes a vicious cycle of tainted social information that has resulted in a self-replicating pattern of racial stereotypes that rationalize and sustain discrimination. His analysis shows how the restrictions placed on black development by stereotypical and stigmatizing racial thinking deny a whole segment of the population the possibility of self-actualization that American society reveres—something that many contend would be undermined by remedies such as affirmative action. On the contrary, this book persuasively argues that the promise of fairness and individual freedom and dignity will remain unfulfilled without some forms of intervention based on race.
Brilliant in its account of how racial classifications are created and perpetuated, and how they resonate through the social, psychological, spiritual, and economic life of the nation, this compelling and passionate book gives us a new way of seeing—and, perhaps, seeing beyond—the damning categorization of race in America.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published February 15, 2002
47 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
Glenn C. Loury
23 books120 followersGlenn C. Loury is Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department of Economics at Brown University. An award-winning economic theorist, he is the author of One by One from the Inside Out: Essays and Reviews on Race and Responsibility in America and coauthor of Race, Incarceration, and American Values.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 30, 2008
I read Glenn C. Loury's article about incarceration and race in the Utne Reader and was very impressed:
http://www.utne.com/2007-11-07/Americ...
As a result, I decided to read more of his work. The Anatomy of Racial Inequality is the BEST book I have ever read about race. Dr. Loury presents his theories via a series of lectures very clearly by using a framework of political economy.
He shifts the focus from the typical discourse about race, which usually falls in the framework of outward discrimination, public policy like affirmative action, the achievement gap, etc. Instead, he talks about racial stigma and how this is perpetuated through the "informal, private spheres of life".
He also outlines the legacy of slavery in a convincing manner. Often this is readily dismissed as happening so long ago that it should no longer have an impact. It clearly does, mainly in the experience of "racial dishonor" and "social otherness" that continues long past emancipation and has become ingrained in the dominant culture and remains to be fully eradicated.
After methodically explaining these theories, the author talks about strategies to achieve racial justice. I found this extremely helpful in applying his ideas to my actual work towards social justice in my social services job.
He also provides an appendix with statistics that outline the huge disparities between blacks and whites in employment, salaries/wages, single parent families, etc. This was so disturbing to me that it makes me wonder why, as a society, we aren't addressing racial stigma more directly. It is shameful that we live in a democracy that includes such wide gaps between the races.
I strongly recommend this book. It caused a major shift in my thinking and has changed my focus and approach towards racial social justice.
http://www.utne.com/2007-11-07/Americ...
As a result, I decided to read more of his work. The Anatomy of Racial Inequality is the BEST book I have ever read about race. Dr. Loury presents his theories via a series of lectures very clearly by using a framework of political economy.
He shifts the focus from the typical discourse about race, which usually falls in the framework of outward discrimination, public policy like affirmative action, the achievement gap, etc. Instead, he talks about racial stigma and how this is perpetuated through the "informal, private spheres of life".
He also outlines the legacy of slavery in a convincing manner. Often this is readily dismissed as happening so long ago that it should no longer have an impact. It clearly does, mainly in the experience of "racial dishonor" and "social otherness" that continues long past emancipation and has become ingrained in the dominant culture and remains to be fully eradicated.
After methodically explaining these theories, the author talks about strategies to achieve racial justice. I found this extremely helpful in applying his ideas to my actual work towards social justice in my social services job.
He also provides an appendix with statistics that outline the huge disparities between blacks and whites in employment, salaries/wages, single parent families, etc. This was so disturbing to me that it makes me wonder why, as a society, we aren't addressing racial stigma more directly. It is shameful that we live in a democracy that includes such wide gaps between the races.
I strongly recommend this book. It caused a major shift in my thinking and has changed my focus and approach towards racial social justice.
July 18, 2020
This book considers racial inequality through a mix of perspectives including philosophy (classical liberal theory), sociology (e.g., stigma, dishonor), and microeconomic theory (e.g., adverse selection, incentives). This mix of lenses was for me the most interesting part about the book.
I wish it had more empirics. The argument consists mostly of theory, and like a lot of theory, it spent much time stating somewhat obvious things. Nonetheless, there is value in stating obvious things in clearly framed ways, and I thought Loury's frameworks were insightful (e.g., his framing of reward bias vs development bias).
“Anatomy” was written during Loury's "liberal phase," and I would be interested in seeing how his views have evolved over time. In particular, his arguments on affirmative action in the book seem to contradict some of his more recent statements.
One issue - though this book was short, it did not feel concise. If the book were tighter, I could recommend it more strongly.
I wish it had more empirics. The argument consists mostly of theory, and like a lot of theory, it spent much time stating somewhat obvious things. Nonetheless, there is value in stating obvious things in clearly framed ways, and I thought Loury's frameworks were insightful (e.g., his framing of reward bias vs development bias).
“Anatomy” was written during Loury's "liberal phase," and I would be interested in seeing how his views have evolved over time. In particular, his arguments on affirmative action in the book seem to contradict some of his more recent statements.
One issue - though this book was short, it did not feel concise. If the book were tighter, I could recommend it more strongly.
May 9, 2025
I’m not sure how this book came to be on my to read shelf but I do vaguely remember that it was billed as the ravings of a madman determined to undo any and all racial progress in the name of liberalism.
The fact that I got W.E.B du Bois (if he taught economics at Harvard) really drives home how unmoored the conversation around these topics is.
The foundation the author lays out is both solid and novel (to me at least) and he uses the true power of the economist who has freed himself from math to analyze situations in interesting ways. The taxi example is one that will stick in my mind for a long time. This foundation only enhances the interest in the author’s arguments on affirmative action, which he has since recanted, because he does not apply a fairly simple parallel argument to the taxi example to outcomes of education rather than just organizational education. To his undying credit he explains why he thinks he departed from his programme in his introduction to the second edition.
No idea if he’s right or not but it’s a good book. Theory driven in a space that feels narratively driven at many times, but not inaccessible.
The fact that I got W.E.B du Bois (if he taught economics at Harvard) really drives home how unmoored the conversation around these topics is.
The foundation the author lays out is both solid and novel (to me at least) and he uses the true power of the economist who has freed himself from math to analyze situations in interesting ways. The taxi example is one that will stick in my mind for a long time. This foundation only enhances the interest in the author’s arguments on affirmative action, which he has since recanted, because he does not apply a fairly simple parallel argument to the taxi example to outcomes of education rather than just organizational education. To his undying credit he explains why he thinks he departed from his programme in his introduction to the second edition.
No idea if he’s right or not but it’s a good book. Theory driven in a space that feels narratively driven at many times, but not inaccessible.
November 24, 2020
Not the easiest book to read, but very insightful. In contrast to many current books about racial inequality, the author relies on data and analysis, not merely rhetoric and theory.
August 20, 2021
I have been a long-time listener and follower of Glenn Loury, and find him to be one of the few Black conservatives honestly interested in helping the Black community. When I say that I don't mean they have a casual interest I mean he is invested. He has had on his show several nonprofits focused on developing the Black community and leveled fair criticism of BLM, and other Black advocacy groups. On to his book, the most important parts of the book include his discussion on why racial stigma and stereotypes exist and more importantly how to rectify it. I liked the breakdown of self-affirming bias, negative feedback loops, and the possible three takes on Black Americans. 1. External 2. Nonexternal 3. Race denotes the inability to develop. I like that framework and the focus on the ability to correct one or two but three you can't. Those three should be the core of any conversation and there should be heavy debate over one, and two but three should not be outside the bounds. It has to be debate and discredited if we are to grow as a society and successfully dispute racial determinism (race denotes ability) as he defines it. This is a must-read.
December 1, 2020
An important work. Borrowed this from the library and lamented being unable to annotate, and re-read, and duly study it. The author is meticulous in terminology as he traverses the space of American relations between “them” & “us”. It’s a meditative book, regularly prompting the reader to distinguish between the seen and the unseen.
August 4, 2020
Great book. Loury develops a theory of racial stigma, attributable to slavery in the US, that results in inequality even in the absence of pervasive reward bias. In essence, endogenous preferences result in persistent racial inequality and indicate why adverse feedback loops are difficult to break and result in indifference toward high rates of victimization, incarceration, and other poor social indicators. To an extent, this is an off-shoot of the statistical discrimination literature whereas agents, with limited information, impute qualities to other agents based upon their knowledge set of what readily observable characteristics mean without necessarily a ‘taste’ for discrimination. But, Loury’s concern is much broader than market outcomes.
I would be interested to see Loury consider whether social norms may be taught by law. If endogenous preferences are a reflection of law, can the law serve as teacher (such as principles enshrined in the 14th Amendment or the Civil Rights Act)? Why hasn’t this done the work of shaping preferences if they’re not taken to be fixed? I suppose Loury would respond with his his distinction between reward bias and opportunity bias, with the latter being embedded in the private social networks of an individual often far from the influence of government policy seen as appropriate in a liberal political order.
Loury seemed to have the rough outlines of this book in an article published four years before the book. While the short article doesn’t give proper justice to the book, may be worth reading: https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/1...
Quick note not too related to the books merits: I had owned this book for sometime. In response to the recent popularity of recently published works (see the NYT best seller list for July 26, 2020), decided to read it. It’s amazing, but not surprising, that the themes covered in this book and those that make appearances in the bibliography seem to be written, but for a more popular and morally confident/stark, anew.
I would be interested to see Loury consider whether social norms may be taught by law. If endogenous preferences are a reflection of law, can the law serve as teacher (such as principles enshrined in the 14th Amendment or the Civil Rights Act)? Why hasn’t this done the work of shaping preferences if they’re not taken to be fixed? I suppose Loury would respond with his his distinction between reward bias and opportunity bias, with the latter being embedded in the private social networks of an individual often far from the influence of government policy seen as appropriate in a liberal political order.
Loury seemed to have the rough outlines of this book in an article published four years before the book. While the short article doesn’t give proper justice to the book, may be worth reading: https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/1...
Quick note not too related to the books merits: I had owned this book for sometime. In response to the recent popularity of recently published works (see the NYT best seller list for July 26, 2020), decided to read it. It’s amazing, but not surprising, that the themes covered in this book and those that make appearances in the bibliography seem to be written, but for a more popular and morally confident/stark, anew.
May 25, 2023
The book starts by pointing out that huge racial disparities exist for almost all important life outcomes (wages, incarceration, life expectancy, etc etc), long after the end of segregation and that explaining and fixing these disparities is one of America’s biggest problems. Too many arguments to summarize in the review, but I really liked it. If I had to pick one book that would summarize America’s current problem with race, this would be it.
Quotes
Confronted by the facts of racially disparate achievement, the racially disproportionate transgression of legal strictures, and racially unequal development of productive potential, observers need to give an account. They need to tell themselves a “story,” to adopt some “model” of what has generated their data, to embrace some framework for gauging how best to respond. In effect, observers must answer the question, Where does the problem lie, with US or with THEM?... Faced with manifestations of extreme marginality and dysfunction among some of the racially marked, will the citizenry indignantly cry out, “What manner of people are THEY, who languish in that way?” Or will they be moved, perhaps after overcoming an instinctual revulsion, to ask, reflectively and reflexively, “What manner of people are WE who accept such degradation in our midst?” I have argued that the attainment of racial justice depends crucially on which narrative is settled upon. Reform becomes possible only when this second question is posed.
The “conservative line” on race in America today is simplistic. I repeat: The self-limiting patterns of behavior among poor blacks are not a product of some alien cultural imposition on a pristine Euro-American canvas. Rather, such “pathological” behavior by these most marginal of Americans is deeply rooted in American history. It evolved in tandem with American political and economic institutions, and with cultural practices that supported and legitimated those institutions—practices that were often deeply biased against blacks.
Quotes
Confronted by the facts of racially disparate achievement, the racially disproportionate transgression of legal strictures, and racially unequal development of productive potential, observers need to give an account. They need to tell themselves a “story,” to adopt some “model” of what has generated their data, to embrace some framework for gauging how best to respond. In effect, observers must answer the question, Where does the problem lie, with US or with THEM?... Faced with manifestations of extreme marginality and dysfunction among some of the racially marked, will the citizenry indignantly cry out, “What manner of people are THEY, who languish in that way?” Or will they be moved, perhaps after overcoming an instinctual revulsion, to ask, reflectively and reflexively, “What manner of people are WE who accept such degradation in our midst?” I have argued that the attainment of racial justice depends crucially on which narrative is settled upon. Reform becomes possible only when this second question is posed.
The “conservative line” on race in America today is simplistic. I repeat: The self-limiting patterns of behavior among poor blacks are not a product of some alien cultural imposition on a pristine Euro-American canvas. Rather, such “pathological” behavior by these most marginal of Americans is deeply rooted in American history. It evolved in tandem with American political and economic institutions, and with cultural practices that supported and legitimated those institutions—practices that were often deeply biased against blacks.
April 13, 2021
very clear and insightful discussion of persisting racial inequality in america. if you know thomas schelling's model of how segregated neighborhoods can arise spontaneously from even very weak preferences to live near your race, this book takes a similar microeconomic approach (loury studied under schelling) to many aspect of race beyond housing. the last half or so goes in a political philosophical direction, discussing whether race-blind liberal individualism is simply incapable of pulling us out of these bad (but "freely" chosen) equilibria we've gotten ourselves into, and whether and when racial solidarity can be appropriate. the best part of this book is actually the sociological bits that borrow irving goffman's concept of stigma and apply it to race and the way we frame policy discussions about black-white inequality.
if you know loury's podcast, you may be surprised at how leftwing the book can seem. that said, note that he credits communitarians for critique of the libs, and this book is mostly not about policy solutions. still, i am pleased how the best neolib econ thought on the topic converges with the best socialist thinking. i note that he and the socialist karen fields each cite the other favorably.
in summary this is a good, theory-heavy book offering models from economics and sociology that explain persistent racial inequality and show up the irrelevance of much mainstream lib and conservative thinking on the topic.
if you know loury's podcast, you may be surprised at how leftwing the book can seem. that said, note that he credits communitarians for critique of the libs, and this book is mostly not about policy solutions. still, i am pleased how the best neolib econ thought on the topic converges with the best socialist thinking. i note that he and the socialist karen fields each cite the other favorably.
in summary this is a good, theory-heavy book offering models from economics and sociology that explain persistent racial inequality and show up the irrelevance of much mainstream lib and conservative thinking on the topic.
October 25, 2021
I loved this book from the younger and more progressive Glenn Loury. He conceptually lays out the foundations and causes of racial inequality, taking in all contextual factors, that make sense. Of course, he wrote this is the hey day of the most progressive time in his life in 2002 (you know, when he didn't necessarily think of liberals as bratty children who don't reason well). Since then, he's moved along the curve from the more balanced view of why racial disparities persist to the more conservative view of focusing primarily on the faults of the black community to take responsibility for themselves.
January 9, 2023
Powerful analytical framework to discuss racial discrimination and stigma. Loury presents a theory of how, after over 150 years, the echoes of slavery still pervade modern society in self-perpetuating cycles. Highly relevant in the continuing debates over incarceration, policing, affirmative action, and social justice for Black and African Americans. This book is best suited for someone who prefers a style of writing that is logical and even mathematical, with clear definitions and axioms.
February 5, 2023
It's stigma, stupid.
Mr. Loury makes a convincing argument to the effect stigma is more consequential than racism. He prescribes rational approaches to cure black-white inequality in the USA. Although the discussion as presented is philosophical and rational, it is not difficult to understand. A good book to get broader perspective on race relations and racial politics.
Mr. Loury makes a convincing argument to the effect stigma is more consequential than racism. He prescribes rational approaches to cure black-white inequality in the USA. Although the discussion as presented is philosophical and rational, it is not difficult to understand. A good book to get broader perspective on race relations and racial politics.
October 6, 2020
Glenn's writing is at times is a bit densely packed, especially in the first half of the book, after that he seems to loosen up a bit and the reading gets easier. Still, the concepts on racism and stigma are very insightful. Definitely recommended reading.
December 28, 2020
Due to my lack of experience reading rhetoric based in economic theory, I struggled to grasp the arguments in this book fully. It didn't get me thinking about a few issues and topics I hadn't previously, which I appreciate.
October 26, 2018
The economist's take on racial inequality. Useful as a model.
November 5, 2022
This is pretty good book, if only because it helped me to develop a vocabulary for thinking / talking about race.
September 27, 2012
This book analyses racial inequality in the US, focusing on the Afro-American population due to its special historical status. It tackles the issue racism - 'race' is for the author a social convention, and not a scientific term-, and different visions on how to deal with it- the different views adopted such as colour-blindness or indifference. He thoroughly exposes why there's still in the US, so many years after slave-trades was abolished, so many differences between black and white, not only in terms of discrimination, but also in more 'social' aspects - people in jail, access to education, possibility of developing productivity, etc.
It's well-written,there are no maths, and several examples go along with his arguments so it's quite easy to grasp its meaning.
It's well-written,there are no maths, and several examples go along with his arguments so it's quite easy to grasp its meaning.
March 13, 2007
A distinguished economist, Loury speaks wisely about the political economy of race here. He describes a vicious cycle of tainted social information that has resulted in a self-replicating pattern of racial stereotypes which rationalize and sustain discrimination. This book changed the way I think about our country's allowance for the development of black capabilities.
December 4, 2025
Finished THE ANATOMY OF RACIAL INEQUALITY (2002), a complex analysis of racial stigma and its consequences by Glenn Loury, professor of economics at Brown University and host of The Glenn Show on bloggingheads.tv.
October 12, 2013
second half much clearer and readable than the first. no real groundbreaking ideas, though.
August 1, 2018
Anatomy was a thoughtful book that deserves to be read more carefully. I may return to it. Loury writes from a progressive perspective, but he reasons well and is fair to the other side.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews