Product Description
In Black Sexual Politics, one of America's most influential writers on race and gender explores how images of Black sexuality have been used to maintain the color line and how they threaten to spread a new brand of racism around the world today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Eye Opening Read
Black Sexual Politics is a very insightful book. I suggest it for anyone that is interested in understanding the dynamics of race,sex and politics. You'll look at racism in film and television in a whole new light.

OMG i love this book! She has hit the pinhead with a jackhammer
I am so confounded by the author and her views and studies. It is simply the greatest, I repeat greatest book on the Black American psyche. Although a little tough to digest and understand at times, she will re-emphasize her point so that we the reader don't miss out on the facts. I understand our workings more and how I view sexuality and other races. GET THIS BOOK since you are reading this review and you know this is the type of topics that interest you!

Another Brilliant Book by Patricia Hill Collins
This is another breakout of brilliance from Patricia Hill Collins. Collins has broken to a new level of analysis of the intersections of race, class, sexuality and gender, and offers transformative interpretations of black popular culture.BRAVO, Ms. Collins! This book is a must-read for any black individual that cares about the lives of the black diaspora, especially in the new millenium.

There's A LOT More To Say
I am not afraid to look the reality of colorism in the eye and acknowledge that it does exist within the black community. It is my greatest hope and dream that someday the dark skinned black and the light skinned black will be seen as the one family in the future. I want so much to love the lightskinned sister and brother as my own reflection and not be divided from them or made to feel that one is treated better than the other, but sadly, that day is not here and this book bravely and powerfully illustrates that point to the fullest.

I am a medium brown colored woman, my mother was very dark skinned and I have witnessed the evils of skin color prejudice all my life. In most situations, it was Black Men who were prejudiced against myself and the women around me beccause of our coloring. These men felt no shame or limit in their racist intra-family prejudice and measured their entire lives by how many light skinned or white women they could attain and how light brite their children could come out. It's everywhere and anyone who denies it is both a fool and a liar.

That is why I highly recommend THE BLACKER THE BERRY by Wallace Thurman. There is no truer portrait of the self-hatred among our people than the one extolled in this book, and what makes it even sadder is that this book was written in the 1920's. So that only shows how deep this kind of evil runs.

Lately, I have become very interested in this subject and I have searched for other books that explore this subject with intelligence, honest, beauty and wisdom and I have found several that I consider to be classics on the subject of Colorism.

(1) MARITA GOLDEN'S book "Don't Play In the Sun" is definitely the most modern up to date book of the bunch. It expertly weaves the story of her life experiences in the 1960's Black Power movement with the current struggles of women like Serena Williams and India Arie to find their way in the world, even in the midst of being shunned and ignored by the black community itself. The book's analysis of the Hollywood casting system and the "Mulatto Follies" of BET and MTV is priceless.

(2) "The Bluest Eye" by TONI MORRISON is by far the most riveting and painful book that I have read on this subject of colorism. I believe that her book, more than any mother, gets to the psychological and historical root cause of the problem and exposes the mode in which we pass the problem on generation to generation. The destruction of an innocent black girl named Pecola Breedlove will leave you heartbroken and shocked as you see the bold naked truth unfold right before your eyes. You can't ignore this book, because the story being told is the one that you are all too familiar with no matter what color you are.

(3) "Flesh and the Devil" by African novelist KOLA BOOF is another deeply powerful book that examines colorism, but not out in the open. This book is unique in that it focuses on a very enchanting love story between a Black Prince and Princess and follows their reincarnations through history as they struggle to find their way back to each other. Through detailed moments in black history, both in Africa and the United States, the provocative author highlights the way that black people originally viewed their beauty and humanity and then juxtuposes it against the way they see themselves now in the modern world. The result is nothing less than devastating. I love this book so much, because the storytelling is so rich and the depth is so sweeping and grand. Anyone who loves good writing and is proud to be descended from the Black race will find themselves literally changed forever by the powerful images depicted in this very poetically moving story.

(4) "The Color Complex"--VARIOUS AUTHORS, is a very simple, straight forward analysis from a sociological point of view. Much research and statistical facts are used to illustrate that our communities are infested with these issues.

(5) "The Darkest Child" by Dolores Philips is another great novel that shows us the poor blacks who live under the poverty line ingesting these complex social hierarchies based on color and how they not only expose their children to them, but force the entire community to live by the "color code". Everybody is used to it from slavery and the system goes on and on unchallenged. In this book, Tangy Mae, the darkest of 10 children by the white-looking mother Rozelle, struggles to find her dignity and confidence in the midst of her evil light skinned mother inflicting one horrid abuse on top of the other. One thing I will say for the evil white-looking mother, Rozelle, is that she treated all of her children hiddeously and with contempt, from the whitest to the blackest. But she killed the child who was born looking like Tangy Mae and that spoke volumnes. This book is a very real metaphor for what goes on. Very real.

Yes, people, we still have racial/gender stereotypes
with regard to sexuality and its relation to society today.From the fake, hypocritical outrage by Americans at the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake incident at the 2004 Superbowl that led to wasteful congressional investigation to the ongoing probe of R. Kelly's involvement with underage women that were taped at various times and places in the late nineties that were surfaced on the video shelves aroung the nation back in 2002 The saga and the media hype involved in the2003-04 Kobe Bryant's rape case, the incessant media attention at Michael Jackson's child molestation case, another hypocrical outrage by media pundits over Serena Williams catsuit that showcase her behind at one of her tennis matches in October of 2002.

The ever growing love triangle/babymama drama of Britney Spears, Shar Jackson, and Kevin Federline and their kids by tabloid media. The ubiquituous, scantlily clad "video dancers" on MTV, BET, and VH1.

Bill O'Reilly's sanctimonius commentary on out of wedlock births by Blacks while ignoring the problem in other ethnicities on his nightly TV show. He continues to denounce hip hop as the source of all pathology in America and often urge his viewers to boycott Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Ludicris in his many crusades against the corruption of "mainstream youth."

In December 2003, Essie Mae Washington-Williams revealed to the nation that she is the late U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond's daughter. Less than two years later, she released her autobiography of her life. The 2004 MNF skit which involves the basketball star and the lady from a popular Sunday night show. Also, sexually suggestive movies and videos from Nelly, 50 Cent, Snoop,etc., the revelation of Prince Albert that he had fathered a son by a black flight attendant as well as the lack of coverage regarding missing black women such as Latoyia Figueroa in recent months.Also, not to mention Fantasia Barrino's revelation of rape, illiteracy, and having a kid out of wedlock by a man who battered her prior to her break on Amer. Idol. And more recently, P. Diddy's perfume ad campaign raised a lot of stink in the heartland and the Bible Belt because of its sensual suggestedness. More recently, the Duke University rape crime involving a struggling black college student and white members of the lacrosse team at what it supposed to be a bachelor party in March 2006.

This book trace the origins of racial/sexual stereotypes from slavery onward and how they are affecting society today as well as black and interracial relationships.It also talks about homophobia and the ongoing hostility toward interracial relationships as well as the strained relationships between black men and women due to racism, classism, heterosexism, and the stereotypes perpetuated by the mainstream media today.

I thank Ms. Collins for having the guts to say about the current state of affairs with regards to black sexual politics and its implications in American society.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (14)

Good book
Not a classic novel, but a good introduction to white privilege for those who are unfamiliar with the concept and the implications.

White Priveledge
The book was in great shape However I got it exactly 4 weeks after my purchase.That part of the class was done accept for my test.Thought it would take 2 weeks or less to get it.

Excellent and Insightful
Quite frankly, the only people who will have a problem with this book are those in denial.Ever had to hunt for makeup that matches your skin?Books or Disney merchandise that resembles your child?Wonder about whose flesh "flesh colored" bandages are for?Had to hunt for a hairstylist because you can't just walk in to Supercuts?And before this year, tried to not think about the fact that all the presidents have been white?

This book just discusses these kinds of issues that people take for granted and that others do not have.It's those invisible, seemingly insignificant things that others don't enjoy and whites do for no other reason than being white.It's not a blame game, it is discussing what no one wants to.It is not about feeling like crap about it, it is about noticing and saying something if it is warranted.It is about becoming aware because ignorance ought not be bliss when others can't share in it.

Please just read it.Unless you are already a hater, I believe you will enjoy this insightful read.

The usual liberal white guilt
"Scholars" like Rothenberg love to choose subjects like racism, Native American history, and feminism.They do this because these subjects allow them to not only feel "multicultural," but to feel as if they are somehow saying, "I told you so" to American conservatives and any white citizens who might feel that racism is overblown.

The fact is, racism is overblown.Take Hurricane Katrina for instance.African Americans and liberal whites were screaming, "RACISM!!" after the failure of FEMA to respond effectively to the disaster.This argument dies when you look at FEMA's response to Hurricane Andrew in 1992.That hurricane decimated predominantly white neighborhoods in Miami to the point that the chief of Miami disaster relief, Kate Hale, said, "Where the hell's the cavalry?"FEMA did not respond effectively then.In fact, they have never responded effectively to a major disaster.But, I suppose Katrina is different, right? Wrong.

Katrina is only one example in a sea of them.The Paula Rothenbergs of the world like to use South Africa as an example.They claim that country came together for a national dialog and collectively eliminated Apartheid.What they fail to acknowledge is the fact that their "invisible racism" is still alive an well in South Africa and always will be.White South African shop owners still prefer white South African customers.This will never change, no matter how many books like Rothenberg's are published.

There has never been a society without subtle preferences for one's own race and there never will be.As long as people like Paula continue to press white people for ever more "progress" on this "invisible racism," they'll merely push this supposed invisible-racism-free utopia further away.

Excellent book!
This book is highly readable and the analysis is very good.The only reason people would be reacting so negatively is if they have an investment in perpetuating racism. If you do not, then you will appreciate this book and its contribution to helping us understand the dynamics of privilege and how we can unconsciously fuel racism.The first step to changing something is understanding it.Nothing is helped by sticking your head in the sand and denying a problem exists.I encourage everyone who cares about ending the racist (and sexist and classist) power structure in our society to read this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Ferociously intelligent one moment, willfully smart-ass the next, ego trip's Big Book of Racism is a glorious, hilarious conflation of the racial undercurrents that affect contemporary culture at every turn.This one-of-a-kind encounter with the absurdities, complexities, and nuances of race relations is brought to you by five writers of color whose groundbreaking independent magazine, ego trip, has been called "the world's rawest, stinkiest, funniest magazine" by Spin.

Filled with enough testifying and truth to satisfy even the good Reverend Sharpton, ego trip's Big Book of Racism is a riotous and revolutionary look at race and popular culture that's sure to spark controversy and ignite debate.

Customer Reviews (16)

THIS BOOK WAS KINDA BORING!

NOT AS FUNNY AS I THOUGHT AND PEOPLE LOOK AT ME CRAZY WHEN I'M READING IT AND I'M LIKE 'HEY, I'M NOT THE RACIST! IT'S THE BOOK!'


YO EGO TRIP, YOU ARE TRIPPING WITH THIS BOOK (NOT REALLY BUT I WANTED TO SAY THAT!)


NOT AS GOOD AS YOUR OTHER CLASSICS!!!!!!

Sometimes you just gotta laugh about it!
The Big Book of Racism waxes philosophical on--you guessed it--RACISM. It analyzes and pokes fun at all the things that people think about other races, but would never say out loud. The book equal opportunity, with every race, including mixed-race people(In a section called Da High Yella Pages)being a topic of discussion.

The authors of the book are of varying racial make-ups, so it's not like one racial/ethnic group making fun of all other groups. I'm a Black woman and this book had me laughing my @ss off!! Throw all PC notions out the window and just enjoy the book!

Only for those that dont take themselves too seriously!
I originally saw this book advertised on a VH1 television program and was curious. I love it!My boyfried and I can flip it open anytime and get at very least a smile. Each page or two is something new, so you can open it up anywhere, or skip around if you want.Which makes it great for people who dont have alot of time to read, and can laugh at themselves.

Buy this book.
Everyone who is remotely into music or film should own this.Gives a critical overview and insights into race and its place in popular American culture in the last twenty five years, especially in the Hip Hop culture.Very good book.

OK
I decided to read this book; seaching for something different then my usual type of books. It was okay. At times, I was not sure when the authors were serious or joking. Had I been able to read the comment that one of the endorsers said about people reading the book, I would not have brought the book though. The book was all right for me. ... Read more

Product Description
In Racism 101, Nikki Giovanni indicts higher education for the inequities it perpetuates, contemplates the legacy of the 1960s, provides a survival guide for black students on predominantly white campuses (complete with razor-sharp comebacks to the dumb questions constantly asked of black students), and excoriates Spike Lee while offering her own ideas for a film about Malcolm X. And that's just for starters. She also writes about W.E.B. Du Bois, gardening, Toni Morrison, Star Trek, affirmative action, President John F. Kennedy, the role of griots, and the rape and neglect of urban schools.

Profoundly personal and blisteringly political, angry and funny, lyrical and blunt, Racism 101 will add an important chapter to the debate on American national values. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Better On Star Trek Than Spike Lee
Nikki Giovanni is an incredibly passionate, courageous, and imaginative poet. This book is full of amazing insights into the ways Black americans have contributed to American society. Even the more playful sections, like where she talks about how great Star Trek is and how much she admires Lieutenant Uhura, are full of important ideas.

Oddly enough, even though I've never been a big fan of Spike Lee, I think her attacks on his movie MALCOLM X are extremely distorted and unfair. She rages at Spike for five pages for "daring" to show Malcolm X chasing white women and wearing a zoot suit during his Harlem days when he was a small time gangster known as "Detroit Red." But what was Spike supposed to do? In his autobiography Malcolm completely admits to doing these things -- and he discusses his own mistakes with total frankness. Does Nikki Giovanni think black people are too fragile to handle the truth? Malcolm X didn't think so!

If Nikki Giovanni thinks Spike Lee is a third-rate filmmaker at best, that's fine. I agree with her completely. He's no John Ford. He's no Howard Hawks. He's no Alfred Hitchcock or Sam Peckinpah. He's not even a Steven Spielberg or a Martin Scorsese. What Spike Lee is (and I never thought I'd say this) is a determined, defiant black man in a smug, dishonest, all-white industry who defied enormous odds to get his Malcolm X movie made in the first place. In another part of the book Nikki asks that we remember that black slaves would never have got Sunday off if the black preacher hadn't been smart enough, and brave enough, to get the master's approval. It doesn't sound like much today, but it was heroic at the time. The same thing applies to Spike Lee's movies -- even if they really are pretty third rate as entertainment.

Another difficult moment occurs when Nikki Giovanni discusses Abraham Lincoln. She calls him "interesting" but swiftly ridicules him for not doing enough and not doing it fast enough -- opinions Spike Lee would certainly agree with. But like Spike Lee, Lincoln was facing real dangers and dealing with pressures that Nikki Giovanni either hasn't experienced or doesn't fully understand. And she misses the absurdity of ridiculing Lincoln while praising Star Trek. Without Lincoln there could have been no Gene Roddenberry, since the STAR TREK creator patterned his entire social approach on Lincoln's example. (See "The Savage Curtain" for a full discussion on Civil Rights between Kirk, Uhura, and Abraham Lincoln himself.)

As a black woman who lives and works in Virginia, I find it very strange that Nikki Giovanni has time to put down Lincoln -- but she never mentions a "gentleman" named Robert E. Lee. If Lincoln was no more than "interesting," does that make Robert E. Lee merely boring? What does Nikki Giovanni think of the millions of white Virginians who still revere Lee as a saintly hero? By trashing Lincoln all she does is let Lee off the hook, and enable the revisionism of southern whites who agree with her that Lincoln was no better than Lee. Does Nikki Giovanni have any idea what this implies? When do we get to read that essay?

Last but not least, I am extremely disappointed that an intelligent black woman who hopes to set an example for young black college students would openly brag about disgusting and destructive cigarette addiction. Anyone who's ever lain awake as a child listening to a beloved parent cough their lungs out will understand that smoking ruins lives and destroys families. Anyone who understands capitalist America will understand that white corporations love to make money off of black suicide. It's pointless to attack young black men for dealing dope and poisoning black children when the educated and life-affirming "Black Woman" of Nikki Giovani's dreams sets such a poor example.

And as Mr. Spock would say, it's not logical either.

A Helpful Munuscript
This was my first encounter with Giovanni besides her poetry, and I was amazed at her perspective observations. This book was recommended to me because of it's chapter about black college students. This single chapter did wonders for helping me with my adjustment into the college setting. If I had an opportunity to thank the author face to face, I would definately ask her what influenced the to shape philosophies about race relations on college campuses, ironically we agree for the most part. It is refreshing to me to find a person of her stature willing to voice her own opinions about important issues without holding back.I strongly recommend this book to every serious black student. The necessity of this book before you enter the college classroom is more than you could understand until actually encounter the writer's truths.

Great account
I though this was a great reader. The accounts of her life and the lesson that she is giving to her son and the readers kept me very interested in this book. She gives you the tools that one needs to combat racism. Iespecially like her critique of Spike Lee's movies!

"barely worth it"
Unless you are seeking a much needed feminist sensibility against Morrison's abusive Tar Baby narrative, I wouldn't bother. The rest of it is vague, presumptuous, shockingly lacking in self-reflection and criticism. For the most part, her flirtations at clear, responsible thought all toeasily descend into her typical scolding tirades!She insults everyone'sintelligence by speaking as if she is getting after an errant five yearold! ... Read more

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These are among the many myths about poor and diverse families. Catherine Compton-Lilly refutes them with the best data available. ... Read more

Product Description
In this, her groundbreaking book, Patricia Hill Collins examines the new forms of racism in American life and the political responses to them. Using the experiences of African American men and women as her touchstone, she covers a wide range of issues that connect questions of race to American identity. She follows the long arc of African American responses to racism in the US, from Black Nationalism, to Black feminism, to hip hop. Using this "genealogy," she then investigates how nationalism has operated and reemerged in the wake of contemporary globalization and the unexpected resurgence of nationalism. She then offers an interpretation of how Black nationalism works today in the wake of changing Black youth identity and the continuing need to draw on nationalism and feminism to formulate both a response to racism and a concrete platform of political action. ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine America on the first day of the 21st century. At the break of dawn, a thousand space ships descend from the sky, landing on the shores of the East Coast, bearing treasures of gold, safe nuclear power and detoxifying agents that could pay all debts and save the earth's environment. In exchange for these goods, guaranteed to rescue America from the excesses of its past, the Space Traders want just one thing -- to take all African Americans back to their home star.

What would our leaders do? White Americans were once capable of rationalizing Black slavery; would they be capable of justifying the trade of all African Americans to space, to improve their own lot on earth?

The situation is a chilling fantasy. But for Derrick Bell, the prominent civil rights activist and former Harvard Law School Professor, the danger is very real. In Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism, Bell uses allegory and historical example to argue that racism has always been an integral, permanent and indestructible component of American society. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Faces at Bottom of the Well
Book is being used for a class, it has great insight about racism in this country.It came in great shape, and I'm enjoying the book.Plus it was cheap, so I can't complain.

Loved It
I love this book. It was a very fast read for me.I especially loved the story "The Last Hero."

wanna play "What if?"
This is a very interesting and engaging book. The book is a collection of fictionalized, race themed, stories that challenge common beliefs about race. For instance, what if there were an Atlantis style utopia that only African Americans could live? What would be the reactions of whites? Would whites be glad to be rid of the 'black problem'? Would blacks want to leave the US to populate the utopian society? Bell takes an interesting and unexpected approach to this idea. Overall a good read that stimulates fresh approaches to race relations.

Challenging but flawed
This is a challenging but flawed book.This book is well researched and uses court cases to show the permanence of racism within American society.He brings up this points in a narrative style that is meant to challenge the reader not only on the basis of his facts but how those facts fit in with American society.
However, his characters become stereotypes themselves.One can see the roles that each of the characters in the story is supposed to play.His fiction continues the beliefs that he attempts to criticize.
Even with this flaw, this book is an important book and should be read by those who are concerned with racism.

Thought-provoking, powerful book
Bell is a true storyteller.He possesses the ability to capture your attention and keep you riveted and engaged.This book provides powerful, enlightening "accounts" of racism in America.Every American of every race, nationality, religion, creed and sexual orientation should read this book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (12)

Of course the one-star reviews never read the whole thing
The title is deliberately meant to catch attention and does not really signify the message of the book. While this probably ups sales, it also makes the book a target for people hunting around for the purpose of finding things to complain about instead of giving accurate, logical reviews of entire works. This book gives a very comprehensive review of immigration-labor relations throughout the history of the US and contrary to what someoen who barely skimmed the intro would believe, it does not focus solely on modern-day issues or solely on Hispanics. It deals with issues that relate to every class of society.
Do the authors have an overarching purpose/message? Of course; you can't find a book in all of history taht doesn't. Should *your personal, current* preconceived notions about the subject immediately render the book useless garbage? Come on, now.

Mostly about unions rather than illegal immigration
I am a long-time opponent of open borders. I want American immigration laws enforced and strengthened. However, I also believe it is important to respect those who disagree with me and understand their arguments. For that reason I read this book. The authors do make some good points in the book, such as the need for reducing the power of corporations in the U.S.

The authors argue that a complete open-borders policy would be best for the United States and for workers in general. Surprisingly, the book is mostly about the history of union organizing in the American Southwest rather than about illegal immigration as such. Indeed, the authors seem to be anxious to muddy the waters as much as possible. They talk a lot about long-ago jailed union organizers and long-dead victims of racist violence; they want to present deportation of illegal aliens as no different from past discredited violence. The authors argue that current opposition to illegal immigration is nothing more than racism. I don't find this convincing. If opposition to illegal immigration is racism, why is it that Mexico has its own problems with illegal immigrants from other Latin American countries?

The authors are clearly big supporters of unions and see unions as the solution to labor problems in the U.S. and around the world. I am a union member myself, and I simply cannot agree with them. Unions have their uses. In the end, however, no union can change the fact that labor conditions are ultimately determined by the supply of workers and the demand for specific skills. If plenty of workers are available who can do the work for less, working conditions will not improve. The authors are very concerned about not only illegal immigrants, but also the plight of all Hispanic workers. The authors don't seem to understand that Hispanics legally in the U.S. are the ones with the most to lose from illegal immigration. The illegals compete directly with them for jobs. If the authors really want to benefit Hispanic workers, they should be advocating the elimination of farm subsidies and other policies that favor big farms over small farms. Rather than paying union dues, they should pool their money to buy land.

The authors argue that immigration benefits the U.S. economy. There are two problems with this argument. First, whether or not immigration benefits the U.S. economy is a completely separate question from whether or not illegal immigration benefits the U.S. economy. The authors present no evidence at all that illegal immigration benefits the U.S. economy. Second, it is necessary to look at the whole question of how economic activity is measured. The most commonly used measure is the GDP, which essentially counts up dollars spent. GDP has been a controversial statistic since its beginning. At best, it can be considered as a rough estimate of business activity. Immigration does tend to increase GDP, at least slightly, because more people buy more housing, more food, etc. GDP is NOT a measure of prosperity of a nation, of sustainable development, or of quality of life, and in many ways is highly misleading. For more on this, see Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future and Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway Train: Errant Economists, Shameful Spenders, and a Plan to Stop them All. The U.S. simply does not have room to take everyone who would like to come here.

The authors argue that high immigration is necessary to the stability of the U.S. economy, including the Social Security program. This is incorrect. It is true that the present-day Social Security system essentially operates as a giant Ponzi scheme. However, bringing in more new workers can't fix this system. The U.S. economy is already having trouble finding jobs for all workers. If new workers can't find good-paying jobs, they can't pay for anyone else's retirement. And when the new workers eventually retire, who is going to pay for their retirement? Are we going to bring in yet another wave of new workers? Where are the jobs going to come from for them? The authors don't mention peak oil, but they should. The U.S. economy in the next few decades is likely to experience serious problems as we adjust to lower supplies of fossil fuels. The U.S. government is going to be plenty busy trying to take care of its own citizens. For more on this, see Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World.

One of the biggest changes in a post-peak oil society will be a much larger proportion of the U.S. population engaged in agriculture. Mexican-Americans have a historic opportunity here, because they have agricultural knowledge and experience in a time when that will be more precious than gold. So far they don't seem to realize that.

Vapid Marxist drivel exhorts reconquering America and forcing the 3rd world on it.
Ok so I read most of this trash at the book store since I am saving my money to make a Minuteman donation as soon as possible. Basically, if you are a follower of extreme leftist views, an internationalist, hate the US, worship George Soros, this IS the book for you.

The author thinks his historically-based arguments somehow create an excuse to disregard American laws today, and that to enforce our borders is akin to the SS storm troopers kicking in doors to drag to Jews to the camps. Unfortunately, his rhetoric falls far short of the goal to tug at MY heart strings. All the border-enforcement supporters want is that the economy draining dregs from the 3rd world go back to whence they came. Sure they want a better life, but how about working on their own country rather than breaking in, and having the nerve to DEMAND that tax money go to educate, heal, and imprison them, as well as have the right to pop out anchor-babies at a frightening rate so that they're nice and safe here, all the while sending BILLIONS to Mexico et al.

Racism? Hmmmm how does the obligatory race card change the secured-borders argument? The drain on the economy argument? The cultural decline argument? Failure to assimilate argument? So all you starry-eyed multiculturalists, all-loving and full of-goodness, self-loathing full of white guilt, just remember MOST of this country agrees with me. It will be a fact that THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ILLEGAL ALIENS, and deported they will continue to be. If I could deport this book... Europe this country will never be.

No Burglar Is A Criminal
When I saw this book, I looked around at what else was on the shelf.Maybe it's part of a series, I thought.But no, the surrounding books were not "No Burglar is a Criminal", "No Man is a Rapist", and "No Woman is a Nag".

So what, I thought, is the meaning of this fantasy title?I took it home.By the end of the preface I understood.It's not that the authors believe the 10 or 20 million foreigners whose immigration status is unauthorized, the group commonly called "illegals", doesn't exist.Nor do they think the laws making them illegal don't exist.They WISH the laws didn't exist.

Jumping from "We Wish No One Were Illegal" to "No One Is Illegal" is just the first of many breathtaking acts of wishful thinking in the book.I recommend reading with a yellow highlighter, marking the other instances of wishful thinking.Have a spare highlighter on hand.

Author Chacon writes on page 8 "I ... hope [this book] provokes a wider discussion and debate about what kind of world we want and need as working people, un peublo mundial sin forteras."In other words, he wants a world without borders.Sorry, Mr. Chacon, the borders and the countries they define are here.The people who cross those borders without permission are illegals.

Aside from serious confusion between "what is" and "what one would like to be", this book suffers from a second major flaw.It's not written in standard English.Only those steeped in Marxist jargon are going to make sense of "In true mass character, ... " (p. 7) and many other strange constructions.Because of this, the book is not suitable for a general audience.

Most readers will be better off with a mainstream book.

Fair trade, working class solidarity, compassion, etc.
This book dismantles the narratives we hear from the establishment media regarding undocumented workers.It covers the history of oppression migrant workers have faced, including beatings from the KKK and the Order of Caucasians, among other vigilantes organized by agribusiness interests.
It also covers the devastating impacts of NAFTA on Mexico's economy.Page 121 points out, "Over 1.3 million small farmers in Mexico were pushed into bankruptcy by cheap American grain imports between 1994 and 2004.Luis Tellez, former undersecretary for planning in Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources, estimates that as many as 15 million peasants will leave agriculture in the next few decades, many seeing migration north as the only option. . . Meanwhile, the deindustrialization of Mexico continues unabated.Mexico lost an unprecedented 515,000 jobs in the first three months of 2005 alone."
What industry there is, is now found in the sites of hyper-exploitation known as maquiladoras.

One negative review calls the book "Marxist."Well, the book is mostly just an honest analysis of the situation.Something that demagogues like Tom Tancredo avoid.Tancredo likes to whip up hysteria.His congressional district (one of the wealthiest in the country) has a large Lockheed Martin plant.Lockheed will be making a fortune on the further militarization of the border.
Anyway, the book does include one quotation from Karl Marx, and I think it's worth repeating.Justin Akers Chacon writes: "Marx illustrated the self-sabotaging nature of the conflict between 'native-born' workers and immigrant workers in his analysis of the relationship between the English and Irish working classes when he wrote, 'The ordinary English worker hates the Irish worker as a competitor who lowers his standard of life.In relation to the Irish worker, he feels himself a member of the ruling nation and so turns himself into a tool of the aristocrats and capitalists of his country against Ireland, thus stengthening their domination over himself.He cherishes religious, social and national prejudices against the Irish worker.This antagonism is the secret of the impotence of the English working class, despite its organization.It is the secret by which the capitalist class maintains its power.And that class is fully aware of it.'
Inter-ethnic and international class solidarity, or lack thereof, has been a determinant of the progression, inertia, or regression of the American labor movement.When nationalist or chauvinist sentiments are strong, the working class is weak, demonstrating the deep penetration of ruling-class ideology into working-class consciousness."

This book also covers the conquest of Mexico, and the opportunities for organizing immigrants.
It's a sensational book that I have been quoting over various message boards.I'll be buying several copies of it.

[...] ... Read more

Product Description
The prize-winning book of advice about racism from the bestselling author to his daughter, introduced by Bill Cosby.

When Tahar Ben Jelloun took his ten-year-old daughter to a street protest against anti-immigration laws in Paris, she asked question after question: "What is racism? What is an immigrant? What is discrimination?"

Out of their frank discussion comes this book, an international bestseller translated into twenty languages. Ben Jelloun has created a unique and compelling dialogue in which he explains difficult concepts from ghettos and genocide to slavery and anti-Semitism in language we can all understand, and adds an all-new chapter for this edition. Also included are personal essays from four prizewinning writers and educators who themselves are parents: Patricia Williams, David Mura, William Ayers, and Lisa D. Delpit.

Elegant and sensitive, and available now for the first time in paperback, Racism Explained to My Daughter is for all parents and educators who have struggled to engage their children in discussions of this complex issue. Winner of the 1998 United Nations Global Tolerance Award and the 2000 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

definitely a must read for parents, teachers, everyone
the book begins with an essay by tahar ben jelloun, but also includes responses to that essay byDavid Mura, Patricia Williams and others. I have my disagreements with the Ben Jelloun essay, but those are addressed by other writers in the book. In my opinion, the best essay of the bunch is by David Mura, responding to and critiquing the Ben Jelloun essay.

The essays are supposed to make you think, to challenge your way of viewing the world. They're supposed to make you a little uncomfortable-there's nothing "comfortable" about race and racism. What's particularly fascinating about this little book is its accessibility and readability. it's blissfully free of much of the jargon that is often found in books today. As parents, we all face this problem, how to explain racism to our children without perpetuating it, without damaging our children's psyches, without crushing their souls. While this book didn't give me all the answers, it did help me to think through how to address this issue with my four year old and her teachers. In fact, I think I'll give this book to her teachers as a gift. I'd like to stimulate their thinking on this issue as well.

I highly recommend it.

Companion book for a class turned out pretty good
I purchased this book for a diversity in education class and actually quite enjoyed it.Jelloun's prose is almost lyrical and a pleasure to read, and the other authors complemented his writing well.

Excellent read for parents and their children
Another review on here rated this book as 1 star.Maybe that person should write their own book on racism. I believe the person who made this rating failed to see the perfect summation this book provides for parents who are struggling with a way to explain racism to their children.There are always more reasons, more explanation, and more views to be given, but in the big picture, this book hits all the bases. I think it does convey the message that any person, any color, any religion, can be racist.

How to hate racism and still think like a racist
"Racism Explained to My Daughter" is a maddening read.Its creditable intentions and seemingly careful explanations draw you in quickly, and Ben Jelloun's economical prose has all the virtues of a well-prepared lesson with none of the overwhelming preachiness.And it is this patience of demeanor that makes this such a dangerous book, for Ben Jelloun's argument here ends up reproducing, with a gentle and seductive touch, the same limited and limiting mindset of the racism he sets out to "explain."

The topic is, of course, timely, and as acclaimed a writer as Ben Jelloun is perhaps more prepared than most to take on the task.He proceeds step by step with his clarifications, defining difficult terms in often sensible ways, all the while using a form of prose that has very long roots as an expository genre: the dialogue.This format allows the daughter's voice to anticipate the very questions and demands for greater clarity that are simultaneously arising in the reader's mind.And her father is happy to simplify.

And that's just the problem.Racism is not a simple thing.Ben Jelloun is to be commended for his attempt, but there is strength in not knowing, and greater strength in admitting that one doesn't know-just ask Socrates, the ancient master of the dialogue.Socrates would have paled trying to explain racism.To his credit, Ben Jelloun includes numerous critiques (letters sent to him from readers, things said by students during his tour of schools in France and Italy) of the earlier edition of "Racism Explained" and, while these afford an opportunity for showing the real complexity of racism, they also reinforce the poverty of his own argument.

And what's wrong with his argument?Ben Jelloun wants to break things down very carefully and be fair, and he gives every appearance of doing so, but it is only an appearance.The problem with this project ultimately revolves around the fact that, in order to discredit racism, Ben Jelloun relies on the same reductive worldview that causes racism in the first place, the same lack of vision that only sees things in opposed pairs: black/white, good/bad, us/them.Thus can his daughter, at the book's end, declare that "racists are b**tards [salauds]."She has learned well how to ignore multifarious causes and use instead blanket judgments.Substitute any sub-group for "racists" in her equation, and you've got the beginnings of hate: for Hitler, it was "Jews," for Falwell it's "homosexuals," etc.Racists are many things, but not all racists are one thing.

Ben Jelloun once said of James Joyce that Joyce's work is so revolutionary because it "works on language," and Ben Jelloun's own novels have performed this revolution often over the last decade.Sadly, when a fine author decides to take on social issues at a more explicit and obvious level, the humanity and nuance fade, and all we're left with is a choice between two worldviews: that of the reductionist explainers, and that of the racist b**tards.

Precisely because of its pretensions to fairness, sober-mindedness and tolerance, this could very well be one of the most dangerous books I've read.It gets three stars for the discussion that forms around the critiques included at the end (the only sustained dose of reality in the book) and for the discussion I hope it will provoke here in the USA.

a very one sided vision of "racism"
Mister Ben Jelloun means to talk simply about racism, yet, he has a very one-sided view on this problem.Indeed, while he spends great lenghts intalking abouteuropeans or Euro-american racism, he stays mostly silentabout others people's racism.

Exemple one.Mister Ben jelloun mentionblack slavery in the americas, but he is much more reluctant when it comesto talk about slavery in Marocco.Better yet: he carefully avoids tomention that many slaves in North Africa, up to the early 1800's, wereEuropeans abducted at sea, on the mediterranean shores of France, Spain anditaly.He doesn't mention either that slavery was widespread inafrica.

Exemple 2.The author spends much time dealing with colonialism. There again, why wouldn' he mention the current genocide in tibet?Thejapanese colonial policy until WW2?The invasions of Spain during themiddle age?

Exemple 3.Mister Ben Jelloun mentions the crusads in 1095,but describs them as solely motivated by the will of christians to killmuslims. That's a historical falsehood! However, his book was writtenwhile fundamentalist Algérian muslims made several bombs explose in France,killing and wounding tens of people; that's a matter he quickly waves off. How come he is so willing to talk about intolerance that dates back a 1000years when it gives him an opportunity to trash Europeans, but he's sounwilling to take as example of religious intolerance the fundamentalitmuslims who put bombs in France, who veil women in afganisthan oriran?

In most depictions of racists, Ben jelloun allmost allways presentauropeans as racists: about 20 exemples show them as racists.This shouldbe opposed to Arabs who are depicted as racists in only 3 exemples...

BenJelloun book amounts mostly to white bashing.It's very sugarcoated withlofty feelings, but when one closely reads the book, one cannot but noticethat exemples are carefully, selectivelly chosen. It is very surprisingthat Mister Ben Jelloun is so knowledgeable about european racism, but soforgetfull about Marocco's own past as slave traders, about marocco'sdiscrimination against jews, about marocco's history of religiousdiscrimination.

I do not recommand this book at any rate.It will eitherleave you and your child with an undue feeling of guilt.It is very Onesided. Any Man, regardless of his origins, racial or ethnic, can be racist. Mister Ben Jelloun's book totally fails to pass that message. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

All white people must be evil...
If you want a book that tells you how all white people are secretly racist and want to protect thier "white supremacy" then this is the book for you. Nothing more then a list of how whitie is keeping the poor minorities down with sources that share the same feeling. Do not expect to find any actual debate.

Co-Winner of 2002 ASA Oliver C. Cox Award
This book was the co-winner of the 2002 Oliver C. Cox award given by the American Sociological Association. The book combines powerful theoretical chapters with substantive chapters describing the subtle and slippery yet effective post-civil rights' racial structure (he labels it "the new racism) and racial ideology (color blind racism) of the United States. This is a solid contribution to the area of race and ethnicity and an excellent choice for courses on racial and ethnic matters in the United States. Professors searching for a challenging book on the nature of contemporary racial discourse need not look elsewhere.

Award Winner
This book won the 2002 Oliver Cromwell Cox Award for the best sociology book on race (awarded by the American Sociological Association's Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities).

Provocative, Innovative, and Insightful Book
Professor Eduardo Bonilla-Silva has written a provocative, innovative, and insightful book that will add much to our understanding of racism in the 21st Century. White Supremacy and Racism in the Post-Civil Rights Era is well-written, conceptually sound, and convincing. The study is well documented with quantitative data, in-depth interviews, and qualitative research on race relations. The book does an excellent job of discussing, summarizing, and critiquing several prominent works that minimize the prevalence and impact of racism. Because it offers comprehensive coverage of the "anything but racism" literature, it can serve as an excellent sourcebook. The book also offers new theoretical breakthroughs and powerful typologies that shed a great deal of light on how and why blacks, whites and others think about racial policy and racial inequality. Generally, it is written in a manner that is accessible to undergraduates and a general audience, but it is based on solid social science research that will meet the expectations of professional social scientists. I believe that no person interested in racial inequality , race relations and the changing nature of racial discourse in America should fail to read this work. Overall, this book, written by a scholar whose star is on the rise, makes important contributions to the growing social science literature on contemporary racism. It will be important reading for those concerned with how this issue will continue to manifest itself in the 21st Century.

Racism in the new era
This book presents us with a "smack you in the face" conceptualization of race and white supremacy in the U.S.Although uncomfortable for some, it sums up very accurately the way that racism has been transformed over time and how it continues to plague America. ... Read more

Product Description
With this fascinating text, you will start to analyze the social and psychological dynamics of racism and the implications it will carry for you as helping professional. Authors Joshua Miller and Ann Marie Garran investigate the many facets of racism in the United States, examining how racism exists not only outside of us, but inside of us as well. Human service workers must confront and challenge racism in both these areas. Those in the helping professions are ethically obligated to work for a society of fairness and social justice and to provide culturally responsive services to all clients, ensuring equal access and quality. The authors demonstrate that it is insufficient to solely focus on social structures, services, institutional practices, or on changing other people. They show that we must also look within and explore our own biases and blind spots which influence how we view ourselves and those whom we are committed to helping. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Resource!
This book is an amazing resource to have for anybody interested in thinking about or talking about race and racism, especially as people who are in positions of power in the helping professions. The concepts of the book are easy to understand and challenge every bit of how we think and live in our racialized world.

Very Readable and Informative
I thought this text was very well written and actually quite readable which made for a good experience with what can be a very difficult and upsetting topic to study.The authors are also very sensitive to the possible feelings and reaction of the reader, something that I've never experienced in a Racism text before.I highly recommend this book.

A powerful work by two interesting scholars
This important work deserves to be read outside of the sociology classes for whom it was obviously designed. Highly readable and well researched it is abook that is a major addition to the literature on race in the US ... Read more

Product Description
"Reel Racism goes beyond reflection theories of the mediato examine cinema's active participation in the operations of racism--a complex process rooted in the dynamics of representation.Writtenfor undergraduates and graduate students of film studies andphilosophy, Reel Racism focuses on methods and frameworks that analyzefilms for their production of meaning and how those meaningsparticipate in a broader process of justifying, naturalizing, orlegitimizing difference, privilege, and violence based on race.Inaddition to analyzing how the process of racism is articulated inspecific films, this text examines how specific meanings can resisttheir function of ideological containment, and instead, offer aperspective of a more collective, egalitarian social system-- one thattranscends the discourse of race." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

hard to read
If you have not seen the movies the author writes about the book is hard to understand. It was hard to read and I found it quite boring.

"Reel Racism" is the Real Thing
Simply put, the best book there is on race and cinema.Rocchio refuses the simple, and simplistic, route of identifying negative racial stereotypes in film (a route that, as he points out, has governed previous studies of race and cinema).Rather, he explores the ways in which a variety of films--including The Birth of a Nation, Driving Miss Daisy, and Mississippi Burning--actively participate in the creation and circulation of racial discourse.This approach enables him to show that even seemingly "positive" depictions of African American characters (as in Driving Miss Daisy) can participate in the construction of racial difference and inequality.Rocchio does not, however, mean to suggest that film is solely a racist vehicle; he also includes readings of films--notably those of Spike Lee--that challenge or contest processes of racism.What's great about the book, too, is that it's accessible for students of film or for a general audience; it's not meant only (or even mostly) for film scholars, as evidenced by the straightforward prose and careful selection of footnotes.And the book's accessibility is particularly important since film, and the racial discourses Rocchio identifies in film, aren't confined to a particular segment of the population either. ... Read more

Product Description
The continuing reality of racism in the United States is exposed in the revised second edition of "White Racism." Taking issue with those who claim the significance of racism is declining, the authors focus on a series of notorious racial incidents, including the Rodney King beating, revealing this "dirty little secret of American life" as a fundamental social practice embedded in cherished cultural and political institutions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Compelling Narrative with a Loaded Dice
I came across this book from the perspective of an author doing research on smalltown racism for an upcoming novel. While I found the title promising, I found the actual content less promising...

There are really only three cases that are even close to being properly documented in this book--they actually document the background and the apparent causes of the incidents of racism. The bulk of this book consists of (rather subjective) analyses, most of which are incomplete. For example, on a holistic scale, while this book mentions *justified* white antagonism against blacks, where blacks tend to expect money without working for it--it fails to properly defend (if defense is possible) blacks against this decadent view. Instead, it pushes the blame on "American capitalism," stating that while it might be true that blacks are slothlike, we should sympathize with their state because of how they were never given a chance. This particular "counter-argument" (if it could be called such) is worse than itsad hominem cousin--"blacks should get it easy because they have soul."

Going beyond the scope of the book, I must ask: how, then, do Asians make it to the upper middle class? They aren't white, and they share similar facial features and even skin-tone to blacks. If it is truely one's facial features that bar financial success/security, then how exactly did they make it? Have you ever heard the parable of the Chinese rice farmer working 22 hour days--doing *arduous* toil--in order to meet up to the standards of a full harvest? (Of course, this issue does get more complicated. Although Asians make good livings, in general, they are barred by a glass cage of sorts in that they're only allowed to rise up to a certain level--how often is it that you find a notable corporation whose CEO is Asian?)

Compelling narratives up the 0 star to a 3.

Racist Garbage
If the Author wanted to speak out against racism, then why not speak about racism in GENERAL and overall look at racism from all races, instead of assuming that only whites have power in the entire world therefor only whites can be racist.... What about China, Japan, South Africa, South America, etc.. where whites hold NO power at all and are discriminated against ten times more than non-whites in the U.S.?

The fact remains that the Author of this book obviously holds anti-white beliefs in the topic of race. If you are looking for a study on racism, reading this book is equivalent to reading a book written by the KKK or the Black Panther Party. It is one-sided and bias.

A compelling look at Racism within the country
After reading some of the reviews, and finishing this excellent study, it is apparent that the message of this book did not come across to some. Feagin is not picking on "white" (European Americans) people, he is merely pointing out the inequalities that exist within the United States. This book is thorough in proving the experiences of people of color and of European Americans are extremely different. Feagin found police brutality, for example, occurred increasingly more for people of color than for European Americans. African Americans experience harassment far more than European Americans, and the cases Feagin uses illustrates this fact. Also, the recent debate of affirmative action is also covered well in this book.

"Reverse racism" as many would like to claim Feagin is guilty of, is not real. People of color cannot be racists because racism is linked to power.People of color can be bigots, but since power in this country is held by European Americans, as Feagin points out in many of his chapters, people of color cannot act on their hatred or resentment. Since European Americans are found in government, police forces, Fortune 500 companies, and other vessels of power, "white" interests are protected.

As one can see, this book causes the reader to think.Even though you might not agree with Feagin's conclusions, it causes us to examine a social ill that has been with this country since its founding. I will not only answer questions, but help raise critical questions about ethnic relations in this country.

Right idea.Wrong approach.
The authors speak of real problems, but address them ineffectively.By peddling generalizations of the white race, they perpetuate the victim/victimizer dichotomy which divides instead of uniting.Further, the boundary between victim and victimizer is drawn rigidly along racial lines.They fail to recognize that any progress has been made in the decades since the civil war toward a more loving, color blind society.This truly dishonors the memory of those whose blood and tears watered the garden from which African Americans now harvest financial and educational opportunities as well as self worth.A better discussion, in my opinion, can be found in Joel Kovel's book by the same title.

White Racism
I have read the book White Racism and it is an excellent book.Racism is viewed from a different perspective. This book give the real reasons whites don't like black people and the reasons for the coverup.White's shouldtake a long look at imbedded racism and see all people as one.A part ofthe human race. ... Read more

Product Description

This text explores two forms of hate and prejudice – racism in contemporary American society and the historical occurrence of anti-Semitism – under a single conceptual framework.

Jack Levin, is a well-known scholar, author, and lecturer on the subject of hate crimes. In this book he shows how support for both racism and anti-Semitism can be conceptualized as occurring among four groups: hatemongers, dabblers, sympathizers, and spectators. Levin argues that hate and prejudice continue at a very dangerous level in our society, and that hate typically emanates not from the ranting and raving of a few people at the margins of society, but from ordinary people in the mainstream.

Jim Nolan , new to this edition, is an Associate Professor at West Virginia University, and a former FBI agent, specializing in hate crimes and prejudice. 

Customer Reviews (1)

I had to read this in a diversity class
I am taking a diversity class at my local community college called "Racial and Cultural Minorities".

"The Violence of Hate" is a mandatory book assignment and the teacher said he was going to give us extra credit if we'd write up a little critique about it. Since there's not much on the net about this, I figured I'd share it with the rest of you, too.

The book is written by Dr. Jack Levin, a professor of Sociology and Criminology. He's also director of the Brudnick Center on Conflict and Violence at Northeastern University in Boston.

Although boring at times, the book was educational. It gives the reader an overview of hate terminology and clarifies their meanings. It made me realize that even though I am not prejudiced, I was a "spectator"- much like the Germans who failed to act during the Nazi regime, I have also witnessed bigotry and failed to speak up against it.

It explains the psychological and economic advantages of bigotry with lots of statistics and book references. This was the part that I found most tedious.

There were some interesting parts to this book such as his personal recollections about appearing on the Jerry Springer show with three racist skinheads. Another story of a white woman who, several years before, was being treated for cancer in South Africa was fascinating. She had a reaction to chemotherapy which turned her skin dark, and she got a first hand experience of the cruelness of Apartheid.

I wish he had elaborated on his personal experiences a bit more.

At the end of the book is a list of Anti-Hate Websites.
I'm an Internet geek, so I found these to be helpful; especially since another extra credit assignment involved visiting one and writing a paper about it. It would have been more complete had he included a list of Hate websites as well. (I also visited a few of these as well and they were horrifying but ultimately more interesting.)

If history interests you, you might enjoy it a little bit more than I did. I did learn a little so I guess that's worth something. Ultimately, if it wasn't for the class, I don't think I would have ever read this. ... Read more

Product Description
Two-Faced Racism examines and explains the racial attitudes and behaviours exhibited by whites in private settings. While there are many books that deal with public attitudes, behaviours, and incidences concerning race and racism (frontstage), there are few studies on the attitudes whites display among friends, family, and other whites in private settings (backstage). The core of this book draws upon 626 journals of racial events kept by white college students at twenty-eight colleges in the United States. The book seeks to comprehend how whites think in racial terms by analyzing their reported racial events. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I love this book!
I found myself carrying this book around even after I'd read it once.Was it because people would ask me about it (mainly black people)?Was it because I wanted white people to think about the subject?Was it because it gave me immunity when I experienced covert racism and called people on it?

ALL OF THE ABOVE, and more!I kept re-reading parts and quoting from it; it was better to have the book handy to look up the quotes.

This was a great study and is a wonderful book. ... Read more

Product Description
This unique compilation offers full-length readings by historically important and contemporary authors, all of whom share a deep dedication to improving the human condition despite fundamentally different philosophies and moral viewpoints. Leonard Harris has gathered readings that represent the major ways races and racism are explained, including both objectivist (race as a natural or biological distinction) and constructivist (race as a culturally constructed category) approaches. This collection also takes into account what racism means in the differing cultural contexts of America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The contributors include Ruth Benedict, Alain L Locke, K Anthony Appiah, Philip Kitcher, Colette Guillaumin, Pierre L van de Berghe, Albert G Mosley, and others. This volume is the essential starting point for any serious discussion of this critical issue. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

A Must Book
This book needs to be read by anyone who cares to know REAL TRUTH. Yes go get it.

A Must Read
This book should be compulsory for anyone who desires to enter the ministry. It is scholarly and at the same time understandable to the layman.
First rate material

A challenge to the legacy of biblical teachings in America
Bible scholars used the Bible to justify separation between blacks and whites, but the Gospel had been twisted and misinterpreted. Race, Religion & Racism: Volume 2 provides a discussion of how the Bible was used to subjugate blacks in America from early to modern times, with liberal attention to passages and quotes throughout. An intriguing history and challenge to the legacy of biblical teachings in America. ... Read more

Product Description
When Bill Clinton signed an Executive Order on Environmental Justice in 1994, the phenomenon of environmental racism--the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards, particularly toxic waste dumps and polluting factories, on people of color and low-income communities--gained unprecedented recognition. Behind the President's signature, however, lies a remarkable tale of grassroots activism and political mobilization. Today, thousands of activists in hundreds of locales are fighting for their children, their communities, their quality of life, and their health.

From the Ground Up critically examines one of the fastest growing social movements in the United States, the movement for environmental justice. Tracing the movement's roots, Luke Cole and Sheila Foster combine long-time activism with powerful storytelling to provide gripping case studies of communities across the U.S--towns like Kettleman City, California; Chester, Pennsylvania; and Dilkon, Arizona--and their struggles against corporate polluters. The authors effectively use social, economic and legal analysis to illustrate the historical and contemporary causes for environmental racism. Environmental justice struggles, they demonstrate, transform individuals, communities, institutions and even the nation as a whole. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Enviromental justice and grassroots advocacy
Anyone interested in community organizing, legal advocacy on behalf of community groups, and environmental justice work will benefit from this book's in-depth analysis of the struggles and achievements of neighborhood groups battling environmental injustice, and its valuable insights into community organizing strategies and the role of lawyers and the legal system in promoting social change.Although the authors fully acknowledge the prevalence of racism in our society and the lack of easy fixes to the problems faced by disadvantaged communities, they nevertheless convey an inspiring sense of idealism and optimism about the future possibilities for "the movement".

Environmental Justice
The story tells about history and environment racism. It has a very good idea of racism. It also talks about environmental justice. People would like this book. Two thumbs and eight fingers up!

Understanding Environmental Justice
For those people who want a wide-ranging introduction to the environmental justice movement and its legal arm, this is the place to turn. Written by a movement lawyer activist and a legal academic, this book captures the social and legal evolution of the environmental justice movement in a way that highlights the work of the communities themselves. Vigorously written, the book would be worth the price just for the chapter on transformative politics and its comprehensive annotated bibliography. A must have. ... Read more

Product Description
Ignorant. Brutal. Male. One of these stereotypes of the Ku Klux Klan offers a misleading picture. In Women of the Klan, sociologist Kathleen M. Blee dismantles the popular notion that politically involved women are always inspired by pacifism, equality, and justice. In her new preface, Blee reflects on how recent scholarship on gender and right-wing extremism suggests new ways to understand women's place in the 1920s Klan's crusade for white and Christian supremacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Then and Now
According to author Kathleen Blee, "It is more helpful to understand the second Klan by considering it within - rather than as an aberration from - the ideas and values that shaped white Protestant life in the early twentieth century, fueling fundamentalism..." Sound provocative?

Dr. Blee also maintains that Klanswomen held the same fanatical views on race, religion, and nationalism as their menfolk - in other words, anti-negro, anti-semitic, anti-Catholic, and hyper-patriotic - but that their perspcetive on gender roles were often progressive.

In the 1920s, as many as half a million women joined the ladies' auxiliary of the KKK (the WKKK). Were they just aping their husbands or were there specific motivations that brought women to an organization notorious for rough-neck violence? Well, sexual fears may indeed have played a role. The fraudulent portrayal of ex-slaves assaulting white women in the vile racist movie, Birth of a Nation, is credited with stimulating the resurgence of the Klan. Women had received the vote nationally only in 1918, on a wave of optimism that their votes would naturally fall on the side of justice, decency, and pacifism. "Women in the Klan" reveals how fallacious (and sexist) that attitude was.

Racism of the vicious intensity of the Ku Klux Klan is not extinct in America or in the world at large. If you'd like to get a dose of pseudo-scientific anti-Semitism as putrid as any in the rhetoric of the Klan, take a look at "The Culture of Critique" by Kevin MacDonald, a professor at a major university in southern California. Be sure to read some of the many five-star reviews, including ugly diatribes and racial-purity fantasies by young Scandinavian men. Like a herpes zoster virus that lurks in nerve tissue for decades and then erupts as shingles, racism lingers in the scum of our educated populace.

Great short history of both Klu Klux Klans!
This is one of the few histories of the Klan that clearly documents the fact that there have been not one, but two Klu Klux Klans. It also examines just how deeply women were involved in the movement, a little-noticed phenomenon in the past.

Obviously the Klan we know today was always a hate group, but it's astounding just how large, wealthy, and powerful the group was, with millions of members (as opposed to today, where they have a few thousand at best), and members in every state of the union.

It's also astounding just how powerful they were, and how involved women were in the organization. One thing the book highlights, that reviewers generally don't mention, is how many people were in the Klan without recognizing the violent or terroristic nature of the organization. The most discomfiting parts she documents are how many people who were involved simply viewed the Klan as a very normal, responsible organization that was a boon to its communities. The Klan worked hard to develop an aura of respectability--quite successfully, at least for a while.

I am rather stunned by several of the other reviews here, which say dumb things about feminism, animal rights, etc. I suggest ignoring those reviews, as they're obviously written by silly people. This is a very good book--highly readable, informative, and insightful. I recommend it highly.

Disturbing truth
I'm hardly surprised that reviews have been negative as this book breaks into the holy ground of feminism, proving beyond doubt that feminism and racism shared early roots.

I have done a lot of studying on feminism and there is little here that isn't available elsewhere but this work puts much in one place, making it easy to show how the modern femininist organisation NOW and the earlier WKKK are so closely related. More to the point it shows how feminism is a form of hate or superiority cult and has little to do with real equality. For example an extreme radical animal rights type is undisputed as an animal lover - are extreme radical feminists known for a desire for extreme equality? Or simply bias towards women and contempt for men?

Interesting, but...
As I read Ms. Blee's book, I am concerned that she is using informationfrom people who are now about 70 years old, who would have been smallchildren when the Klan was in power, to make such all encompasingstatements about the Klan.A child sees the world around him muchdifferently than an adult.A child would relish going to parades, parties,gatherings and enjoy them.If Ms. Blee asks the participants to describetheir feelings as a child, then reports them as their current feelings,then the reader must be aware of the bias of the author.Did Ms. Blee askthe participants of her interviews what their feelings were 65 years ago,or what their feelings are now, on reflection?I know that she asked theformer and used that information to substantiate her own biases about theKlan.

Complicates our view of race, gender, and social movements
Blee's work on women in hate movements sheds new light on why women join and support white supremacist movements. Her analysis of extensive archival data and interviews complicates how our assumptions about the role ofgender in promoting bigotry and prejudice, while at the same time heraldingeerily feminist principles. My students loved it because it was clear,engaging, and gave them several issues to grapple with around research anddata interpretation. Though white supremacists were (and still are) on thewhole, economically disenfranchised adn educationally bankrupt, Blee showshow a few "dangerous minds" are capable of mobilizing massnumbers of people in the name of "racial superiority." ... Read more