Whites Confront Racism: Antiracists and their Paths to Action

by Eileen O'Brien

Overview

This book asserts the distinctive place that whites can take in the fight for racial justice, bringing together interviews with white antiracist activists from across North America. Avoiding the typical white options of being 'nonracist' or feeling guilty, these whites demonstrate the multitude of ways whites can be proactive in combating modern racism. These activists, of both genders and all ages, have arrived at their antiracist commitments through several different yet typical paths. These whites struggle to transform individuals, institutions, and themselves, to varying degrees, incurring risks as well as rewards along the way. Their affiliations with antiracist organizations, or lack thereof, play a crucial role in the differences among them and their approaches to antiracist work. The whites who are involved with antiracist groups come predominantly from either Anti-Racist Action or the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, and the contrast between these two groups woven throughout the analysis leads to the conclusion that there are different types of antiracism. Although unity among them may not be possible or even desirable, acceptance of a broader concept of racism by all antiracists is one of the ending suggestions for the future of antiracism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742515819
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/21/2001
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.24(w) x 9.18(h) x 0.72(d)

About the Author

Eileen O'Brien is professor of sociology at SUNY-Brockport.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 1 The Need for Alternative Models of Whiteness Chapter 2 2 "I Was Born on Race Street" — How Whites Become Antiracist Chapter 3 3 Framing White Antiracisms Chapter 4 4 What Should I Say? - Individual Antiracist Strategies Chapter 5 5 Fighting the Power-Challenging Institutional Racism Chapter 6 6 Sustaining the Personal Struggles of White Antiracism Chapter 7 7 The Future of Antiracisms Chapter 8 Appendix A: Contact Information for Antiracist Groups Chapter 9 Appendix B: Profile of Respondents Chapter 10 References Chapter 11 Index

Editorial Reviews

Whites Confront Racism is an interesting book and an important study on antiracism as a social movement led predominately by whites.

American Association for Higher Education & Accreditation Bulletin

In this brilliant and pioneering book, O'Brien provides the first study of antiracist activists. Using innovative field research, O'Brien shows how individual and group acts of resistance are critical to challenging persisting racism in the U.S. She explores how groups like the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond and Anti-Racist Action are working to help local citizens, officials, and community activists to better understand diversity and undo racism in their own lives and organizations.

Joe R. Feagin

Whites Confront Racism is worth the short time it takes to read. It could also make for a good supplementary text in an undergraduate race relations or social movements course.

Contemporary Sociology

Useful in offering revealing portraits of white antiracist activists.

Choice Reviews

Useful in offering revealing portraits of white antiracist activists.

CHOICE

Useful in offering revealing portraits of white antiracist activists.

Choice

In this brilliant and pioneering book, O'Brien provides the first study of antiracist activists. Using innovative field research, O'Brien shows how individual and group acts of resistance are critical to challenging persisting racism in the U.S. She explores how groups like the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond and Anti-Racist Action are working to help local citizens, officials, and community activists to better understand diversity and undo racism in their own lives and organizations.

Joe Feagin

In this brilliant and pioneering book, O'Brien provides the first study of antiracist activists. Using innovative field research, O'Brien shows how individual and group acts of resistance are critical to challenging persisting racism in the U.S. She explores how groups like the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond and Anti-Racist Action are working to help local citizens, officials, and community activists to better understand diversity and undo racism in their own lives and organizations.--Joe R. Feagin, author of The First R

Useful in offering revealing portraits of white antiracist activists.--CHOICE

Whites Confront Racism is an interesting book and an important study on antiracism as a social movement led predominately by whites.--American Association for Higher Education & Accreditation Bulletin

From the Publisher