Standing Strong in Undemocratic Times
Supporting Diversity and Enhancing Democracy in Education
Published on 24. April 2026
Book
Hardback
216 pages
978-0-8077-8427-3 (ISBN)
Description
Many of the nation's most eminent education scholars and researchers describe constructive and effective ways to respond to and resist the attacks on diversity and multicultural education and to support democracy.
In this timely volume, James A. Banks and a stellar group of contributors push back on the national and cogent attacks on diversity and multicultural education, both of which have accelerated after the 2024 presidential election. Beyond describing the challenges that multicultural education and democracy are likely to face in the coming years, each chapter offers interventions and actions that educators and administrators can take to mitigate their impact.
Standing Strong in Undemocratic Times describes ways in which democracy is fragile and endangered in the United States and how teaching about diversity in schools, colleges, and universities can help to promote democracy in the nation.
Book Features:
Describes the origins and nature of the attacks on DEI and of teaching about race in America's schools, colleges, and universities.
Provides information, research, and strategies that can give educators hope and ways to envision the future of diversity and multicultural education programs.
Explores how opponents of diversity and multicultural education have perpetuated misinformation, such as the claim that critical race theory is being taught in K-12 schools.
Includes contributions by three cohorts of multicultural education scholars: the founders, the second generation, and the most recent researchers in the field.
Examines how fascism and authoritarianism are growing in the United States and how education in schools, colleges, and universities can counter these forces.
In this timely volume, James A. Banks and a stellar group of contributors push back on the national and cogent attacks on diversity and multicultural education, both of which have accelerated after the 2024 presidential election. Beyond describing the challenges that multicultural education and democracy are likely to face in the coming years, each chapter offers interventions and actions that educators and administrators can take to mitigate their impact.
Standing Strong in Undemocratic Times describes ways in which democracy is fragile and endangered in the United States and how teaching about diversity in schools, colleges, and universities can help to promote democracy in the nation.
Book Features:
Describes the origins and nature of the attacks on DEI and of teaching about race in America's schools, colleges, and universities.
Provides information, research, and strategies that can give educators hope and ways to envision the future of diversity and multicultural education programs.
Explores how opponents of diversity and multicultural education have perpetuated misinformation, such as the claim that critical race theory is being taught in K-12 schools.
Includes contributions by three cohorts of multicultural education scholars: the founders, the second generation, and the most recent researchers in the field.
Examines how fascism and authoritarianism are growing in the United States and how education in schools, colleges, and universities can counter these forces.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 163 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
408 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8077-8427-3 (9780807784273)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
James A. Banks is the Kerry and Linda Killinger Endowed Chair of Diversity Studies Emeritus
at the University of Washington Seattle, past president of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and a member of the National Academy of Education and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
at the University of Washington Seattle, past president of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and a member of the National Academy of Education and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Content
Contents
Preface James A. Banks ?ix
Acknowledgments ?xv
Introduction James A. Banks ?1
PART I: RACISM, FASCISM, AND THE QUEST FOR EQUITY AND DEMOCRACY
?1. ?Surviving a Second Nadir: Resisting the Rightist Destruction of Democracy ?17
Gloria Ladson-Billings
?2. ?DEI, Democracy, and the Authoritarian Threat: Why Higher Education Must Resist ?27
Royel M. Johnson
?3. ?White Racial Shame and the Permanence of Racism: A Critical Hope Response ?36
Robin DiAngelo
?4. ?Rise of Fascism in the United States: A Critical Multicultural Antifascist Response ?46
Michael Vavrus
PART II: REVITALIZING DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
?5. ?Whites in Multicultural Education: Retrospective and Reflection ?65
Gary Howard
?6. ?Resisting Resistance to Diversity ?73
Geneva Gay
?7. ?Possibilities and Obligations of Critical Scholars When Knowledge Production Is Under Siege ?81
Michelle Fine and Lois Weis
?8. ?(Re-)Envisioning the Transformative Power of Multicultural Education ?92
Gilberto Q. Conchas and Victor DeAlba
?9. ?In the Wake of Anti-Woke: Democratic Education, Racism Without Races, and Breaking With Symmetricism ?106
Zeus Leonardo
PART III: CURRICULUM AND TEACHING
?10. ?Confronting Educational Inequity in the United States: Daring to Restore Hope ?119
Sonia Nieto
?11. ?Curriculum for a Diverse Democracy ?133
Christine E. Sleeter
?12. ?Culturally Responsive Pedagogy for Immigrant-Origin Students ?141
Carola Suarez-Orozco
PART IV: REENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY, AND CITIZENSHIP
?13. ?DEI Disaster Recovery in America's K-12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions ?153
Shaun Harper
?14. ?Redefining Membership: Executive Actions and the Boundaries of Citizenship ?164
Angela M. Banks
?15. ?Teaching Toward Expansive Solidarities in Dangerous Times ?172
Wayne Au
Afterword: Diversity as a Vehicle for Promoting Democracy ?180
Cherry A. McGee Banks
Endnotes ?187
Index ?188
About the Editor and Contributors ?196
Preface James A. Banks ?ix
Acknowledgments ?xv
Introduction James A. Banks ?1
PART I: RACISM, FASCISM, AND THE QUEST FOR EQUITY AND DEMOCRACY
?1. ?Surviving a Second Nadir: Resisting the Rightist Destruction of Democracy ?17
Gloria Ladson-Billings
?2. ?DEI, Democracy, and the Authoritarian Threat: Why Higher Education Must Resist ?27
Royel M. Johnson
?3. ?White Racial Shame and the Permanence of Racism: A Critical Hope Response ?36
Robin DiAngelo
?4. ?Rise of Fascism in the United States: A Critical Multicultural Antifascist Response ?46
Michael Vavrus
PART II: REVITALIZING DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
?5. ?Whites in Multicultural Education: Retrospective and Reflection ?65
Gary Howard
?6. ?Resisting Resistance to Diversity ?73
Geneva Gay
?7. ?Possibilities and Obligations of Critical Scholars When Knowledge Production Is Under Siege ?81
Michelle Fine and Lois Weis
?8. ?(Re-)Envisioning the Transformative Power of Multicultural Education ?92
Gilberto Q. Conchas and Victor DeAlba
?9. ?In the Wake of Anti-Woke: Democratic Education, Racism Without Races, and Breaking With Symmetricism ?106
Zeus Leonardo
PART III: CURRICULUM AND TEACHING
?10. ?Confronting Educational Inequity in the United States: Daring to Restore Hope ?119
Sonia Nieto
?11. ?Curriculum for a Diverse Democracy ?133
Christine E. Sleeter
?12. ?Culturally Responsive Pedagogy for Immigrant-Origin Students ?141
Carola Suarez-Orozco
PART IV: REENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY, AND CITIZENSHIP
?13. ?DEI Disaster Recovery in America's K-12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions ?153
Shaun Harper
?14. ?Redefining Membership: Executive Actions and the Boundaries of Citizenship ?164
Angela M. Banks
?15. ?Teaching Toward Expansive Solidarities in Dangerous Times ?172
Wayne Au
Afterword: Diversity as a Vehicle for Promoting Democracy ?180
Cherry A. McGee Banks
Endnotes ?187
Index ?188
About the Editor and Contributors ?196