
Whites Confront Racism
Antiracists and their Paths to Action
Eileen O'Brien(Author)
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published on 14. August 2001
Book
Paperback/Softback
176 pages
978-0-7425-1582-6 (ISBN)
Description
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.
Reviews / Votes
Useful in offering revealing portraits of white antiracist activists. * Choice 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 * 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 * 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 RMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
265 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7425-1582-6 (9780742515826)
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
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2001
1st Edition
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
€42.49
Available for download
Person
Eileen O'Brien is professor of sociology at SUNY-Brockport.
Content
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
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