| Title | : | The Future of Whiteness |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0745685447 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780745685441 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 200 |
| Publication | : | First published December 31, 2014 |
This is the political and cultural reality tackled by Linda Martín Alcoff in The Future of Whiteness. She argues that whiteness is here to stay, at least for a while, but that half of whites have given up on ideas of white supremacy, and the shared public, material culture is more integrated than ever. More and more, whites are becoming aware of how they appear to non-whites, both at home and abroad, and this is having profound effects on white identity in North America. The young generation of whites today, as well as all those who follow, will have never known a country in which they could take white identity as the unchallenged default that dominates the political, economic and cultural leadership. Change is on the horizon, and the most important battleground is among white people themselves.
The Future of Whiteness makes no predictions but astutely analyzes the present reaction and evaluates the current signs of turmoil. Beautifully written and cogently argued, the book looks set to spark debate in the field and to illuminate an important area of racial politics.
The Future of Whiteness Reviews
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I'd probably give it 3.75/5 if I could, but overall this is a very thought-provoking book with compelling information about "whiteness" and "race" as well as reflections on them too. I find some arguments used to be rather poor (comparing Newton's use of "white" as some how emblematic of inherent racism) or much less than what I supposed would be better and more convincing arguments to make the same points. I also find that some of the claims utilized at times are probably based on 2nd or 3rd hand support and are not sufficiently cited (a problem philosophers tend to have), and much of what is discussed here may be better served and researched by social scientists (philosophers tend to be the one's that get ideas going and then social scientists build on them, so I realize that could just be the nature of originary ideas).
All in all a good read and one that has spurred me into a great desire to learn more from these types of studies centered on race and how it might impact my world and the world of those around me. -
Interesting. More theoretical than I normally go for, but I enjoyed it.
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Takes an important step by examining positive models of whiteness which include— but are not limited to —an examination of the depredations it has visited upon other racial groups.
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I wrote up a more extensive review on my blog here:
Toward an 'Unglorious Whiteness'
