The Myth of Post-Racial America: Searching for Equality in the Age of Materialism

(Paperback)

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The Myth of Post-Racial America provides a history of race and racism in the United States. These concepts became integral parts of American society through social, psychological, and political decisions, which are documented so readers can learn about the origin of myths and stereotypes that have created schisms in our society from its founding to the present day. This information is essential reading for students and teachers so they can become more effective in their work and value cultural differences, modes of expression, and learning styles.

Reviews

An outstanding overview of white racism in an America light years from post-raciality! Veteran researcher and civil rights activist Kaplan astutely details past and present realities of racial oppression and its causes, consequences, and costs. Unafraid of naming principal perpetrators, elite white men, he delineates their racist enterprises over centuries, yet in the end provides sage advice beyond multiculturalism-lite for starting the hard efforts necessary for ending these enterprises as they play out in corporate, educational, and other important social arenas. -- Joe R. Feagin, Texas A&M University
H. Roy Kaplan has provided a comprehensive historical, theoretical, and empirical analysis of the causes of racism in America. The Myth of Post-Racial America is replete with insights on the historical and contemporary dynamics of race and racism in the United States. -- William Julius Wilson, Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor, Harvard University
For many, the election of Barack Obama signaled that the US had become a postracial society. Kaplan (Africana studies, Univ. of South Florida) disputes this idea. He cites influential racial theorists, scholarly studies, and anecdotal evidence to support his conclusion that whites continue to dominate US society, and suggests that white domination will persist into the future. Kaplan warns that the US must become a postracial society if it is to remain a viable nation-state. The author excels at providing brief snapshots of continuing racial disparities in education, health, wealth, and crime and punishment. While Kaplan makes a compelling argument, the brevity of each of the book's 17 chapters (10-12 pages on average) hampers its persuasiveness. For instance, Kaplan devotes only two pages to discussing the interesting claim that racial prejudice is primarily engendered by consumerism. In addition, the author heavily relies on secondary literature; consequently, he fails to provide any new insights into the problem of race or how to alleviate it. Despite these shortcomings, the book provides a useful primer for understanding contemporary race relations. * Choice Reviews *

Author Bio

H. Roy Kaplan, Ph.D., is associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He has received many local and national honors for his multicultural work in schools and in 1998 was named "National Hero of Education" by the U.S. Department of Education.