Race in the 21st Century: Ethnographic Approaches
Race in the 21st Century presents an innovative approach to the vexing task of making sense of Race in social life today. This book examines ethnographic studies of race, first surveying the enormous wealth of qualitative social knowledge about race and then presenting students with prompts and models for formulating their own inquiries into racial matters. Author John Hartigan, Jr., offers a detailed account of what we learn from ethnographers, who examine the interactive, interpretive...
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What is the state of race relations in the U.S.? Are we making progress toward ending racial discrimination and prejudice? What, exactly, does "race" mean?In Race in the 21st Century: Ethnographic Approaches, John Hartigan takes an anthropological look at questions such as these by introducing students to the study of race through qualitative approaches. In the first text to take an explicitly ethnographic approach, Hartigan summarizes and explains the current state of social science knowledge on race in the United States. In the process of surveying this research, Hartigan guides readers to think through basic important questions about race in relation to their own circumstances. Unlike many texts, however, this one focuses not on essential differences between racial or ethnic groups, but rather on the commonalities. The author concentrates on the particular contexts where people actively engage and respond to racial meanings and identities. In this way, he encourages readers to think critically about the meaning of race. Ideal for undergraduate courses in race and ethnicity, the anthropology of race, and cultural/human diversity, Race in the 21st Century seamlessly brings together classic and contemporary studies in one accessible volume.The author is also hosting a companion website http://www.raceinthe21stcentury.com/ that features useful web links, sample assignments, and reviews of ethnographies not covered in the text.
Preface viiChapter 1 Recognizing Race 1Questioning Race 2The Facts of Racial Inequality 4The Changing Role of Racism 8The Cultural Domain 10Race in Relation to Culture 12Cultural Analysis 14Ethnographic Examples 16Chapter 2 Race, Culture, and Ethnography 27Fundamental Features of Racial Analysis 27Ethnographic Perspectives on Race 31Cultural Dynamics of Race 32American Culture in Three Words 35Antiracism and Ethnography 39Ethnography of Antiracist Workshops 41Another View from Detroit 42How to Listen to "White Talk" 46Combining an Attention to Race and Culture 51Chapter 3 Race and Nature Culture, Biology, and Genetics 54What is Nature? 54Totemic Identities 56Racial Classification 58(Mis)Uses of Biology 63Race and Disease 67Racial Health Disparities 70Understanding Genetics and Culture 74The Controversy over Genes and Race 79Genes and Culture: A Resolution 82Conclusion 83Chapter 4 Understanding Whiteness 86Objectifying White People 87What is Whiteness? 90Whiteness and Discourse 92Whiteness as a Subject of Study 95Studying White People in Everyday Life 99Locating Whiteness in the Social Landscape 109Class and Race: Bringing Greater Specificity to Whiteness 112Chapter 5 Understanding Blackness 117Objectifying Black People 117What is Blackness? 119Blackness and Discourse 123Blackness as a Subject of Study 126Studying Black People in Everyday Life 132Locating Blackness in the Social Landscape 139Class and Race: Bringing Greater Specificity to Blackness 142Chapter 6 Beyond Black and White 149Racial Groups? 151Ethnicity and Race155Racialization of Latinos and Asian Americans 159Ethnographic Perspectives on Latinos 164Ethnographic Perspectives on Asian Americans 173Chapter 7 Ethnography of Race 182What Do We Know About Race, Based on Ethnographic Research? 183Cultural Analysis of Race 189Appendix A Taking It to the Field: Analyzing Race in a Cultural Framework 193Appendix B Prompts for Ethnographic Research 198Glossary 207References 214Index 222
