Systemic Racism: Making Liberty, Justice, and Democracy Real PDF
Preview Systemic Racism: Making Liberty, Justice, and Democracy Real
systemic racism Making Liberty, Justice, and Democracy Real Co-edited by ruth thompson-miller | kimberley ducey Contributors george yancy terence d. fitzgerald adia harvey wingfield louwanda evans anthony j. weems david g.t. embrick kristianna weber charity clay carol s. walther edna b. chun yanick st. jean kenneth sean chaplin john n. singer christopher chambers claire m. renzetti noël a. cazenave jennifer c. mueller roy l. brooks ana s.q. liberato glenn bracey ii kristen lavelle marcus bell john d. foster pinar batur Systemic Racism Ruth Thompson-Miller · Kimberley Ducey Co-editors Systemic Racism Making Liberty, Justice, and Democracy Real Co-editors Ruth Thompson-Miller Kimberley Ducey University of Dayton University of Winnipeg Dayton, OH, USA Winnipeg, MB, Canada ISBN 978-1-137-59409-9 ISBN 978-1-137-59410-5 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/978-1-137-59410-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017940371 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover image: © mustafagull/GettyImages Design by Emma Hardy Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Nature America Inc. The registered company address is: 1 New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004, U.S.A. For “Fearless Feagin” F oreword I am humbled to have been invited to write the foreword to this collec- tion of essays in honor of Joe R. Feagin. I count Joe among my cher- ished friends, and I admire and respect him as a fellow sociologist—one with an unrelenting passion for identifying the causes and consequences of, as well as remedies for, white racism. In fact, the title of this book, Systemic Racism, highlights one of his most important contributions: moving the sociological study of race from the social-psychological level of individuals’ prejudices and discrimination to the social-structural level of institutionally embedded oppression. Indeed, the study of white racism has been the primary focus of Joe’s prolific 50-year career. Joe has published more than 70 books, many of which have gone through multiple editions, strong evidence of their enduring significance. Several of these books have won prestig- ious awards, including the Gustavus Myers Center Outstanding Human Rights Book Award (both Living with Racism and White Racism: The Basics), the Oliver C. Cox Book Award from the American Sociological Association (White Racism: The Basics), and the Choice Award (both Liberation Sociology and White Men on Race). Joe’s second book, Ghetto Revolts, published in 1973, just 6 years after he received his Ph.D. from Harvard University, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. In addition to these books, Joe has published more than 200 book chapters, journal articles, and reports, and he has delivered more than 200 conference presentations, invited lectures, and public addresses. Underlying this pro- lificacy is the motivation captured in the subtitle of this volume: to make vii viii FOREWORD “liberty, justice, and democracy real.” Many of the contributions to this book demonstrate the influence of Joe’s research and theorizing at the applied level on public policy and practice. As Roy L. Brooks writes in Chap. 6, Joe’s work has inspired and guided several generations of civil rights activists and scholars. The intergenerational influence of Joe’s research and writing must not be underestimated, but arguably more important is Joe’s impact as a mentor. I cannot even guess the number of graduate students and faculty he has mentored during his career. A count might begin with the theses and dissertations he has chaired, along with the number of books and articles he has co-authored with graduate students and colleagues. One might expect this kind of collaboration perhaps from a primary advisor, but Joe’s support and encouragement extend to those with whom he has not worked directly—for example, those who may have been introduced by a faculty colleague at another university, or who may have simply reached out to him after reading one of his books or articles. Joe is obvi- ously very busy, but one would never get this impression when seeking his advice or feedback. He is incredibly generous with his time and guid- ance, which has been to the benefit of countless students and colleagues, myself included. The publication of Systemic Racism is timely. I experienced an unfor- tunate sense of déjà vu when I read in Noël Cazenave’s chapter a quote from the preface to Discrimination American Style (1978). Joe and Clairece Booher Feagin wrote, “As this goes to press, concern over dis- crimination against non-white minorities and women has receded sub- stantially into the background. The publicly expressed concern of the 1960s over such matters seems to have evaporated. The current public concern is over the treatment of white males in ‘affirmative action’ pro- grams” (p. xi). Certainly, the 2016 Republican presidential campaign and the outcome of the election indicate that whatever public concern over racism and sexism that may have existed in recent years has been replaced by a resurgence in support for white supremacy and hegemonic mas- culinity. The white racial frame appears to be stronger than it has been since the white backlash of the 1980s, buttressed by systemic racism that has at least tacit—and, at times, quite explicit—approval at the highest level of government. The contributors to this volume identify some of the gaps in the extant research and theorizing on systemic racism, but in doing so, they FOREWORD ix also illuminate the way forward. Joe R. Feagin’s life’s work provides the solid foundation on which these contributors and countless others are building not only critical insights about the development and reproduc- tion of systemic racism and the white racial frame, but also the means to dismantle them. That, after all, is the ultimate goal—and there could be no more fitting tribute to Joe, nor greater testament to his legacy. Claire M. Renzetti Judi Conway Patton Endowed Chair for Studies of Violence Against Women, Professor and Chair of Sociology University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky BiBliography Feagin, Joe R. and Clairece Booher Feagin. 1978. Discrimination American style: Institutional Racism and Sexism. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Feagin, Joe R. and Eileen O’Brien. 2003. White Men on Race. Boston: Beacon Press. Feagin, Joe R. and Harlan Hahn. 1973. Ghetto Revolts: The Politics of Violence in American Cities. New York: Macmillan. Feagin, Joe R. and Hernán Vera. 1995. White Racism: The Basics. New York: Routledge. Feagin, Joe R. and Hernán Vera. 2001. Liberation Sociology. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Feagin, Joe R., and Melvin P. Sikes. 1994. Living with Racism: The Black Middle Class Experience. Boston: Beacon Press. a cknowledgements Among the countless lessons Joe R. Feagin has thus far passed to Ruth Thompson-Miller and Kimberley Ducey is the notion that human lives are much like symphonies, with a grand medley of individuals impacting on how we develop. The edited volume—intended as a tribute to Joe— epitomizes this symphonic idea. Ruth and Kimberley wish to acknowl- edge the individuals who made this book possible. For their constant and unreserved support a great debt is owed to the Palgrave MacMillan team, especially Krya Saniewski, Subasree Sairam, Alexis Nelson, Mireille Yanow, Mara Berkoff, Milana Vernikova, and Senthil Kumar Kumaravel. Chantal Ducey is owed recognition for compiling the Index and Bibliographies contained within these pages, for generously revising the Endnotes throughout the process, and for taking on an endless array of other jobs. With her trademark bigheartedness, Chantal made many a deadline far less wearisome. Ruth and Kimberley thank the contribu- tors, not only for their superb work contained within these pages, but also for their inspirational resilience, courage, and dedication to making liberty, justice, and democracy real. Ruth would like to personally thank the three loves of her life—her daughter Nefertiti and her grandchildren Myia and Yasmeen. They continue to make her laugh and have helped her through blocks in the road. Without them, Ruth could not have continued with her work. She deeply appreciates their love and support. Kimberley would like to personally thank her three families. There is the Ducey-Dallaire-Dusseault household, including her much beloved animal companions. There is theintellectual family —‘birds of a feather flocking xi xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS together’—including intellectual aunts and uncles, sisters and brothers, who contributed to the book. There is the family Kimberley has found among colleagues and students, including the hundreds of racialized people who have explained to her how deeply systemic racism continues to operate in their everyday lives. One day, perhaps the North American continent—known as Turtle Island by the First Peoples—will witness genuine liberty, justice, and democracy. Until then, by way of this trib- ute, Ruth and Kimberley are humbled and honored for the opportunity to give back to Joe, who has profoundly enriched the lives of innumer- able folks, and is among the courageous Americans who live up to the ideals of liberty-and-justice. note 1. Denise Oliver Velez, “My ‘Identity’ Can Get Me Killed,” Daily Kos, 4 December 2016, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/ 12/4/1605095/-My-identity-can-get-me-killed, accessed 29 December 2016.
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