Black Nationalism in American Politics and Thought [Paperback]

Dean E. Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0521626277 | ISBN-13: 978-0521626279 | Edition: 1

Black Nationalism in American Politics and Thought revisits the activism and arguments in support of separate black statehood from the mid-19th century to the present, detailing the ways black nationalism mirrors broader currents in U.S. politics and thought. This book challenges the idea that black nationalism is a timeless, unchanging, and anti-assimilationist impulse. It argues that black nationalism in the United States draws on analogous political strategy and thinking unique to specific historical eras--often inadvertently reproducing strategies and thinking responsible for racial inequality in the first place.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Despite the image of black nationalism as relatively timeless and unchanging, Robinson, a political science professor, sees the movement as reflecting the contemporary themes of various time frames. He defines black nationalism as a separatist ideology, reflecting over time the abolitionist efforts to relocate slaves to Africa, the back-to-Africa movement made famous by Marcus Garvey, and, more recently, the racial politics of the Nation of Islam. Robinson provides strong supportive evidence that black nationalists share the conventional assumptions of their time, with a common thread of reaction to white racism. Robinson examines the major personalities identified with black nationalism--Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and Louis Farrakhan--and explores the essentially conservative nature of the Garvey and Nation of Islam movements, despite their radical images. He also explores the problematic image of black nationalism as a movement that denies the essential Americanness of blacks and the failure of whites to treat blacks as full Americans, a failure that continues to nourish the idea of black nationalism. Vernon Ford
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Dean E. Robinson...provides a concise, yet richly detailed examination of black nationalism in U.S. politics and thought. This book makes an important contribution to several disciplines including political sciences, sociology, and history, as well as other ethnic studies." American Journal of Sociology

"Dean Robinson's serious engagement with black nationalism is...most welcome." Perspectives on Politics

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (September 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521626277
• ISBN-13: 978-0521626279
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,123,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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