165 of 173 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful for white folks (& others trying to understand us?), February 27, 2004
This book is intended as a "racism 101" for white educators, and it is extremely successful as an introductory text.
What's in the book?
It begins with a personal narrative, explaining how the author (who is white) went from ignorance of racism to being an internationally known anti-racist activist. It continues with a history of how Europeans and their descendants gained their dominant position; an exploration of how this history affects white people and people of color today; suggestions for white awakening and action; a review of psychological literature on "white identity development," followed by a deeper discussion of how this development works; and a final call to share in vision and action.
Who will find it useful?
(1) Antiracist activists seeking to educate white educators will find this book a *very* useful tool. I highly recommend it for this purpose. It is a basic introductory text, as I said a sort of "Racism 101," but unlike many other excellent books with similar scope and goals, this one is well-received by white educators who are new to this field. (More on this below)
(2) White educators who want to fight racism but have little prior exposure to anti-racist literature, and/or those who have reacted with hurt, anger and confusion to anti-racist literature they have encountered, will probably find this book helpful, comforting, eye-opening and inspiring.
(3) Those who have already read extensively on this topic may find the book a bit basic, and at times iffy in its analysis. Howard's historical overview is fine as an overview, but his attempt at historical/sociological theory re the origins and function of racism is a bit superficial and generally not well-grounded in current thinking.
(4) However, there is one section that may be useful to all readers, including those with prior knowledge--the exposition of "white identity development." For readers of all colors who have been perplexed by the reactions of white individuals (including ourselves!) dealing with issues of racism, this section sheds much light! It also can be helpful to white people in monitoring our progress, identifying areas for improvement, and pushing ourselves farther along the path.
Why do I recommend it as an introductory text for white educators?
Over the last 18 months, my cohort of teacher education students (all very good-hearted & intelligent, & almost all white), have read numerous materials on racism in education. Many/most of my classmates experienced anti-racist writers as "angry" and felt that they were being personally "attacked" (a reaction that I have heard in other contexts as well). When we came to this book, however, my classmates responded warmly and eagerly. Perhaps most significantly, one person said (to general nodding & agreement), "Now I feel that I'm ready to go back and re-read Lisa Delpit." Indeed, ever since we read Howard, white students have seemed much more receptive to the message of other anti-racist writers.
Why do people react this way?
I'm not sure, but from my classmates' comments, I'm guessing there are three main reasons:
(1) The author is white, and while it may be frustrating that that would make it easier for some white people to hear his message, it's probably inevitable that it does (although whiteness is not an automatic "in"--I have heard people react just as antagonistically to Julie Kailin as to Lisa Delpit).
(2) The whole concept of "white identity development" seems to help white learners in two ways:
(a) It makes it seem ok to be taking the first steps on the journey; that it doesn't make you a "bad person" if you haven't got it all figured out yet. This may help one to approach future learning less defensively.
(b) Understanding the concept of *institutional* racism is a big stumbling-block for many, but the "identity" framework actually seems to help with that, perhaps because it conveys that this is a collective problem and collective solution.
(3) There is a strong emphasis on hope and vision throughout the book, even though it does not sugar-coat the ravages of racism past and present. I get the impression that this overall tone makes it easier for many people to cope with the painful and distressing aspects of the book.
To sum up, I would strongly recommend this book as a first text for white educators (and others) who are just beginning to explore issues of racism, and/or for those whose past explorations have been distressing and confusing. It would be an ideal book for principals to use in staff development.
All the best to all teachers everywhere who are trying to walk this path!
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51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought Provoking, November 22, 2001
If you've ever beeen called racist by your students, but you think you're not, than this is a must read for you. Howard takes the reader on a journey of self discovery, helping the reader to understand the subtle and overt elements of racial discrimination that are present in today's schools. While "tools" or quick fixes are not presented, the book efficiently and concretely addresses the underlying assumptions that form the basis of US society and education systems that promote discrimination and maintain the status quo. The author uses his personal and historical experiences to illustrate the nature of white privilege, the assumption of rightness and normalacy. By examining these topics, teachers are able to examine their daily activities, decisions and speech to identify and eliminate the promotion of such values. This book helps us move past "I see all my children the same, I don't care if they are white, black, brown, or purple." To truly accepting that we see each other differently, that we should acknowledge and celebrate the differences, that we can learn from one another and that through acceptance we find our similarities.
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