Interracial Intimacy: The Regulation of Race and Romance [Paperback]

Rachel F. Moran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0226536637 | ISBN-13: 978-0226536637

As late as the 1960s, states could legally punish minorities who either had sex with or married persons outside of their racial groups. In this first comprehensive study of the legal regulation of interracial relationships, Rachel Moran grapples with the consequences of that history, candidly confronting its profound effects on not only conceptions of race and identity, but on ideas about sex, marriage, and family.

"A good introduction to an issue too often overlooked. . . . The writing is clear and accessible, the evidence is evocative, and the ideas are challenging."—Beth Kiyoko Jamieson, Law and Politics Book Review

"U. S. government bodies have tried to regulate interracial intimacy from the day Pocahontas married John Rolfe up through Loving v. Virginia, which found antimiscegentation laws unconstitutional in 1967. . . . The weirder anecdotes from our racial history enliven this study, which is likely to become a classic in its field."—Publishers Weekly

"Moran examines the history of U. S. regulation of cross-racial romance, considering the impact of that regulation on the autonomy of individuals and families as well as on racial identity and equality. . . . She is attuned to the nuances of race in this polyglot nation, and supplies thoughtful analysis of these nuances."—Booklist

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

U.S. government bodies have tried to regulate interracial intimacy from the day Pocahontas married John Rolfe up through Loving v. Virginia, which found antimiscegenation laws unconstitutional in 1967. Even without a solid biological definition of race, laws regarding the mixing of the races have been upheld by the highest courts to prevent dilution or devaluation of white privilege, argues Moran, professor at U.C. Berkeley School of Law, based on her studies of historical regulations created for different ethnicities. The history of interracial intimacy has crucial ongoing implications, she believes, pointing to America's relatively few interracial marriages today. Do workplace and residential segregation keep us from meeting people of other ethnicities? Do the economics of marriage encourage marrying "up" or equal, which may favor a same-race match? There are no clear answers, though Moran reveals intriguing insights from examining the "outmarriage" rates of various groups. Not surprisingly, she finds that differing "racialized images of sexuality" account for many discrepanciese.g., black women don't marry out much; Asian-American women do. With this race-intimacy perspective, Moran traces adoption and child custody policy and census bureau policies on racial identity. While hopeful for America's more multiracial future generations, Moran is well aware of the bureaucratic and public apathy that preserves the segregated status quo. Her attention to detail can be daunting, but legal scholars will prize her research. General readers may find the going slow, though the weirder anecdotes from our racial history enliven this study, which is likely to become a classic in its field.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Several million Americans checked more than one race when they completed the 2000 census. University of California at Berkley law professor Moran examines the history of U.S. regulation of cross-racial romance, considering the impact of that regulation on the autonomy of individuals and families as well as on racial identity and equality. Her book's first half culminates in the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision, with Chief Justice Warren declaring antimiscegenation laws unconstitutional discrimination. The second half explores the post-Loving struggle between color-blindness and color-consciousness, including "the persistence of racial endogamy," the complex considerations in interracial adoption and custody situations, and "the new multiracialism" reflected in the 2000 census. Moran--the daughter of an Irish father and Mexican mother--is attuned to the nuances of race in this polyglot nation, and supplies thoughtful analysis of these nuances. Mary Carroll
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226536637
• ISBN-13: 978-0226536637
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #690,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm...., November 10, 2007

By 

Joel B. Kirk (Bay Area, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Interracial Intimacy: The Regulation of Race and Romance (Hardcover)

Miss Moran gives a portrait of interracial relationships by giving us a history of laws that affected blacks, Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans who have married whites in past decades (and past centuries). She also gives a portrait of how blacks, Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans 'assimilate' into white culture (primarily white-American culture) if a man or woman of color takes a white partner.

She very, very briefly (on page 182-183) touches on that some individuals in non-white cultures (Asian, Latino, Native American) who take on black partners believe that they doom themselves from assimilating into white culture. She doesn't touch upon it after that.

The last chapters of her book deal with blacks being somewhat separate from everyone else due to history, their skin color, etc. (She just offers observations, not solutions. Moreover, much of that is information people have already known).

Interestingly, she doesn't say anything about black/Latino relationships, black/Asian, Asian/Latino, etc. The book is primarily about non-white races and their assimilation into white culture.

Being in the Bay Area, I've seen quite a few Latino/Asian relationships; too, I'm an African-American who hangs around primarily Asian-Americans. (And yes, you can say I'm attracted to Asian-American girls).

I wish Moran would have went a bit deeper than `who is more accepted because they take on a white partner.' In 2009, there are a lot of mixed race couples out there that do not involve a white partner.

14 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars an okay read for a controversial topic, June 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Interracial Intimacy: The Regulation of Race and Romance (Hardcover)

Moran is a biracial Latina law professor examining the issue of interracial relations in the United States. She starts by suggesting that analyzing race separatism must not end with segregation in schools and housing; we must look at the personal choices of marriage and adoption as well. She gives a history of race-mixing and prohibitions against it, the Loving decision which made such marriages legal in this country, and the modern continuance of most people's choosing same-race coupling. This book was more historical and statistical, rather than legal. Moran does an excellent job of looking at Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Natives equally. The book is neither as pessimistic as "Jungle Fever" or as optimistic as "Fools Rush In". This book will validate and challenge readers of all racial backgrounds. My only criticism is that the book is disturbingly heterosexist. Moran's refusal to look at interracial relationships among gay men and lesbians borders on homophobia. Otherwise, this was a decent book.