Racial Attitudes in America: Trends and Interpretations, Revised Edition [Paperback]

Howard Schuman (Author), Charlotte Steeh (Author), Lawrence D. Bobo (Author), Maria Krysan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0674745698 | ISBN-13: 978-0674745698 | Publication Date: February 25, 1998 | Edition: Revised Edition

This new edition brings fully up-to-date a book widely praised for its clear and objective presentation of changes in American racial attitudes during the second half of the twentieth century.

The book retains the division of racial attitudes into principles of equality, government implementation of those principles, and social distance, but adds questions concerning affirmative action and beliefs about sources of inequality. A conceptual section now opens the book, evidence on social desirability has been added, and a new chapter deals with cohort effects and with the impact of income, education, and gender. In key instances, randomized experiments are introduced that test hypotheses more rigorously than is ordinarily possible with survey data. Throughout, the authors have reconsidered earlier ideas and introduced new thinking.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Statistical studies are often anathema to humanists. Here is one, however, that is both readable and informative. Relying on poll data since 1942 and avoiding jargon, the authors paint a fascinating picture of white (and to a much lesser extent, black) racial attitudes. Their findings show that while white acceptance of the principles of racial justice and even social proximity has risen since 1942, acceptance of federal implementation of racial justice has remained steady or actually declined. Rich in both fact and theory, this work is recommended primarily for scholars in the field. Anthony O. Edmonds, History Dept., Ball State Univ., Muncie, Ind.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

From a review of the first edition:
A significant study, easily the best in its field, underpinning its statistical analysis with a strong sense of history.
--Andrew Hacker (New York Review of Books )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press; Revised Edition edition (February 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674745698
• ISBN-13: 978-0674745698
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,139,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read!, August 23, 2001

By 

Jeffrey C. Dixon (Bloomington, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Racial Attitudes in America: Trends and Interpretations, Revised Edition (Paperback)

Schuman et al.'s "Racial Attitudes in America" is a must-read for students and researchers interested in race relations and intersections between race and politics. Well-written and insightful, "Racial Attitudes in America" is also very understandable for the curious observer of race relations. Schuman et al. analyze national survey data from the 1970s to the present in order to understand how the public feels about such important issues as affirmative action and other "race-targeted" policies. Moreover, the authors examine the extent to which prejudice and other negative racial attitudes are still widespread in the United States. Though extremely informative, the book devotes far more attention to examining trends in racial attitudes than to understanding the sources of them. Nonetheless, this book will provide a valuable starting point for any student or researcher interested in understanding the sources of racial attitudes.