Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations (3rd Edition) (MySearchLab Series 15% off) (Paperback)

by Vincent N. Parrillo (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A brief, economical introduction to the core theories, concepts, and issues for students studying race and ethnic relations in the United States.

From the Back Cover

Understanding Racial and Ethnic Relations, Third Edition

Vincent N. Parrillo, William Paterson University

This text is a brief, economical introduction to the core theories, concepts, and issues for students studying race and ethnic relations in the United States.

 

This new edition contains thoroughly updated data and information, including the most recent and relevant studies not only in sociology but also in many other related fields. There are expanded discussions throughout the text, including: the shaping of perceptions, social distance, difference between race and ethnicity, the culture of poverty, and more.

 

Also, the last chapter, “Contemporary Patterns and Issues,” has been extensively revised to reflect recent and current events.  Added are new sections on transnationalism, social capital, segmented assimilation, naturalization, and language retention. This chapter, enhanced by the use of graphics to further student understanding, thoroughly examines the extensive debate and actions surrounding legal immigration and undocumented migrants.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 3 edition (March 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205530567
• ISBN-13: 978-0205530564
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #214,594 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good choice for my students!, March 14, 2002

By	Don P. Stewart "Don Stewart" (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations (Paperback)

Dr. Parrillo's prior works have been excellent; this book is a perfect fit for a class I developed, and teach, at UNLV: Racial and Ethnic Groups of the United States. With its concise sociological construction, its thoughtful analaysis of the powers of prejudice, and its exploration of dominant-minority relations in millennial America, it makes excellent and informative reading for my students.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for intro courses on racial/ethnic relations, May 10, 2005

By	Vato-Curandero - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is teaching sociology or anthropology classes on racial and ethnic relations as one of the textbooks to use in class. This book introduces students to a wide variety of concepts and theoretical orientations that are or have been prominent in the sociology of racial inequality over the past 50 - 100 years, such as Park's race relations cycle, Gordon's assimilation theory, Hansen's three generation hypothesis, and Moynihan's "culture of poverty" paradigm.

Unlike most other textbooks that deal with this subject matter, Parrillo does not organize chapters around particular racial/ethnic groups. Instead, chapters are organized by thematic concepts, such as prejudice, discrimination, and the future of ethnicity in the United States. Parrillo incorporates a tremendous diversity of theoretical frameworks and sociological concepts throughout the text - the most important being the "Dillingham Flaw" (intentionally making a flawed comparison, based on past phenomena that no longer exist or have changed considerably).

This book is perfect for teaching freshman-level race courses at universities. Students often enter these classes with averse, angry attitudes and hostile outlooks. In the first chapter, Parrillo actually discusses this problem, pointing out why intellectual conversations on race that aim for rational analysis of data and empiricism are difficult for students. Students often have trouble keeping their own emotions in check and have difficulty looking at things "outside the box" - a necessary endeavor for quality social science analysis. This is the only book I know of that speaks to and addresses the emotional reactions people usually get when discussing race.

My favorite part of the book is Chapter 2, especially the section on "Theories of Minority Integration" where the author discusses different ideologies a society may employ regarding ethnic diversity (assimilation, amalgamation, or pluralism). His discussion of a multitude of different and conflicting social and psychological theories regarding the origins of prejudice and discrimination are also top notch.

There is nothing negative I can say about this book. It is extremely informative, written in a plain-English prose, and should have trouble in grabbing and retaining the reader's interest.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good textbook, but a textbook nonetheless, March 2, 2008

By	Steven Saus (Dayton, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book is exactly what it claims to be. It's a well-researched, information-dense textbook. It's easier to read than most, but makes no effort to disguise what it is.

That's why the three stars; when compared to a great "book", it falls far short. When compared to other textbooks, though, this one performs well. If you're looking for an overview textbook for race and minority relations, this is a good one. If you're looking for a non-fiction "book" aimed at the general populace to read of an evening, this may not be for you.