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literarylifter89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
4.0
Full of insights and, for the most part, careful consideration of race in the United States and its impacts. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? is largely a general survey of what one might find in a college course on race.
I'd recommend it to many people but would exercise caution in gifting it to somebody who has given minimal thought to race. It might create a backfire effect. Tatum asserts a view of racism (prejudice+systemic oppression) that some will find disagreeable or problematic.
That being said, I would keep in mind a couple of things as one reads it.
While it's a compelling and well-argued view, Tatum elaborates on one particular approach to race, how it manifests, and how we can move toward a post-racial or anti-racial society. People from within the many racial or ethnic communities she talks about have their reasons to contend with her portrayal, and I think they're worth seeking out as well.
With a topic as expansive as race, pertaining to a territory as large as the United States, that is populated by numberless communities, it's no surprise Tatum must remain in a somewhat theoretical and occasionally reductivistic space to examine her subject. By offering a theoretical—albeit robust—framework for examining many of these issues, readers are almost always one step removed from the concrete. But that's my criticism of most books in the social sciences.
What I mean by this is that while her conceptual view is a helpful starting part, we must remember that the world is messy and doesn't hook up exactly with what we say about it. Abstractions are not realities. Ah, that pesky postmodernism and the linguistic turn! What pertains to one community or particular place will have limited relevance in another. As well as how individuals experience racism or racialist influences on their communities will vary.
This is not an excuse to ignore her commentary and just think, "Oh this doesn't apply to me. We're not racist. I'm not like that!" I say this to highlight the value in holding our theories gently, to focus on the embodied, the people who are in front of us, and not let dogmas become rigid idealisms that we use to beat other people over the head with.
Tatum equips readers with some helpful insights on how to go about eradicating racist aspects of our cultures. I merely hope readers will remember Tatum's approach is not some sola scriptura for overcoming racial injustices in one's personal life or community. It's one view among many. Try out some of her prescriptions and see what works.
Nonetheless, I imagine much of it will be fruitful wherever a person finds themselves in the United States. There is much work to be done.
There are plenty of books to recommend alongside this one, but I think Nell Irvin Painter's The History of White People would be a worthwhile companion for digging deeper into the history and background around racism in the United States.
I'd recommend it to many people but would exercise caution in gifting it to somebody who has given minimal thought to race. It might create a backfire effect. Tatum asserts a view of racism (prejudice+systemic oppression) that some will find disagreeable or problematic.
That being said, I would keep in mind a couple of things as one reads it.
While it's a compelling and well-argued view, Tatum elaborates on one particular approach to race, how it manifests, and how we can move toward a post-racial or anti-racial society. People from within the many racial or ethnic communities she talks about have their reasons to contend with her portrayal, and I think they're worth seeking out as well.
With a topic as expansive as race, pertaining to a territory as large as the United States, that is populated by numberless communities, it's no surprise Tatum must remain in a somewhat theoretical and occasionally reductivistic space to examine her subject. By offering a theoretical—albeit robust—framework for examining many of these issues, readers are almost always one step removed from the concrete. But that's my criticism of most books in the social sciences.
What I mean by this is that while her conceptual view is a helpful starting part, we must remember that the world is messy and doesn't hook up exactly with what we say about it. Abstractions are not realities. Ah, that pesky postmodernism and the linguistic turn! What pertains to one community or particular place will have limited relevance in another. As well as how individuals experience racism or racialist influences on their communities will vary.
This is not an excuse to ignore her commentary and just think, "Oh this doesn't apply to me. We're not racist. I'm not like that!" I say this to highlight the value in holding our theories gently, to focus on the embodied, the people who are in front of us, and not let dogmas become rigid idealisms that we use to beat other people over the head with.
Tatum equips readers with some helpful insights on how to go about eradicating racist aspects of our cultures. I merely hope readers will remember Tatum's approach is not some sola scriptura for overcoming racial injustices in one's personal life or community. It's one view among many. Try out some of her prescriptions and see what works.
Nonetheless, I imagine much of it will be fruitful wherever a person finds themselves in the United States. There is much work to be done.
There are plenty of books to recommend alongside this one, but I think Nell Irvin Painter's The History of White People would be a worthwhile companion for digging deeper into the history and background around racism in the United States.
senquezada29's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent book sprinkled with citations from other excellent sources of information.
audreychiao's review against another edition
I can’t write a review that would accurately capture my thoughts on this book because I’ve been slowly reading it for over a year. I can share some of the thoughts I remember having had while reading. It’s a very accessible book, easy to follow, with no jargon. There are some interesting and important sociology and psychology research that are summarized and discussed in all of the chapters. I enjoyed learning about the development of people’s notions and identifies of race and how it differs by race, class and age group. I wish there was more about biracial identity. I wish the author had gone deeper into every topic. The author did a good job of contextualizing the need for such a book. I do think, given the language chosen- the language of liberal academia- that not everyone would continue reading the book after they’ve picked it up.
In all, I remember enjoying reading the book, but I don’t remember retaining any details. But I do remember the point- that everyone goes through their own development of racial identity, and having conversations about race are important to one’s self-determination and the healing of all.
In all, I remember enjoying reading the book, but I don’t remember retaining any details. But I do remember the point- that everyone goes through their own development of racial identity, and having conversations about race are important to one’s self-determination and the healing of all.