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4.49 AVERAGE
4.49 AVERAGE
Best for: White people interested in antiracism work (so, hopefully, all white people, but I’m not that naive).
In a nutshell: Academic (and white person) Robin DiAngelo breaks down many of the problems white people have in confronting our own socialization in the racist reality we live in.
Line that sticks with me: “Because of white social, economic, and political power within a white supremacist culture, whites are in the position to legitimize people of color’s assertions of racism. Yet whites are the least likely to see, understand, or be invested in validating those assertions and being honest about their consequences. This leads whites to claim that they disagree with perspectives that challenge their worldview when, in fact, they don’t understand the perspective - thus confusing not understanding with not agreeing.”
Why I chose it: Dr. DiAngelo led a training at my office a few months ago, and it was both brutal and fantastic. During her introduction, she made a comment along the lines of this: “I have spent years researching race and racism. I’ve taught college courses and workplace trainings, and have a PhD in the work. But that said, I welcome challenges and corrections from any person of color in this audience. However, I do not welcome the same from the white people in this room, because I can almost guarantee that none of you have spent as much time thinking about racism as I have.” One friend called that cocky, and it possibly put a lot of white people in the room on the defensive. But really, I think that statement is going to be true 99.9% of the time when talking about race and racism.
Review: This book is nearly 350 pages long, and while it is written by an academic, Dr. DiAngelo makes it as accessible as possible. The target audience is white people, because we are the ones who need an education in how we are socialized in a racist society, and the implications it has for how we navigate the world and contribute to it.
The first half of the book may seem somewhat elementary to folks who aren’t brand new to antiracism work, but it is necessary and I found it mostly interesting to read. Each section starts with a couple of quotes from white students she taught - they are responses to questions she asks at the start of the term, and the quotes are startling both in their lack of depth and their similarity to each other. Nearly without fail, the students grew up in segregated all-white neighborhoods, with parents who taught them “everyone is equal.” They all say they aren’t racist, and that racism doesn’t play a role in their lives.
Mmm hmm.
It’s hard to write a review without rewriting each of the chapters, because they build upon each other well. Dr. DiAngelo doesn’t even get to defining race or racism until a third of the way through the book, but it works. She eases readers in with examples of sexism, which she likely thinks white people are more willing to accept as a reality. Each chapter builds upon what she introduces in the previous one, making it easier to bring all the components together.
Some chapters really stand out, including the one on intersecting identities using class as an example. Ms. DiAngelo grew up poor, and so is well-positioned to offer rejection of the idea that ‘it’s really class, not race, that matters.’
The final chapters, however, are what I found to be the most interesting. Discussions about white fragility, white narratives that deny racism (and appropriate ways to shut them down), the real problem with repeating certain stories, and the danger of white silence are all relevant to those of us who are white and invested in antiracism work. You will cringe because you or people you love will have said or done most or all of these things, but Dr. DiAngelo wants you to get beyond the defensiveness that comes from a place where white people act like being called racist is worse than doing something racist.
One caveat - if you are someone who is white but grew up in a home where racism was discussed in depth (as literally one of my white friends was), and grew up with and still have many cross-racial relationships, this might not give you what you need to take your antiracism work to the next level.
In a nutshell: Academic (and white person) Robin DiAngelo breaks down many of the problems white people have in confronting our own socialization in the racist reality we live in.
Line that sticks with me: “Because of white social, economic, and political power within a white supremacist culture, whites are in the position to legitimize people of color’s assertions of racism. Yet whites are the least likely to see, understand, or be invested in validating those assertions and being honest about their consequences. This leads whites to claim that they disagree with perspectives that challenge their worldview when, in fact, they don’t understand the perspective - thus confusing not understanding with not agreeing.”
Why I chose it: Dr. DiAngelo led a training at my office a few months ago, and it was both brutal and fantastic. During her introduction, she made a comment along the lines of this: “I have spent years researching race and racism. I’ve taught college courses and workplace trainings, and have a PhD in the work. But that said, I welcome challenges and corrections from any person of color in this audience. However, I do not welcome the same from the white people in this room, because I can almost guarantee that none of you have spent as much time thinking about racism as I have.” One friend called that cocky, and it possibly put a lot of white people in the room on the defensive. But really, I think that statement is going to be true 99.9% of the time when talking about race and racism.
Review: This book is nearly 350 pages long, and while it is written by an academic, Dr. DiAngelo makes it as accessible as possible. The target audience is white people, because we are the ones who need an education in how we are socialized in a racist society, and the implications it has for how we navigate the world and contribute to it.
The first half of the book may seem somewhat elementary to folks who aren’t brand new to antiracism work, but it is necessary and I found it mostly interesting to read. Each section starts with a couple of quotes from white students she taught - they are responses to questions she asks at the start of the term, and the quotes are startling both in their lack of depth and their similarity to each other. Nearly without fail, the students grew up in segregated all-white neighborhoods, with parents who taught them “everyone is equal.” They all say they aren’t racist, and that racism doesn’t play a role in their lives.
Mmm hmm.
It’s hard to write a review without rewriting each of the chapters, because they build upon each other well. Dr. DiAngelo doesn’t even get to defining race or racism until a third of the way through the book, but it works. She eases readers in with examples of sexism, which she likely thinks white people are more willing to accept as a reality. Each chapter builds upon what she introduces in the previous one, making it easier to bring all the components together.
Some chapters really stand out, including the one on intersecting identities using class as an example. Ms. DiAngelo grew up poor, and so is well-positioned to offer rejection of the idea that ‘it’s really class, not race, that matters.’
The final chapters, however, are what I found to be the most interesting. Discussions about white fragility, white narratives that deny racism (and appropriate ways to shut them down), the real problem with repeating certain stories, and the danger of white silence are all relevant to those of us who are white and invested in antiracism work. You will cringe because you or people you love will have said or done most or all of these things, but Dr. DiAngelo wants you to get beyond the defensiveness that comes from a place where white people act like being called racist is worse than doing something racist.
One caveat - if you are someone who is white but grew up in a home where racism was discussed in depth (as literally one of my white friends was), and grew up with and still have many cross-racial relationships, this might not give you what you need to take your antiracism work to the next level.
It took me fivever to get through this book because it's so deep and requires so much thought and reflection. This book will give you perspectives you probably have not considered before. It's a great read just very deep.
Several years back, a team of antiracist educators came to my workplace and did a presentation that rocked my world. I, like many well-meaning white people in the United States and elsewhere, had considered myself a good, understanding, liberal person who would never dream of being blatantly racist and that these good intentions were enough. What they made clear to me that day was the fact (to which I had previously been blissfully blind) that I am bathed every day in white privilege and my good intentions are worth virtually nothing unless I become an active antiracist. This book was one of the readings recommended by the instructors.
There is great information here and it's an excellent primer in what white privilege is and how we can directly and constantly address the role that race plays in virtually every aspect of our lives. Unfortunately, it is written in the style of a textbook, which is to say: dry and plodding. Not every great antiracist can also be a stimulating author and I truly don't begrudge DiAngelo whatever style she chooses to use or is capable of pulling off (though my understanding is that her more recent book, White Fragility, is a more compelling read). Others have done so much more effectively. The information is solid, but too often this felt more like outlines for lectures (which they probably were) than a cohesive read. As with so many such books, in order to do an accurate review, I must separate out the content of the book from its literary value. In the former category it is a solid five-star book, but in the latter it barely scrapes a three. One would hope that at some future date DiAngelo might consider a complete rewrite, though perhaps with the publication of the more recent book this might be unnecessary.
Still, as a primer in whiteness, it contains a great deal of valuable, essential insights into what it is to be white and for that reason alone I do recommend it highly.
There is great information here and it's an excellent primer in what white privilege is and how we can directly and constantly address the role that race plays in virtually every aspect of our lives. Unfortunately, it is written in the style of a textbook, which is to say: dry and plodding. Not every great antiracist can also be a stimulating author and I truly don't begrudge DiAngelo whatever style she chooses to use or is capable of pulling off (though my understanding is that her more recent book, White Fragility, is a more compelling read). Others have done so much more effectively. The information is solid, but too often this felt more like outlines for lectures (which they probably were) than a cohesive read. As with so many such books, in order to do an accurate review, I must separate out the content of the book from its literary value. In the former category it is a solid five-star book, but in the latter it barely scrapes a three. One would hope that at some future date DiAngelo might consider a complete rewrite, though perhaps with the publication of the more recent book this might be unnecessary.
Still, as a primer in whiteness, it contains a great deal of valuable, essential insights into what it is to be white and for that reason alone I do recommend it highly.
HIGHLY recommend. Such a great base for understanding racial issues in America and grasping racial literacy. Especially helpful if you are a white ally and feel like you don't have a lot of knowledge in this area of social justice - this book helped me find my voice.
This book ought to be mandatory. I went into this book thinking I was well versed in handling conversations surrounding race and then realized I was very wrong. This book is a treasure and really did give me a lot to think about and reframe in my mind. I’ve had a good time sharing what I’ve learned from this book with my grade 6 students- we actually drew our glasses- frames and lenses-and spoke about how our intersectionality positions us in the world. Really terrific, jam packed, crucial book.
This is a great book but very introductory and some of the sections were uncomfortable to read in terms of not quite working ethically/politically - especially the short history of non-White groups in the US, including the fact that this section did not start with Native Americans. Like many books from a critical whiteness/critical race there is work needed in overcoming the invisibility of and working towards incorporating Indigenous perspectives and critiques of Settler-Colonizing relations and it was disappointing that this was not addressed more centrally. Other than that a fine book for anyone looking for an introduction to critical whiteness studies and the cultivation of an active, ethical and considered anti-racist politics
To put it succinctly, this is one of the most important and interesting books I've ever read, and if you care at all about society, you should read it, too. I'd love to talk through it with you as/after you read it. I have a feeling I'll be coming back to it again and again and again.
I have learned an extraordinary amount from this book. We must stop saying we don’t see color or that race doesn’t matter when that in itself is a privilege and proves that it in fact does. This is a great first read to help me on the journey of being anti-racist.
Here’s were we go now:
1. We must “think intentionally and strategically about what we are doing and how that functions to either maintain or reinforce racism.”
2. We have to continually educate ourselves and
3. Most importantly build cross-racial relationships.
4. Read a book from a person of color’s perspective.
Here’s were we go now:
1. We must “think intentionally and strategically about what we are doing and how that functions to either maintain or reinforce racism.”
2. We have to continually educate ourselves and
3. Most importantly build cross-racial relationships.
4. Read a book from a person of color’s perspective.