Race in Society: The Enduring American Dilemma - REVIEW

 

by Margaret L. Andersen

The second edition of Race in Society analyzes the social dynamics of systemic racism and the persistence of racial inequality in US institutions. The book is informed by contemporary social science research and includes the most recent studies on racial disparities during the COVID pandemic and current racial protests.

Race in Society is intended for courses in the sociology of race and ethnicity and can be used in other social science and interdisciplinary courses. Its accessible writing style, student friendly approach, and brevity make it attractive to instructors who want to pair it with other monographs or anthologies.

Four themes guide the organization of the book:
1. the social construction of race and ethnicity, as they evolve within systems of power and privilege;
2. the social dynamics of prejudice, bias, and racism;
3. the systemic character of racial inequality in US social institutions; and,
4. strategies for social change, especially as the United States becomes increasingly racially and ethnically diverse. A new feature in the second edition, “Taking Action against Racism,” will appeal to students who want to know what they can do to challenge racism

Margaret L. Andersen is Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Delaware, where she was honored with two teaching awards. She is the former vice president of the American Sociological Association and former president of the Eastern Sociological Society.

Race in Society: The Enduring American Dilemma
by Margaret L. Andersen
Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN-13:‎ 978-1538149454
434 pages

Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do - REVIEW

by Claude M. Steele

The acclaimed social psychologist offers an insider’s look at his research and groundbreaking findings on stereotypes and identity.

Claude M. Steele, who has been called “one of the few great social psychologists,” offers a vivid first-person account of the research that supports his groundbreaking conclusions on stereotypes and identity. He sheds new light on American social phenomena from racial and gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men, and lays out a plan for mitigating these “stereotype threats” and reshaping American identities.

Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do
by Claude M. Steele
W.W. Norton & Company, 256 pages
ISBN: 978-0393339727