Race remains a topical issue for countries with a heterogeneous population, such as the US. The enfranchisement of the minorities might be history, but racism persists, despite the seemingly universal equality. Furthermore, the matter becomes more relevant than ever in the 21st century when people tend to racialize their attitude toward others. The books presented in the paper reflect on race and racism from different perspectives, but they may share some sentiments.
The first book under consideration is Racism: A Very Short Introduction by Ali Rattansi, which discusses the concept of racism, its historical roots, development, and contradictions. The author believes that the phenomenon is a complex, nuanced issue, and it is not necessarily a matter of the white race against everyone else (Rattansi, 2007). Throughout history, many nations worldwide engaged in racist behavior, including Greek, Chinese, and Indian people, vividly exemplified by the latter’s cast system (Rattansi, 2007). Later, in the US, such non-Anglo-Saxon nations as Italians, the Irish, and the Jewish, also received racist treatment until they were assimilated into the white race (Rattansi, 2007). As the concept of racism began moving to the cultural and identity angle, the behavior of people hardly changed, as racists continued to believe in the scientific justifications (Rattansi, 2007). On the other hand, Arabian people also became subject to racial discrimination, despite being white (Rattansi, 2007). The conclusion is that there is a tendency to racialize, as in considering your group superior to others based on racial indicators, and the solution is a politico-cultural reinvention of identities.
The second book on racism is Race in the Schoolyard by Amanda E. Lewis, where the author describes how the matter of race is treated at schools. The idea is that despite education denying that race holds any power, it still manifests in various ways, prescribing the expectations and how one should behave (Lewis, 2003). Race exists in the curriculum, which can completely ignore the multicultural approach and focus on a singular perspective (Lewis, 2003). It is also evident during breaks and extra-curricular activities when teachers show preferences and ignore students being ostracized on a racial basis (Lewis, 2003). The solution is not simply a school reform, but a complex policy targeting redistribution and promoting a clearer understanding of racism and equality.
The third book is Whitewashed by John Tehranian, addressing the Middle Eastern population of the US. Tehranian (2010) argues that although Middle Easterners are not officially considered a minority and marked as white, they experience an increasing level of discrimination rooted in racism. It is apparent from their dehumanization following 9/11, resulting in poor treatment of American citizens of that origin, and tightened immigration policies, accompanied by racial profiling and inhumane separation of families (Tehranian, 2010). The solution is not simple, as the attempts to integrate Middle Eastern into the civil movement failed, caused by the absence of clarity in what constitutes a race.
While the books have different focuses, their theses bear some similarities. For instance, both Racism and Whitewashed tackle the topic of the race’s nuanced nature, with the latter emphasizing Middle Easterners as its victims. Race in Schoolyard’s thesis partially echoes the other two, as denying that race is involved in a controversial matter is common, and schools serve as a reflection of the US society. For instance, a student of Arabic origin may be ostracized, but it will be attributed to reasons other than racism. Thus, the theses share the idea that race and racism are nuanced, and people do not completely understand them.
The sources operate various points to support their theses, and most of them specifically target the topic in focus. The exception is Racism’s argument about people’s unchanged racist behavior, which mirrors the points regarding schools and Middle Easterners. However, the solution to the issue is mostly uniform in all three books, and it implies that the concept of racism should be clarified and promoted. As a result, people may realize its complexity and its unintentional exhibition of racist behavior. However, it should be a conscious effort made by all concerned institutions, not only one of them. Overall, the books agree that racist behavior exists and affects their respective spheres and that the approach to resolving the issue should be enlightening.
In conclusion, while the books view racism either generally or particularly, their premises and solutions have much in common. They use the race’s nuanced nature and people’s so-called colorblindness as the starting point, later developed by the relevant arguments. Some of those echo each other, but the authors seem more unified in the solution, which should involve education on race and racism and socio-political changes. Meanwhile, the need for change is urgent, as the recent events indicate that racist behaviors are still widespread.
References
Lewis, A. E. (2003). Race in the schoolyard: Negotiating the color line in classrooms and communities. Rutgers University Press.
Rattansi, A. (2007). Racism: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
Tehranian, J. (2020). Whitewashed: America’s invisible Middle Eastern minority. NYU Press.