Whiteness in America
“Whiteness in America” by Monica McDermott, published by Polity Press in August 2020, explores the complex role of whiteness in American society. This 200-page book delves into how whiteness influences social structures and individual identities, often remaining an overlooked aspect of discussions about race. McDermott examines the historical context of whiteness, tracing its evolution from the early European colonization to contemporary social dynamics, highlighting its status as a marker of privilege that varies across different contexts.
Readers will find a thorough analysis of the multifaceted nature of white identity, as McDermott investigates how geography, class, and social context shape experiences of whiteness. The book addresses the cultural implications of whiteness and its impact on social movements and demographics in the United States. By unpacking the often-invisible frameworks that define whiteness, this work contributes to the broader discourse on discrimination and ethnic studies, providing insights into the ongoing complexities of race relations in America.
Official synopsis Publisher
When Americans think about race, “white” is often the furthest thing from their minds. Yet whiteness colors so much of social life in the United States, from the organization and maintenance of social structures to an individual’s sense of self.
White has long been the invisible default category against which other racial and ethnic groups are silently compared and marked out as “different.” At the same time, whiteness is itself an active marker that many bitterly fight to keep distinctive, and the shifting boundaries of whiteness reflect the nation’s history of race relations, right back to the earliest period of European colonization. One thing that has remained consistent is that whiteness is a definitive mark of privilege. Yet, this privilege is differentially experienced across a broad and eclectic spectrum, as is white identity itself. In order to uncover the ways in which its rigid structures and complicated understandings permeate American life, this book examines some of the many varieties of what it means to be white – across geography, class, and social context – and the culture, social movements, and changing demographics of whiteness in America.
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