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Who Is White?: Latinos, Asians, and the New Black/Nonblack Divide

George Yancey
Who Is White?: Latinos, Asians, and the New Black/Nonblack Divide
ISBN: 978-1-58826-337-7
$25.00
2003/230 pages/LC: 2002190869

"A provocative book."—Monica McDermott, American Journal of Sociology

"A necessary read.... Who Is White? is more than a rich sociological study; it also serves as a blueprint for the political possibilities that lie before us if left unaddressed."—Tamara K. Nopper, The Black Commentator

"A provocative book that gives readers much pause for thought about racial dynamics in American society."—Zhenchao Qian, Contemporary Sociology

"A balanced effort to debunk the apparently common idea that 'whites' will become a racial minority by 2050."—Choice

"Challenges a taken-for-granted assumption about the future of race relations in the U.S.... a provocative contribution to the

DESCRIPTION

"By the year 2050, whites will be a numerical racial minority, albeit the largest minority, in the United States." This statement, asserts George Yancey, while statistically correct, is nonetheless false.

Yancey marshals compelling evidence to show that the definition of who is "white" is changing rapidly, with nonblack minorities accepting the perspectives of the current white majority group and, in turn, being increasingly assimilated. In contrast, African Americans continue to experience high levels of alienation. To understand the racial reality in the United States, Yancey demonstrates, it is essential to discard the traditional white/nonwhite dichotomy and to explore the implications of the changing color of whiteness.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George Yancey is professor of sociology at Baylor University.


CONTENTS

  • Alienation and Race in the United States.
  • How To Become White.
  • "They Are OK—Just Keep Them Away From Me": Residential and Marital Segregation Patterns.
  • The End of the Rainbow Coalition.
  • The Changing Significance of "Latino" and "Asian."
  • The Black/Nonblack Society.