White identity is in ferment. White; European Americans living in the United States will soon share an unprecedented experience of slipping below 50% of the population. The impending demographic shifts are already felt in most urban centers and the effect is a national backlash of hyper-mobilized political; and sometimes violent; activism with a stated aim that is simultaneously vague and deadly clear: 'to take our country back.' Meanwhile the spectre of 'minority status' draws closer; and the material advantages of being born white are eroding. This is the political and cultural reality tackled by Linda MartÃn Alcoff in The Future of Whiteness. She argues that whiteness is here to stay; at least for a while; but that half of whites have given up on ideas of white supremacy; and the shared public; material culture is more integrated than ever. More and more; whites are becoming aware of how they appear to non-whites; both at home and abroad; and this is having profound effects on white identity in North America. The young generation of whites today; as well as all those who follow; will have never known a country in which they could take white identity as the unchallenged default that dominates the political; economic and cultural leadership. Change is on the horizon; and the most important battleground is among white people themselves. The Future of Whiteness makes no predictions but astutely analyzes the present reaction and evaluates the current signs of turmoil. Beautifully written and cogently argued; the book looks set to spark debate in the field and to illuminate an important area of racial politics.
#3588221 in Books Pluto Press 2004-02-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.97 x .60 x 4.92l; .57 #File Name: 0745322220304 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Review of _The African American Experience in Cyberspace_By brianThis book is OFF THE HOOK!Everybody is online and uses Google.com or some other search engine but often a typical search gets mixed results. And you can't always count on the first ten selections taking you where you want to go.THIS BOOK IS A ROAD MAP to resources in cyberspace that make up an entire curriculum for people in school or just anyone trying to become wise about the historical experiences of the Black community.There is an organized table of contents and a detailed index; so its great for browsing or finding a specific site - checking things out in general or searching to answer a specific question.Every Black Studies program should require all students to get this; and then use it for all their classes. We all go to the web for everything anyway; so we might as well all use the best road map to Black cyberspace.It's a very useful resource for families too!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Indispensable and timelessBy AfroAmericanHeritageI could review this book in one word: Indispensable! Abdul Alkalimat is a sociologist and pioneer in the development of Black Studies; currently serving as moderator of H-Afro-Am electronic discussion forum. Books about Internet resources can become outdated quickly as web sites move and administrators needlessly change directory naming protocols. But this book is so much more than a mere directory of useful sites that it will have a long shelf life. It provides extensive annotation and an interpretive framework for Black Studies; organized by major historical periods and themes. It includes a wealth of printed resources as well; making it valuable even to someone who rarely ventures online. No college or community library should be without it. And at this price; neither should any home bookshelf.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. a web guide of durable valueBy kate williamsDr. Alkalimat's book is that rare print guide to the Web which will endure even as the Web grows. Not only are the sites described and listed the richest and most stable; but the organization of the book will clarify your understanding of the African American experience in cyberspace and out. It has been so slow and frustrating to dig through search engines for the good stuff -- this book is near my computer for good. Should be near any family; school; university or community PC/Mac as well. A model approach for presenting the work of any population that is mistakenly understood as unplugged. And low priced too.
