Over the past three decades; racial prejudice in America has declined significantly and many African American families have seen a steady rise in employment and annual income. But alongside these encouraging signs; Thomas Shapiro argues in The Hidden Cost of Being African American; fundamental levels of racial inequality persist; particularly in the area of asset accumulation--inheritance; savings accounts; stocks; bonds; home equity; and other investments. Shapiro reveals how the lack of these family assets along with continuing racial discrimination in crucial areas like homeownership dramatically impact the everyday lives of many black families; reversing gains earned in schools and on jobs; and perpetuating the cycle of poverty in which far too many find themselves trapped. Shapiro uses a combination of in-depth interviews with almost 200 families from Los Angeles; Boston; and St. Louis; and national survey data with 10;000 families to show how racial inequality is transmitted across generations. We see how those families with private wealth are able to move up from generation to generation; relocating to safer communities with better schools and passing along the accompanying advantages to their children. At the same time those without significant wealth remain trapped in communities that don't allow them to move up; no matter how hard they work. Shapiro challenges white middle class families to consider how the privileges that wealth brings not only improve their own chances but also hold back people who don't have them. This "wealthfare" is a legacy of inequality that; if unchanged; will project social injustice far into the future. Showing that over half of black families fall below the asset poverty line at the beginning of the new century; The Hidden Cost of Being African American will challenge all Americans to reconsider what must be done to end racial inequality.
#761974 in Books Gary S Gregg 2005-07-21Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.40 x 1.10 x 9.20l; 1.73 #File Name: 0195171993472 pagesThe Middle East A Cultural Psychology
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. amazing!By User_S2This is a very good book. I don not know the author and I have never heard about his name before. I found this book by coincidence in a small library somewhere in Vienna and from the from the first minute; I realized that this book is really worthy to read. The only negative point which I found in this book is its langauge. This book is written in very hard english and I think that it is not easy to understand for people; who have not a very good command of english + good knowledge of some theories of social psychology. But: It is a MUST for reserachers and lectureres dealing with social psychology; cross-cultural psychology and the Arab Region. A real new approach away from the well-known and "old-fashioned" dualism of cross-cultual psychology.3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Excellent bookBy DougThis is an excellent book; even though it is more focused on the North Africans than the Arabs.
