Books like Race by Alan H. Goodman

29, 311 p. 24 cm

Explores how the United States has defined and redefined race, showing how immigrant groups have been reshaped into the nation’s racial categories over time.

How real is race? What is biological fact, what is fiction, and where does culture enter? What do we mean by a “colorblind” or “postracial” society, or when we say that race is a “social construction”? If race is an invention, can we eliminate it? This book, now in its second edition, employs an activity-oriented approach to address these questions and engage readers in unraveling—and rethinking—the contradictory messages we so often hear about race. The authors systematically cover the myth of race as biology and the reality of race as a cultural invention, drawing on biocultural and cross-cultural perspectives. They then extend the discussion to hot-button issues that arise in tandem with the concept of race, such as educational inequalities; slurs and racialized labels; and interracial relationships. In so doing, they shed light on the intricate, dynamic interplay among race, culture, and biology.

Vijay Prashad explores over five centuries of cultural and political interaction between African‑American and Asian‑American communities, challenging racial divisions and highlighting shared struggles and mutual influences across the globe.