Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Discrimination & Race Relations, Cultural Studies, African-American Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States by Natalie Masuoka, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Natalie Masuoka ISBN: 9780190657499
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: August 30, 2017
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Natalie Masuoka
ISBN: 9780190657499
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: August 30, 2017
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

While pundits point to multiracial Americans as new evidence of a harmonious ethnic melting pot, in reality mixed race peoples have long existed in the United States. Rather than characterize multiracial Americans as a "new" population, this book argues that instead we should view them as individuals who reflect a new culture of racial identification. Today, identities such as "biracial" or "swirlies" are evoked alongside those more established racial categories of white, black Asian and Latino. What is significant about multiracial identities is that they communicate an alternative viewpoint about race: that a person's preferred self-identification should be used to define a person's race. Yet this definition of race is a distinct contrast to historic norms which has defined race as a category assigned to a person based on certain social rules which emphasized things like phenotype, being "one-drop" of African blood or heritage. In Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States, Natalie Masuoka catalogues how this cultural shift from assigning race to perceiving race as a product of personal identification came about by tracing events over the course of the twentieth century. Masuoka uses a variety of sources including in-depth interviews, public opinion surveys and census data to understand how certain individuals embrace the agency of self-identification and choose to assert multiracial identities. At the same time, the book shows that the meaning and consequences of multiracial identification can only be understood when contrasted against those who identify as white, black Asian or Latino. An included case study on President Barack Obama also shows how multiracial identity narratives can be strategically used to reduce anti-black bias among voters. Therefore, rather than looking at multiracial Americans as a harbinger of dramatic change for American race relations, this Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States shows that narratives promoting multiracial identities are in direct dialogue with, rather than in replacement of, the longstanding racial order.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

While pundits point to multiracial Americans as new evidence of a harmonious ethnic melting pot, in reality mixed race peoples have long existed in the United States. Rather than characterize multiracial Americans as a "new" population, this book argues that instead we should view them as individuals who reflect a new culture of racial identification. Today, identities such as "biracial" or "swirlies" are evoked alongside those more established racial categories of white, black Asian and Latino. What is significant about multiracial identities is that they communicate an alternative viewpoint about race: that a person's preferred self-identification should be used to define a person's race. Yet this definition of race is a distinct contrast to historic norms which has defined race as a category assigned to a person based on certain social rules which emphasized things like phenotype, being "one-drop" of African blood or heritage. In Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States, Natalie Masuoka catalogues how this cultural shift from assigning race to perceiving race as a product of personal identification came about by tracing events over the course of the twentieth century. Masuoka uses a variety of sources including in-depth interviews, public opinion surveys and census data to understand how certain individuals embrace the agency of self-identification and choose to assert multiracial identities. At the same time, the book shows that the meaning and consequences of multiracial identification can only be understood when contrasted against those who identify as white, black Asian or Latino. An included case study on President Barack Obama also shows how multiracial identity narratives can be strategically used to reduce anti-black bias among voters. Therefore, rather than looking at multiracial Americans as a harbinger of dramatic change for American race relations, this Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States shows that narratives promoting multiracial identities are in direct dialogue with, rather than in replacement of, the longstanding racial order.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Music and the French Enlightenment by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Organic Synthesis by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Mind As Action by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book The Knowledge-Creating Company by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book The Outrage Industry by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book The Living Clock by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book The Skeptical Sublime by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Arrhythmias in Women by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book The Fall of the Faculty:The Rise of the All-Administrative University and Why It Matters by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book HATE by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Son of Classics and Comics by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Guardians Of The Revolution : Iran And The World In The Age Of The Ayatollahs by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Advancing the Ball by Natalie Masuoka
Cover of the book Pelvic Pain Management by Natalie Masuoka
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy