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What Does It Mean to Be White?: Developing White Racial Literacy
What does it mean to be white in a society that proclaims race meaningless yet is deeply divided by race? In the face of pervasive racial inequality and segregation, most whites cannot answer that question.
Robin DiAngelo argues that a number of factors make this question difficult for whites: miseducation about what racism is; ideologies such as individualism and colorblindness; defensiveness; and a need to protect (rather than expand) our worldviews. These factors contribute to what she terms white racial illiteracy.
Speaking as a white person to other white people, Dr. DiAngelo clearly and compellingly takes readers through an analysis of white socialization. She describes how race shapes the lives of white people, explains what makes racism so hard for whites to see, identifies common white racial patterns, and speaks back to popular white narratives that work to deny racism.
Written as an accessible introduction to white identity from an anti-racist framework, What Does It Mean To Be White? is an invaluable resource for members of diversity and anti-racism programs and study groups and students of sociology, psychology, education, and other disciplines.
Robin DiAngelo argues that a number of factors make this question difficult for whites: miseducation about what racism is; ideologies such as individualism and colorblindness; defensiveness; and a need to protect (rather than expand) our worldviews. These factors contribute to what she terms white racial illiteracy.
Speaking as a white person to other white people, Dr. DiAngelo clearly and compellingly takes readers through an analysis of white socialization. She describes how race shapes the lives of white people, explains what makes racism so hard for whites to see, identifies common white racial patterns, and speaks back to popular white narratives that work to deny racism.
Written as an accessible introduction to white identity from an anti-racist framework, What Does It Mean To Be White? is an invaluable resource for members of diversity and anti-racism programs and study groups and students of sociology, psychology, education, and other disciplines.
318 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2012
120 people are currently reading
4267 people want to read
About the author
Robin DiAngelo
16 books1,251 followersRobin J. DiAngelo is an American academic, lecturer, and author working in the fields of critical discourse analysis and whiteness studies. She formerly served as a tenured professor of multicultural education at Westfield State University and is currently an Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is known for her work pertaining to white fragility, a term which she coined in 2011.
In a 2011 academic paper she first put forward the concept of white fragility, the notion that the tendency for white people to become defensive when confronted with their racial advantage functions to protect and maintain that advantage.
In a 2011 academic paper she first put forward the concept of white fragility, the notion that the tendency for white people to become defensive when confronted with their racial advantage functions to protect and maintain that advantage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
November 6, 2015
This book took me a very long time to read, because I wanted to memorize every bit of it. My copy is underlined with numerous margin notes, and I posted excerpts on Facebook on a regular basis. I learned SO MUCH from reading this book. Any white person interested in doing their part to resist the culture of white supremacy will find this book a fabulous resource. I couldn't recommend it higher.
June 7, 2017
This wasn't a particularly quick or easy read, but it was definitely worthwhile.
Some things that I really liked:
* The book is designed for readers who (like me!) haven't thought deeply about racism in this way before. It makes really clear definition of racism very early on, then calls back to that very directly (in big boxes saying 'Remember!') throughout the remainder of the book. This hammers home the core idea really effectively.
* The book talks a lot about "socialization", which I've encountered previously (eg, "Delusions of Gender"), but it avoids entirely shifting the blame off the individual and onto society as a whole. To that end, it gives concrete suggestions for antiracist practice, and suggests plenty of further reading.
* Even though it's written in an American context for an American audience, it's very easy to draw parallels to Australia (especially since chapter 15, "Specific racial groups", gives examples of how to do that)
Some things that I really liked:
* The book is designed for readers who (like me!) haven't thought deeply about racism in this way before. It makes really clear definition of racism very early on, then calls back to that very directly (in big boxes saying 'Remember!') throughout the remainder of the book. This hammers home the core idea really effectively.
* The book talks a lot about "socialization", which I've encountered previously (eg, "Delusions of Gender"), but it avoids entirely shifting the blame off the individual and onto society as a whole. To that end, it gives concrete suggestions for antiracist practice, and suggests plenty of further reading.
* Even though it's written in an American context for an American audience, it's very easy to draw parallels to Australia (especially since chapter 15, "Specific racial groups", gives examples of how to do that)
February 21, 2017
This book blew. my. mind. It is a powerful primer on racism and antiracist practice. It offers a clear and concise framework from which to think about these issues. It arms you with knowledge and advice. I don't often say this, but this should be required reading.
Here is a fraction of what I learned:
—Because white people don't feel the effects of their race, they are tricked into thinking we live in a post-race and post-racism society. Perhaps they will concede that things aren't perfect for people of color, but they'll definitely point out that things are not as bad as they used to be. Yes, a handful of individual people of color have broken glass ceilings, and yes, slavery in its historic form has long been abolished, but the numbers clearly show that disparities in education, in the justice system, and in wages have gotten worse since the Civil Rights era. WORSE. We are more segregated and less equal now than we were at the start of integration. Segregation is not random and it is not benign. If, like many white people, you went to largely white schools and lived in largely white neighborhoods, this was no accident of fate.
—In America we are deeply wedded to notions of individualism and meritocracy, and these insidious ideologies keep racism firmly in place. We think, "people just need to pick themselves up and work hard to enjoy the American dream." This totally disregards centuries of policies that have benefited white people and hurt people of color, centuries that have resulted in inherited wealth, attitudes, policies, and networks that favor white people and white people's access to resources. Amazingly, white people resent people of color for policies put in place to level this wildly uneven playing field, hotly denying that they have any legs up, so why should people of color have them.
—We conceive of racism as individual malicious acts by "bad" people, and we are thereby able to distance ourselves from it. But racism is better thought of as systemic oppression that on the whole advantages one demographic over another. Yes, white people may suffer from discrimination on a temporary, contextual basis (as well as be oppressed in other ways—class, gender, etc.), but on the whole, with regards to race, they are undeniably the privileged group. When thinking of privilege, it is more helpful to think of it as a lack of struggle rather than something that is handed to you. Of course some white people have worked very hard for what they have, but in terms of race, they always had the wind at their backs. White people are very resistant to these ideas because it forces them to see themselves as part of a larger, advantaged demographic. They are offended by the notion that they are privileged or that they themselves participate in racism. They demand to be seen and judged as individuals, denying all history and sociology and psychology. The irony is how often these insisters see others as manifestations of their racial group (e.g., black men are more prone to violence; Asians are bad drivers; Latin men are highly sexualized; etc.).
—Racial stereotypes are as pernicious and damaging as they are pervasive. And stereotypes do not exist for a reason. They are unfair, unmerited projections onto an entire group. I don't care who you are, you hold racial prejudices and you discriminate, many times in ways you are not even conscious of. Yes, this holds true for people of color as well, but the difference is that when it comes to institutions and institutional power, the numbers clearly show that white people have more ready access to resources than people of color. If you look at the racial makeup of people in positions of power (be it elected officials and judges or teachers and social service workers), they are disproportionally white in contrast to the larger population. However well intentioned these people in power may be, their racial prejudices and discriminations on average play out in predictable ways that benefit white people and hurt people of color, for example the administering of tougher punishments for similar offenses.
—Prejudice (an emotion unrelated to reality) fuels discrimination (an action). Hatred fuels racial violence, but that is the extreme end of the spectrum. Discomfort, for example, fuels avoidance. We are taught in myriad subtle ways that people of color are not as important, not as interesting, not as worthy or desirable. This indifference fuels segregation. Discrimination can also manifest itself as favoring certain people based on your prejudice about their group. This runs the gamut of deferring to people we see as our superiors to treating as individuals those we see as "normal."
—Denial maintains the status quo. Silence maintains the status quo. Inaction maintains the status quo. Guilt and evasion maintain the status quo. The status quo is racism. If you are white, the status quo benefits you and hurts people of color.
—We (white people) need to educate ourselves. We need to read and learn about other cultures and about our history and for god's sake, we need to listen. We need to shut the fuck up about reverse racism, which doesn't exist (discrimination might, but not racism in the sense of institutionally backed oppression). We need to shut the fuck up about how colorblind we are and stop yapping away about how much less of a racist we are that that other guy over there. We need to disrupt racism, even when—especially when—we feel uncomfortable doing so with our white peers. We need to form meaningful cross-racial relationships. We need to be allies. We need to acknowledge our privilege. We need to educate our kids. We need to not tokenize and objectify and exoticize people of color. We need to notice when people of color aren't at the table, aren't in the room, aren't in the discussion, aren't in our neighborhoods, aren't represented, aren't our friends or our coworkers or the writers we read or the actors we watch.
—And finally, we did not ask to be born into this system. We are not bad people for absorbing all of this prejudice. But privilege comes with responsibility. It is our responsibility to do what we can to fight this. It won't be easy or comfortable or graceful. But we have to try. Because this should make us sick to our stomachs.
Here is a fraction of what I learned:
—Because white people don't feel the effects of their race, they are tricked into thinking we live in a post-race and post-racism society. Perhaps they will concede that things aren't perfect for people of color, but they'll definitely point out that things are not as bad as they used to be. Yes, a handful of individual people of color have broken glass ceilings, and yes, slavery in its historic form has long been abolished, but the numbers clearly show that disparities in education, in the justice system, and in wages have gotten worse since the Civil Rights era. WORSE. We are more segregated and less equal now than we were at the start of integration. Segregation is not random and it is not benign. If, like many white people, you went to largely white schools and lived in largely white neighborhoods, this was no accident of fate.
—In America we are deeply wedded to notions of individualism and meritocracy, and these insidious ideologies keep racism firmly in place. We think, "people just need to pick themselves up and work hard to enjoy the American dream." This totally disregards centuries of policies that have benefited white people and hurt people of color, centuries that have resulted in inherited wealth, attitudes, policies, and networks that favor white people and white people's access to resources. Amazingly, white people resent people of color for policies put in place to level this wildly uneven playing field, hotly denying that they have any legs up, so why should people of color have them.
—We conceive of racism as individual malicious acts by "bad" people, and we are thereby able to distance ourselves from it. But racism is better thought of as systemic oppression that on the whole advantages one demographic over another. Yes, white people may suffer from discrimination on a temporary, contextual basis (as well as be oppressed in other ways—class, gender, etc.), but on the whole, with regards to race, they are undeniably the privileged group. When thinking of privilege, it is more helpful to think of it as a lack of struggle rather than something that is handed to you. Of course some white people have worked very hard for what they have, but in terms of race, they always had the wind at their backs. White people are very resistant to these ideas because it forces them to see themselves as part of a larger, advantaged demographic. They are offended by the notion that they are privileged or that they themselves participate in racism. They demand to be seen and judged as individuals, denying all history and sociology and psychology. The irony is how often these insisters see others as manifestations of their racial group (e.g., black men are more prone to violence; Asians are bad drivers; Latin men are highly sexualized; etc.).
—Racial stereotypes are as pernicious and damaging as they are pervasive. And stereotypes do not exist for a reason. They are unfair, unmerited projections onto an entire group. I don't care who you are, you hold racial prejudices and you discriminate, many times in ways you are not even conscious of. Yes, this holds true for people of color as well, but the difference is that when it comes to institutions and institutional power, the numbers clearly show that white people have more ready access to resources than people of color. If you look at the racial makeup of people in positions of power (be it elected officials and judges or teachers and social service workers), they are disproportionally white in contrast to the larger population. However well intentioned these people in power may be, their racial prejudices and discriminations on average play out in predictable ways that benefit white people and hurt people of color, for example the administering of tougher punishments for similar offenses.
—Prejudice (an emotion unrelated to reality) fuels discrimination (an action). Hatred fuels racial violence, but that is the extreme end of the spectrum. Discomfort, for example, fuels avoidance. We are taught in myriad subtle ways that people of color are not as important, not as interesting, not as worthy or desirable. This indifference fuels segregation. Discrimination can also manifest itself as favoring certain people based on your prejudice about their group. This runs the gamut of deferring to people we see as our superiors to treating as individuals those we see as "normal."
—Denial maintains the status quo. Silence maintains the status quo. Inaction maintains the status quo. Guilt and evasion maintain the status quo. The status quo is racism. If you are white, the status quo benefits you and hurts people of color.
—We (white people) need to educate ourselves. We need to read and learn about other cultures and about our history and for god's sake, we need to listen. We need to shut the fuck up about reverse racism, which doesn't exist (discrimination might, but not racism in the sense of institutionally backed oppression). We need to shut the fuck up about how colorblind we are and stop yapping away about how much less of a racist we are that that other guy over there. We need to disrupt racism, even when—especially when—we feel uncomfortable doing so with our white peers. We need to form meaningful cross-racial relationships. We need to be allies. We need to acknowledge our privilege. We need to educate our kids. We need to not tokenize and objectify and exoticize people of color. We need to notice when people of color aren't at the table, aren't in the room, aren't in the discussion, aren't in our neighborhoods, aren't represented, aren't our friends or our coworkers or the writers we read or the actors we watch.
—And finally, we did not ask to be born into this system. We are not bad people for absorbing all of this prejudice. But privilege comes with responsibility. It is our responsibility to do what we can to fight this. It won't be easy or comfortable or graceful. But we have to try. Because this should make us sick to our stomachs.
August 20, 2015
Provocative and well-written. Holds your hand through the basics, but chapters 11 on will cause the best kind of disquiet. What to do about the fact that people who should read this book most are the same ones that think they don't need it?
May 25, 2021
I have learned an extraordinary amount from this book. We must stop saying we don’t see color or that race doesn’t matter when that in itself is a privilege and proves that it in fact does. This is a great first read to help me on the journey of being anti-racist.
Here’s were we go now:
1. We must “think intentionally and strategically about what we are doing and how that functions to either maintain or reinforce racism.”
2. We have to continually educate ourselves and
3. Most importantly build cross-racial relationships.
4. Read a book from a person of color’s perspective.
Here’s were we go now:
1. We must “think intentionally and strategically about what we are doing and how that functions to either maintain or reinforce racism.”
2. We have to continually educate ourselves and
3. Most importantly build cross-racial relationships.
4. Read a book from a person of color’s perspective.
March 12, 2017
The summary: "My inability as a white person to see or understand racism is unrelated to its reality." The very best resource I've found to examine and unpack whiteness.
September 1, 2016
One of the best, most challenging and eye-opening books I have ever read. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It took me a awhile to work my way through it simply because there's so much there. The writing is engaging and I feel like the author really takes the reader on a journey in unpacking what it means to be white, from defining some critical key concepts, to more advanced ideas about how to wrestle with racism. The author's humility and patient - yet determined - persistence with herself is inspiring and hopeful. There were times reading this when I felt really overwhelmed with the scope and tenacity of the problem, and her final words pack a powerful punch.
"If I give up because it's too hard or too big or because I believe it will never end, it still serves me as a white person: the impact of my hopelessness is not the same as that of a person of color's. White hopelessness ultimately protects racism if it keeps us from challenging it. When I remember this, I find the motivation to keep going."
"If I give up because it's too hard or too big or because I believe it will never end, it still serves me as a white person: the impact of my hopelessness is not the same as that of a person of color's. White hopelessness ultimately protects racism if it keeps us from challenging it. When I remember this, I find the motivation to keep going."
June 14, 2019
This book isn't easy to read, and it shouldn't be as a white person. DiAngelo provides a framework to enable white people to see racism as pervasive and interwoven throughout all aspects of our lives. She challenges her readers to reflect on how whiteness and white priviledge have affected their lives and to begin to dismantle this internalized dominance and passive white silence. I got frustrated halfway through reading this, both a little overwhelmed (hello, being a white person who is encouraged not to think about race) and wanting a little active direction. DiAngelo resists this want to jump to immediate conclusions and instead insists that white people do the work of reflecting on their own racism, seeking out leadership from people of color, taking crucile feedback about their racism from people of color, and taking steps to interrupt racism, especially with other white people, whenever we can. I think I may have read this too fast to completely absorb all the information and will probably have to revisit this book again. A tough and challenging but necessary read.
February 29, 2016
Wow.
Books can take a long time to read for a number of different reasons. This one took me a long time because its message was so strong and thought-provoking.
I am very glad for the day this book came across my desk. I realised after reading only a small way in, how important I thought it was for (particularly white) people to understand the issues discussed in it. So I tracked down and bought a copy (a tricky and expensive endeavour), because I hope to convince my friends to borrow and read it too.
I do believe it really encourages more critical thinking, awareness, and humility from whites if we can just pay attention and cease being so defensive.
From all the references cited and the bibliography given, there are many excellent works in written and audiovisual media on this subject, and I shall seek out more of them.
Books can take a long time to read for a number of different reasons. This one took me a long time because its message was so strong and thought-provoking.
I am very glad for the day this book came across my desk. I realised after reading only a small way in, how important I thought it was for (particularly white) people to understand the issues discussed in it. So I tracked down and bought a copy (a tricky and expensive endeavour), because I hope to convince my friends to borrow and read it too.
I do believe it really encourages more critical thinking, awareness, and humility from whites if we can just pay attention and cease being so defensive.
From all the references cited and the bibliography given, there are many excellent works in written and audiovisual media on this subject, and I shall seek out more of them.
July 4, 2018
Alternatively titled (for me, at least): How to Talk to White People About Racism
Really didn’t wanna read this, but unfortunately I felt like I needed to given where I work and the people that surround me o. O
Got some great talking points next time people come at me with ignorant bullshit. More white people should read this but probably won’t because white fragility.
Really didn’t wanna read this, but unfortunately I felt like I needed to given where I work and the people that surround me o. O
Got some great talking points next time people come at me with ignorant bullshit. More white people should read this but probably won’t because white fragility.
August 29, 2015
This book is phenomenal, one of the most helpful books I have ever read. I learned so much about racism, about the multitude of ways people think about race and racism, and about myself. Highly recommended.
May 9, 2017
This is a must read book. Racism in America 101. This is one to come back to again.
May 10, 2022
Rassismus gibt es immer noch. Der Mensch hat noch nie (von gewissen religiösen Gruppierungen abgesehen) in seiner Geschichte pauschal alle Menschen mit Liebe aufgenommen, sondern sich immer an kleinen Einheiten orientiert, an der Sippe, der Familie, dem Clan. Wie man auch immer die identitätsstiftende Einheit benennt und herleitet, alle Menschen gehören zwangsläufig nicht dazu.
Was als evolutionäre Überlebenstechnik ein Erfolgsmodell war, weil es Entscheidungszeiten verkürzte, ist in heutiger Zeit gesellschaftlich nicht mehr akzeptiert. Worauf Menschen in der Vergangenheit stolz waren, ist heute verhasst. Sowas gibt es, das Leben besteht aus laufender Anpassung.
Rassismus tötet, während der BLM-Unruhen in den Staaten im vergangenen Jahr sind eine ganze Reihe von Weißen allein deshalb getötet worden, weil sie zur falschen Zeit am falschen Ort waren, sie wurden gelyncht, allein weil sie Weiße waren. Und als sich ein Ehepaar mit Waffengewalt vor dem herannahenden (tatsächlichen oder vermeintlichen) Mob schützten, wurden sie in die Öffentlichkeit gezerrt. Das sollte uns doch wirklich einen Friedensnobelpreis wert sein!
Rassismus ist die Definition einer Gruppe auf der Basis rassischer Merkmale und der Zuweisung negativer Eigenschaften oder Diskriminierung auf der Basis dieser vermeintlichen negativen Gruppeneigenschaften.
Dies ist das Grundprinzip, das auch hinter den Heilslehren der Vordenkerin des aggressivsten aktuellen Rassismus steht, den es zurzeit gibt, nämlich Robin DiAngelos Whiteness-Lehren. Die Lehren DiAngelos (eine Weiße übrigens) stehen auf einer Ebene mit dem KuKluxKlan und sollten ebenso verfolgt und sanktioniert werden. Nun hat man im Vorwege die allgemeine Ansicht etabliert, dass es keinen Rassismus gegenüber Weißen gebe, und auf diese Weise vorübergehend Verfolgung vermieden. Das ist natürlich Unsinn.
Momentan ist Whiteness jedoch in aller Munde. In einer Welle aktuellen psychotischen Selbsthasses unterwerfen sich Tausende Firmen in den Staaten aus vermeintlich menschenfreundlichen Gründen diesen Lehren und verpflichten ihre Mitarbeiter dazu, daran zu arbeiten, "weniger weiß" zu sein. Coca-Cola ist diese Woche aus genau diesem Grunde in die Schlagzeilen geraten. Via LinkedIn Learning hat man verpflichtende Fortbildung für Mitarbeiter eingeführt und versucht nun, nachdem es bekannt wurde, sich mit der dem Thema innenwohnenden Unehrlichkeit rauszuwinden.
Was heißt es nach DiAngelo, weiß zu sein? (Achtung, purer Rassismus!)
Weiß zu sein, bedeutet
- unterdrückend zu sein,
- arrogant zu sein,
- (selbst)sicher zu sein,
- defensiv zu sein,
- ignorant zu sein,
- unbescheiden zu sein,
- nicht zuzuhören,
- nicht zu glauben,
- Apathie zu nutzen,
- weiße Solidarität auszuüben.
Weniger weiß zu sein, bedeutet also, diese vermeintlichen Eigenschaften der Weißen bei sich zu reduzieren. Und wer würde dem nicht zustimmen, wenn erst einmal die unzutreffende Basis akzeptiert ist?
Mich erinnern die Konzepte von DiAngelo stark an die Techniken des Revanchismus und Revisionismus mit dem Zwecke der Selbstunterwerfung der weißen Rasse. Demgegenüber erscheint selbst die (völlig hirnverbrannte) Bewegung, Rasse als soziales Konstrukt zu negieren und wegzudefinieren, noch als Leuchtstern des Rationalismus!
Fazit: Kann nicht nur weg, sondern ist ausgesprochen schädlich.
Was als evolutionäre Überlebenstechnik ein Erfolgsmodell war, weil es Entscheidungszeiten verkürzte, ist in heutiger Zeit gesellschaftlich nicht mehr akzeptiert. Worauf Menschen in der Vergangenheit stolz waren, ist heute verhasst. Sowas gibt es, das Leben besteht aus laufender Anpassung.
Rassismus tötet, während der BLM-Unruhen in den Staaten im vergangenen Jahr sind eine ganze Reihe von Weißen allein deshalb getötet worden, weil sie zur falschen Zeit am falschen Ort waren, sie wurden gelyncht, allein weil sie Weiße waren. Und als sich ein Ehepaar mit Waffengewalt vor dem herannahenden (tatsächlichen oder vermeintlichen) Mob schützten, wurden sie in die Öffentlichkeit gezerrt. Das sollte uns doch wirklich einen Friedensnobelpreis wert sein!
Rassismus ist die Definition einer Gruppe auf der Basis rassischer Merkmale und der Zuweisung negativer Eigenschaften oder Diskriminierung auf der Basis dieser vermeintlichen negativen Gruppeneigenschaften.
Dies ist das Grundprinzip, das auch hinter den Heilslehren der Vordenkerin des aggressivsten aktuellen Rassismus steht, den es zurzeit gibt, nämlich Robin DiAngelos Whiteness-Lehren. Die Lehren DiAngelos (eine Weiße übrigens) stehen auf einer Ebene mit dem KuKluxKlan und sollten ebenso verfolgt und sanktioniert werden. Nun hat man im Vorwege die allgemeine Ansicht etabliert, dass es keinen Rassismus gegenüber Weißen gebe, und auf diese Weise vorübergehend Verfolgung vermieden. Das ist natürlich Unsinn.
Momentan ist Whiteness jedoch in aller Munde. In einer Welle aktuellen psychotischen Selbsthasses unterwerfen sich Tausende Firmen in den Staaten aus vermeintlich menschenfreundlichen Gründen diesen Lehren und verpflichten ihre Mitarbeiter dazu, daran zu arbeiten, "weniger weiß" zu sein. Coca-Cola ist diese Woche aus genau diesem Grunde in die Schlagzeilen geraten. Via LinkedIn Learning hat man verpflichtende Fortbildung für Mitarbeiter eingeführt und versucht nun, nachdem es bekannt wurde, sich mit der dem Thema innenwohnenden Unehrlichkeit rauszuwinden.
Was heißt es nach DiAngelo, weiß zu sein? (Achtung, purer Rassismus!)
Weiß zu sein, bedeutet
- unterdrückend zu sein,
- arrogant zu sein,
- (selbst)sicher zu sein,
- defensiv zu sein,
- ignorant zu sein,
- unbescheiden zu sein,
- nicht zuzuhören,
- nicht zu glauben,
- Apathie zu nutzen,
- weiße Solidarität auszuüben.
Weniger weiß zu sein, bedeutet also, diese vermeintlichen Eigenschaften der Weißen bei sich zu reduzieren. Und wer würde dem nicht zustimmen, wenn erst einmal die unzutreffende Basis akzeptiert ist?
Mich erinnern die Konzepte von DiAngelo stark an die Techniken des Revanchismus und Revisionismus mit dem Zwecke der Selbstunterwerfung der weißen Rasse. Demgegenüber erscheint selbst die (völlig hirnverbrannte) Bewegung, Rasse als soziales Konstrukt zu negieren und wegzudefinieren, noch als Leuchtstern des Rationalismus!
Fazit: Kann nicht nur weg, sondern ist ausgesprochen schädlich.
December 30, 2019
If, back when I was in high school, the only thing I'd been required to do was read this book and discuss it with my classmates, I would've gotten a much better education than the one I received. This isn't hyperbole. Any institution that doesn't actively teach racial literacy is failing its students, regardless of test scores. If school curricula weren't politically neutered, racial literacy and intersectionality would be a four-year core class, regardless of the composition of the student body.
I've taught for my whole career in profoundly segregated spaces because the vast majority of spaces in this country are profoundly segregated. But WHY is this country segregated, and more importantly, what are the innumerable consequences of this fact? Thanks to the education system, most kids--and most adults--can only answer these questions in ways that are shallow, simplistic, and mostly wrong. White schools see segregated, homogeneous communities as permission to ignore race. Consequently, people have to learn the way I'm learning: the sheer dumb luck of someone thrusting this book into my hand and saying, "read this." This is not a reliable antiracist system. I'm just a handful of books into my own racial literacy education, and I'm 27 years old. Every book I've read on the subject I've read since graduating from college.
What Does It Mean to Be White? SHOULD be taught in suburban schools--not all at once but in small, accessible, non-boring segments--because it's really long and sort of dry and no one would get through it otherwise. It's basically a textbook, but I mean that with none of the negative connotations it usually implies (textbooks are mostly terrible). I mean that it's a giant compendium of absolutely essential information. In a white suburban classroom, this book could be enormously powerful.
The problem is that I can't hardwire the contents of this book into my brain and keep it at the forefront of my consciousness forever. I'll finish with a DiAngelo quote: "Nothing 'out there' in dominant society will support you in sustaining this awareness. In fact, just the opposite will occur, as dominant forces pressure you into forgetting, not noticing, denying, maintaining white solidarity, and protecting your investments in racism. We have to find ways to support ourselves to keep going, despite the powerful forces of comfort in the status quo."
I've taught for my whole career in profoundly segregated spaces because the vast majority of spaces in this country are profoundly segregated. But WHY is this country segregated, and more importantly, what are the innumerable consequences of this fact? Thanks to the education system, most kids--and most adults--can only answer these questions in ways that are shallow, simplistic, and mostly wrong. White schools see segregated, homogeneous communities as permission to ignore race. Consequently, people have to learn the way I'm learning: the sheer dumb luck of someone thrusting this book into my hand and saying, "read this." This is not a reliable antiracist system. I'm just a handful of books into my own racial literacy education, and I'm 27 years old. Every book I've read on the subject I've read since graduating from college.
What Does It Mean to Be White? SHOULD be taught in suburban schools--not all at once but in small, accessible, non-boring segments--because it's really long and sort of dry and no one would get through it otherwise. It's basically a textbook, but I mean that with none of the negative connotations it usually implies (textbooks are mostly terrible). I mean that it's a giant compendium of absolutely essential information. In a white suburban classroom, this book could be enormously powerful.
The problem is that I can't hardwire the contents of this book into my brain and keep it at the forefront of my consciousness forever. I'll finish with a DiAngelo quote: "Nothing 'out there' in dominant society will support you in sustaining this awareness. In fact, just the opposite will occur, as dominant forces pressure you into forgetting, not noticing, denying, maintaining white solidarity, and protecting your investments in racism. We have to find ways to support ourselves to keep going, despite the powerful forces of comfort in the status quo."
September 5, 2016
“I teach in an education program that is 97% white, and it is rare for me to have any students of color in my classes. Thus, this typical insistence that race doesn’t matter comes from white students sitting in an all-white classroom, who grew up in primarily white neighborhoods and attended primarily white schools, and are currently being taught by a virtually all-white faculty (including me). These racial realities testify to a society separated by race. Yet how do so many white people manage to position race as meaningless, even as we live, work, study, love, and play in racial separation?”
Extremely powerful and eye-opening. This should be required reading for all white Americans. What tremendous progress could be made if we could authentically and humbly reckon with all of the ways that we support the system of white supremacy in our country--and then work to dismantle it, following the lead of people of color. I can't get this book out of my head, and I want to talk about it with every white person I know (which, as DiAngelo surmises, accounts for the vast majority of the people I know). Time to wake up, fellow whites. Time to acknowledge our complicity in perpetuating centuries of racism.
“Remember: The racial status quo is not neutral; it is racist. Therefore, anything that works to maintain the status quo rather than challenge it maintains racism. Because whites are usually most comfortable not talking about race, remaining silent when given the opportunity to discuss race supports the status quo.”
Extremely powerful and eye-opening. This should be required reading for all white Americans. What tremendous progress could be made if we could authentically and humbly reckon with all of the ways that we support the system of white supremacy in our country--and then work to dismantle it, following the lead of people of color. I can't get this book out of my head, and I want to talk about it with every white person I know (which, as DiAngelo surmises, accounts for the vast majority of the people I know). Time to wake up, fellow whites. Time to acknowledge our complicity in perpetuating centuries of racism.
“Remember: The racial status quo is not neutral; it is racist. Therefore, anything that works to maintain the status quo rather than challenge it maintains racism. Because whites are usually most comfortable not talking about race, remaining silent when given the opportunity to discuss race supports the status quo.”
August 8, 2016
Engrossing, humility-inducing, necessary. Chapter on "Patterns of Well-Intentioned White People" was cringe-inducing, because I can think of times I've engaged in every one of those behaviors. DiAngelo says racism is not our fault, AND because we benefit from it wheyther or not we want to, and it's harmful to people of color, it IS our responsibility to work against it. There is no passive anti-racism: it requires constant self-examination and awareness to interrupt our deeply ingrained and deeply hidden internalized dominance. Great quote: "the best antidote to guilt is accountability and corrective action." So grateful she's doing the work she's doing--am pretty sure it would be harder for me to have read and accepted this from a person of color, so I'm really glad she's inspiring me to do the hard looking at myself to find out my biases, and educate myself against them, using sources from writers and thinkers and movie-makers of color as well as white. I cannot think of a single person I know who would not grow in important and necessary ways from reading this book and taking it very seriously.
August 5, 2020
How can I eloquently put into words what this book has done for me? My entire life, I have touted myself as a strong and relentless ally in the face of racism and oppression.
Damn, how wrong I was.
Dr. DiAngelo opened my eyes to the lens through which I’ve grown up seeing the world. I didn’t realize how much I needed this book. In order to grow and develop racial literacy, I needed to first understand the WHY behind the historical white perspective and how I could overcome my learned experience to become a better ally.
For anyone who has ever wondered how to step out of the shadows and do the work to fight racism and oppression, this is the book for you. It’s a perfect jumping off point to begin deeper learning and certainly should be followed up with books by people of color and meaningful conversations.
I am so thankful for the book club that I’m a part of, and the fact that this book was our first pick. As luck would have it, we were graced with the author's presence at our final virtual meeting about the book!! Conversing with Dr. DiAngelo was incredibly humbling and helped me to recognize that the antiracism journey is a lifelong commitment.
I’m here for it.
Damn, how wrong I was.
Dr. DiAngelo opened my eyes to the lens through which I’ve grown up seeing the world. I didn’t realize how much I needed this book. In order to grow and develop racial literacy, I needed to first understand the WHY behind the historical white perspective and how I could overcome my learned experience to become a better ally.
For anyone who has ever wondered how to step out of the shadows and do the work to fight racism and oppression, this is the book for you. It’s a perfect jumping off point to begin deeper learning and certainly should be followed up with books by people of color and meaningful conversations.
I am so thankful for the book club that I’m a part of, and the fact that this book was our first pick. As luck would have it, we were graced with the author's presence at our final virtual meeting about the book!! Conversing with Dr. DiAngelo was incredibly humbling and helped me to recognize that the antiracism journey is a lifelong commitment.
I’m here for it.
May 7, 2017
If you teach, you must read this book. Robin DiAngelo notes that most individuals who enter teacher education are white, came from white neighborhoods and were educated in white schools by white teachers. Increasingly, they teach a diverse plethora of students but have no concept how to talk about race in a productive manner. This book is the product of years of antiracist work on her part.
As a white woman who has for the last several years identified as an ally, I found this book helpful and instructive. I'm anxious about saying "the wrong thing," and so sometimes I forget just to engage at a personal level at all. DiAngelo helpfully reminded me that I'm not always going to get it right, and that when I do receive corrective feedback, I'll (hopefully) be embarrassed for messing up. But it's better than not trying. I recommend this book if you are seeking to improve your allyship or if you are looking to be an ally in the first place.
As a white woman who has for the last several years identified as an ally, I found this book helpful and instructive. I'm anxious about saying "the wrong thing," and so sometimes I forget just to engage at a personal level at all. DiAngelo helpfully reminded me that I'm not always going to get it right, and that when I do receive corrective feedback, I'll (hopefully) be embarrassed for messing up. But it's better than not trying. I recommend this book if you are seeking to improve your allyship or if you are looking to be an ally in the first place.
October 25, 2016
Simple and straight forward dissection of the general race blindness of well meaning whites in America, and what it means in their relations with the rest of the groups. Deeply held American ideals of meritocracy, independence, self sufficiency, and above all individuality serves to undermine the ability of white america to see the racism embedded in the system that continues to serve privilege to a group that doesn't realize it. The author does a great job by slowly delving into this emotional subject by starting with discrimination against women, the disabled, even animals, thus helping readers grasp the concepts before applying them to race. I'm having my (white) husband read it because the arguments he makes are almost verbatim of the students in the book - and looking forward to having more meaningful conversations about the impact of race on people of color.
November 29, 2015
In the wake of everything that's happened recently with BLM and Native Lives Matter, I read this book as a way to find more talking (and listening) points to people who are adamantly holding onto racist ideology -- and as a way of re-awakening my own self-awareness about my white privilege. I loved that this book was easy to read, with helpful "remember..." sections parsed out in each chapter highlighting especially important information, and the type of conclusions in each chapter that anyone who has tried desperately to cram information has come to love -- meaning conclusions that could be read as a way of saying, "Oh man, I just had this conversation, and it didn't go as well as I'd have liked, let me review what DiAngelo had to say about that..."
August 4, 2018
There is so much here there is no way for me to summarize but only validate the importance of reading this if you are white and working in equity, diversity and inclusion.
Great explanation of white privilege, white silence, and intersectionality.
If you are going into racial equity discussions, the section “A Note on White Silence” would help with understanding ensuing conversations and getting them started in the first place.
Best fundamental takeaway for me...”white people are not socialized to see they are a race but that they are the norm. Others are socialized to see they are races.” Paraphrasing there.
Had to interlibrary loan this book. Thank you Indiana University Libraries.
Great explanation of white privilege, white silence, and intersectionality.
If you are going into racial equity discussions, the section “A Note on White Silence” would help with understanding ensuing conversations and getting them started in the first place.
Best fundamental takeaway for me...”white people are not socialized to see they are a race but that they are the norm. Others are socialized to see they are races.” Paraphrasing there.
Had to interlibrary loan this book. Thank you Indiana University Libraries.
December 8, 2020
I read this for a discussion group related to a nonprofit board on which I serve, and the combination of the book and the group provided an excellent learning experience. Foremost, I learned the language of systemic racism, so now I feel that I can follow along when the issues are discussed. Certainly I was challenged about my own views and actions, which have ranged from neglect to cluelessness to, yes, racist acts. Having read this book and discussed it, I feel that I can own my history of shortcomings. I've just begun to become an anti-racist, and this book helped me put my feet on that road.
November 11, 2018
This book is heady, and I read it at a time when I didn't have a whole lot of extra bandwidth due to the annual cycle of my job. That's one of the main reasons it took me so long to get through. Also, though, it's instructional and requires the reader to think and assess their role in a racist society. So that, if done at all appropriately, takes brain power, too. I think this should be required reading for anyone wishing to understand more clearly the racial dynamics that exist in our country, and that might well be invisible for many of us who are white.
May 30, 2022
(retrospective review)
this book seemed good when I read it... but I can't remember much of it now. maybe it was something I wanted/needed to read at the time... but that was about a decade ago now, and I've found more relevant and nuanced reading since.
I remember there was something in the small chapter/section at the end about having mixed racialised/cultural heritage that really stood out/was important to me at the time... but on finding it again and rereading it, was disappointing/a fraction of what I remembered it being.
this book seemed good when I read it... but I can't remember much of it now. maybe it was something I wanted/needed to read at the time... but that was about a decade ago now, and I've found more relevant and nuanced reading since.
I remember there was something in the small chapter/section at the end about having mixed racialised/cultural heritage that really stood out/was important to me at the time... but on finding it again and rereading it, was disappointing/a fraction of what I remembered it being.
August 13, 2017
As a white man, I have had the luxury and privilege of not having to think about race or understand how it has shaped my life; it is something that "others" have. This book isn't a quick read, but it is so important in understanding what it means to be white in a society that pretends that race doesn't matter, but is deeply divided by race. If you are white and you recognize that racism is alive and well, this book is a critical one to read.
September 16, 2021
If I could actually roll my eyes hard enough I would. robin, STFU
March 11, 2022
What’s the point of making the book if we know what it means to be white? The answer is one word and that’s “superior” , not a whole book worth of words.
January 11, 2024
This is so thorough, clear and impactful. I appreciate how DiAngelo holds white readers accountable by painting an undeniably clear picture of pervasive systematic racism and every person's role within it. As a white reader, I saw my own socialization so clearly in this text. I also think a strength of this book is that DiAngelo shares her own journey, moments of growth, and strategies for holding herself accountable after deeply engaging with antiracist work over decades. I can say with confidence that this greatly strengthened my white racial literacy. I will be recommending this widely.
January 21, 2018
This is very, very much "whiteness 101". If you're just getting started with learning about racial tension and oppression, this is a good book for you. It even includes questions at the end of each chapter to prompt thought or discussion. For someone who has been actively learning these things, it's going to be extremely basic. I'm halfway through and this isn't just review, it's review of stuff I've learned faces in the past now. It's also amazingly expensive and only available in paperback.
September 19, 2015
The best book I've seen so far on white culture and how it affects the ways in which white people relate to people of color. This is a must-read for everyone, but especially people who identify as white.
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