Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life
Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life
Book Brief
BetaRacecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2012310
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2012
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Karen E. Fields and Barbara J. Fields' Racecraft delves into the concept of race, examining how it is socially constructed and how it shapes societal structures and individual perceptions. The authors argue that race functions much like a form of magical thinking, influencing behaviors and attitudes irrespective of empirical evidence.
Reviews & Readership
1,980 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Racecraft by Karen E. Fields and Barbara J. Fields has garnered praise for its original and provocative examination of race as a social construct akin to witchcraft. Readers appreciate its rigorous scholarship and powerful arguments. However, some find its dense prose challenging. The book's interdisciplinary approach and insightful critique of racism make it a compelling read for scholars and activists alike.
Who Should Read Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life?
Ideal readers of Racecraft by Karen E. Fields and Barbara J. Fields are those interested in sociology, critical race theory, and history. Comparable to Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist and Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, it appeals to those exploring race as a social construct and its societal impacts.
1,980 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life introduces the concept of "racecraft," which the authors liken to witchcraft, as a process that mystifies social relations and hides the non-scientific basis of race.
The book is a collaboration between sisters Karen E. Fields, a sociologist, and Barbara J. Fields, a historian, who combine their expertise to explore the constructed nature of race and its impact on American society.
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Despite its serious subject matter, Racecraft employs clear and accessible language to reach a wide range of readers, aiming to provoke critical thinking about race and inequality.
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310
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2012
Adult
18+ years
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