First published 2018
Recent years saw many proclaim a post-racial society, pointing to advances by people of color as evidence that racial divisions were fading. The elections of Trump and Brexit shattered these assumptions, revealing entrenched white resentment and triggering increased hate crimes across America and Britain. Christina Elizabeth Sharpe brings together anti-racist scholars to examine this moment of regression. The contributors argue that understanding our current crisis requires placing it within broader historical patterns that have long sustained racism and white supremacy. They analyze contemporary flashpoints including the demographics of recent women's marches, approaches to anti-racist education, and developments in Black queer studies. Following James Baldwin's tradition of documenting racial violence in all its manifestations, these essays map both the obstacles we confront and potential paths forward. The collection shows how anti-racist scholarship and activism can respond to the renewed strength of white supremacist movements.
Genres: american, african-american, contemporary, biography-memoir, 21st-century, activism, academic, american-history
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: civil-rights, social-justice
Setting: America, Britain
Period: Recent Years, Trump Election, Brexit
304 pages · Paperback · Zed Books
Content warnings: homophobia, racism, sexism