Racecraft : The Soul of Inequality in American Life

"Most people assume that racism grows from a perception of human difference: the fact of race gives rise to the practice of racism. Sociologist Karen E. Fields and historian Barbara J. Fields argue otherwise: the practice of racism produces the illusion of race, through what they call "racecraft." And this phenomenon is intimately entwined with other forms of inequality in American life. So pervasive are the devices of racecraft in American history, economic doctrine, politics, and everyday thinking that the presence of racecraft itself goes unnoticed. That the promised post-racial age has not dawned, the authors argue, reflects the failure of Americans to develop a legitimate language for thinking about and discussing inequality. That failure should worry everyone who cares about democratic institutions."--Jacket. Read more... Abstract: Tackling the myth of a post-racial society. Read more... Contents......Page 6 Authors' Note......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 From Racism to Race......Page 34 Blood Works......Page 59 How Americans Look......Page 79 2 Individual Stories and America's Collective Past......Page 84 Introduction (Karen)......Page 85 Racial Divide (Karen)......Page 86 Individual versus Collective (Barbara)......Page 87 John Boston (Barbara)......Page 88 Rebecca Garvin (Karen)......Page 91 Rebecca Garvin Conclusion (Barbara)......Page 92 Aubrey Welch Set-Up (Karen)......Page 93 Aubrey Welch (Barbara)......Page 94 Mrs. Samuel Burden (Karen)......Page 95 Downtown White People Set-up (Barbara)......Page 97 Downtown White People (Karen)......Page 98 William Faulkner Set-up (Barbara)......Page 99 Toni Morrison (Karen)......Page 101 Conclusion (Barbara)......Page 102 3 Of Rogues and Geldings......Page 104 4 Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the United States of America......Page 120 The Single "Race"......Page 124 The History of an Ideology......Page 130 Custom and Law......Page 133 From Oppression to Inferiority......Page 137 The White Yeomanry......Page 140 Ideology,Propaganda, and Dogma......Page 145 Shaping the Terrain......Page 149 Race Today......Page 154 5 Origins of the New South and the Negro Question......Page 158 6 What One Cannot Remember Mistakenly......Page 180 7 Witchcraft and Racecraft: Invisible Ontology in Its Sensible Manifestations......Page 202 Rationality of Witchcraft, Irrationality of Race Craft......Page 204 Rationality of Racecraft, Irrationality of Witchcraft......Page 205 Shared Irrational Features of Witchcraft and Racecraft......Page 207 Shared Rational Features of Witchcraft and Racecraft......Page 208 Durkheim's Legacy......Page 209 Invisibility and Reason......Page 210 The Ubiquity and Miscellany of the Invisible......Page 212 Evidence Through Doing......Page 213 Evidence Through Inference......Page 214 Evidence as Physical Indices of Nonphysical Things......Page 215 Visible and Invisible Props for Invisible Things......Page 218 Invisible Ontologies, Real Worlds......Page 221 An Ethical Dilemma......Page 228 The Short-Circuit in Evans-Pritchard's Machinery......Page 229 Making the Strange Familiar .........Page 230 ... While Not Making the Familiar Strange......Page 231 8 Individuality and the Intellectuals: An Imaginary Conversation Between Emile Durkheim and W. E. B. Du Bois......Page 234 Common Ground in the Preoccupations of Forms......Page 238 La Question Juive, the Negro Problem......Page 241 Durkheim and Du Bois as Contemporaries......Page 244 Society as Seen from Outside......Page 247 Possible Topics of Conversation......Page 256 "Individualism and the Intellectuals": A Fragment of Conversation......Page 261 Conclusion: Racecraft and Inequality......Page 270 Index......Page 300 Most People Assume That Racism Grows From A Perception Of Human Difference: The Fact Of Race Gives Rise To The Practice Of Racism. Sociologist Karen E. Fields And Historian Barbara J. Fields Argue Otherwise: The Practice Of Racism Produces The Illusion Of Race, Through What They Call Racecraft. And This Phenomenon Is Intimately Entwined With Other Forms Of Inequality In American Life. So Pervasive Are The Devices Of Racecraft In American History, Economic Doctrine, Politics, And Everyday Thinking That The Presence Of Racecraft Itself Goes Unnoticed. That The Promised Post-racial Age Has Not Dawned, The Authors Argue, Reflects The Failure Of Americans To Develop A Legitimate Language For Thinking About And Discussing Inequality. That Failure Should Worry Everyone Who Cares About Democratic Institutions. -- Publisher's Description A Tour Of Racecraft -- Individual Stories And America's Collective Past -- Of Rogues And Geldings -- Slavery, Race, And Ideology In The United States Of America -- Origins Of The New South And The Negro Question -- What One Cannot Remember Mistakenly -- Witchcraft And Racecraft : Invisible Ontology In Its Sensible Manifestations -- Individuality And The Intellectuals : An Imaginary Conversation Between Emile Durkheim And W.e.b. Du Bois -- Conclusion : Racecraft And Inequality. Karen E. Fields And Barbara J. Fields. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A new edition of a celebrated contemporary work on race and racism Praised by a wide variety of people from Ta-Nehisi Coates to Zadie Smith, Racecraft “ought to be positioned,” as Bookforum put it, “at the center of any discussion of race in American life.” Most people assume racism grows from a perception of human difference: the fact of race gives rise to the practice of racism. Sociologist Karen E. Fields and historian Barbara J. Fields argue otherwise: the practice of racism produces the illusion of race, through what they call “racecraft.” And this phenomenon is intimately entwined with other forms of inequality in American life. So pervasive are the devices of racecraft in American history, economic doctrine, politics, and everyday thinking that the presence of racecraft itself goes unnoticed. That the promised post-racial age has not dawned, the authors argue, reflects the failure of Americans to develop a legitimate language for thinking about and discussing inequality. That failure should worry everyone who cares about democratic institutions. Hailed by Zadie Smith and Ta-Nehisi Coates, this new edition of the celebrated contemporary work on race and racism “ought to be positioned at the center of any discussion of race in American life” ( Bookforum ). Most people assume racism grows from a perception of human difference: the fact of race gives rise to the practice of racism. Sociologist Karen E. Fields and historian Barbara J. Fields argue otherwise: the practice of racism produces the illusion of race, through what they call “racecraft.” And this phenomenon is intimately entwined with other forms of inequality in American life. So pervasive are the devices of racecraft in American history, economic doctrine, politics, and everyday thinking that the presence of racecraft itself goes unnoticed. That the promised post-racial age has not dawned, the authors argue, reflects the failure of Americans to develop a legitimate language for thinking about and discussing inequality. That failure should worry everyone who cares about democratic institutions. "Most people assume that racism grows from a perception of human difference: the fact of race gives rise to the practice of racism. Sociologist Karen E. Fields and historian Barbara J. Fields argue otherwise: the practice of racism produces the illusion of race, through what they call "racecraft." And this phenomenon is intimately entwined with other forms of inequality in American life. So pervasive are the devices of racecraft in American history, economic doctrine, politics, and everyday thinking that the presence of racecraft itself goes unnoticed. That the promised post-racial age has not dawned, the authors argue, reflects the failure of Americans to develop a legitimate language for thinking about and discussing inequality. That failure should worry everyone who cares about democratic institutions."--Provided by publisher "Most people assume that racism grows from a perception of human difference: the fact of race gives rise to the practice of racism. Sociologist Karen E. Fields and historian Barbara J. Fields argue otherwise: the practice of racism produces the illusion of race, through what they call "racecraft." And this phenomenon is intimately entwined with other forms of inequality in American life. So pervasive are the devices of racecraft in American history, economic doctrine, politics, and everyday thinking that the presence of racecraft itself goes unnoticed. That the promised post-racial age has not dawned, the authors argue, reflects the failure of Americans to develop a legitimate language for thinking about and discussing inequality. That failure should worry everyone who cares about democratic institutions."--Dust jacket.