White Bound : Nationalists, Antiracists, and the Shared Meanings of Race

2013 HONORABLE MENTION, ASSOCIATION FOR HUMANIST SOCIOLOGY BOOK AWARD 2012 FINALIST, SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS C. WRIGHT MILLS BOOK AWARD Discussions of race are inevitably fraught with tension, both in opinion and positioning. Too frequently, debates are framed as clear points of opposition--us versus them. And when considering white racial identity, a split between progressive movements and a neoconservative backlash is all too frequently assumed. Taken at face value, it would seem that whites are splintering into antagonistic groups, with differing worldviews, values, and ideological stances. White Bound investigates these dividing lines, questioning the very notion of a fracturing whiteness, and in so doing offers a unique view of white racial identity. Matthew Hughey spent over a year attending the meetings, reading the literature, and interviewing members of two white organizations--a white nationalist group and a white antiracist group. Though he found immediate political differences, he observed surprising similarities. Both groups make meaning of whiteness through a reliance on similar racist and reactionary stories and worldviews. On the whole, this book puts abstract beliefs and theoretical projection about the supposed fracturing of whiteness into relief against the realities of two groups never before directly compared with this much breadth and depth. By examining the similarities and differences between seemingly antithetical white groups, we see not just the many ways of being white, but how these actors make meaning of whiteness in ways that collectively reproduce both white identity and, ultimately, white supremacy. "Discussions of race are inevitably fraught with tension, both in opinion and positioning. Too frequently, debates are framed as clear points of opposition--us versus them. And when considering white racial identity, a split between progressive movements and a neoconservative backlash is all too frequently assumed. Taken at face value, it would seem that whites are splintering into antagonistic groups, with differing worldviews, values, and ideological stances. White Bound investigates these dividing lines, questioning the very notion of a fracturing whiteness, and in so doing offers a unique view of white racial identity. Matthew Hughey spent over a year attending the meetings, reading the literature, and interviewing members of two white organizations--a white nationalist group and a white antiracist group. Though he found immediate political differences, he observed surprising similarities. Both groups make meaning of whiteness through a reliance on similar racist and reactionary stories and worldviews. On the whole, this book puts abstract beliefs and theoretical projection about the supposed fracturing of whiteness into relief against the realities of two groups never before directly compared with this much breadth and depth. By examining the similarities and differences between seemingly antithetical white groups, we see not just the many ways of being white, but how these actors make meaning of whiteness in ways that collectively reproduce both white identity and, ultimately, white supremacy"--Provided by publisher Within discussions about white racial identity, a split between progressive movements and a neoconservative backlash is all too frequently assumed. White Bound investigates this dividing line to offer a unique view of whiteness. Comparing two white organizations-a white nationalist group and a white antiracist group-the book shows that underneath obvious political differences, both groups make meaning of whiteness using similar racist and reactionary stories and worldviews. On the whole, this book places abstract beliefs and theoretical projection about the supposed fracturing of whiteness into relief against the realities of two groups never before directly compared with this much breadth and depth. By examining the similarities and differences between seemingly antithetical white groups, we see not just the many ways of being white, but how these actors make meaning of whiteness in ways that collectively reproduce both white identity and, ultimately, white supremacy. Book jacket. Discussions Of Race Are Inevitably Fraught With Tension, Both In Opinion And Positioning. Too Frequently, Debates Are Framed As Clear Points Of Opposition--us Versus Them. And When Considering White Racial Identity, A Split Between Progressive Movements And A Neoconservative Backlash Is All Too Frequently Assumed. Taken At Face Value, It Would Seem That Whites Are Splintering Into Antagonistic Groups, With Differing Worldviews, Values, And Ideological Stances. White Bound Investigates These Dividing Lines, Questioning The Very Notion Of A Fracturing Whiteness, And In So Doing Offers A Unique Vi. Racists Versus Antiracists? -- Navigating White Nationalists : National Equality For All -- Everyday Activities With Antiracists : Whites For Racial Justice -- White Panic -- The Ironic Value Of Dishonor -- Saviors And Segregation -- Color Capital And White Debt -- Hailing Whiteness -- Beyond Good And Evil. Matthew W. Hughey. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 259-278) And Index. Frontmatter Acknowledgments (page vii) Chapter 1 Racists versus Antiracists? (page 1) Chapter 2 Navigating White Nationalists: National Equality for All (page 19) Chapter 3 Everyday Activities with Antiracists: Whites for Racial Justice (page 45) Chapter 4 White Panic (page 62) Chapter 5 The Ironic Value of Dishonor (page 79) Chapter 6 Saviors and Segregation (page 113) Chapter 7 Color Capital and White Debt (page 148) Chapter 8 Hailing Whiteness (page 170) Chapter 9 Beyond Good and Evil (page 184) Appendix A A Primer on Nationalism and Antiracism (page 197) Appendix B Research Methodology (page 209) Appendix C Notes on Decisions, Difficulty, Development, and Dangers (page 223) Notes (page 239) Works Cited (page 259) Index (page 279) A comparative study of a white supremacist organization and a white antiracist organization to understand the underlying similarities of how groups make-meaning of race and whiteness.