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.