Against White Interiority: A Racial Critique of Therapeutic Reason

This book offers a critical analysis of the new racial sensibility that emerged in response to the police murder of George Floyd, arguing that it perpetuates white racial dispositions and reproduces racism. It proposes alternative frames for white anti-racist subjection based on a critique of white interiority and an engagement with sociological, psychoanalytic, and phenomenological reflections on shame as a racial affect.

Format: Hardback
Length: 146 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This book offers a daring critique of the emerging racial consciousness that has gained widespread prominence in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd. Through a series of managerial and therapeutic discourses, this new sensibility portrays the inner racial experiences of white individuals, encouraging them to adopt a therapeutic approach towards their deeply internalized white emotions and conflicts. By doing so, the new racial sensibility aims to redefine whiteness in the likeness of the self-aware racial ally. However, it is contended that this appeal serves a subtle purpose of preserving white racial dispositions and perpetuating the very racism it seeks to transform.

Drawing upon Michel Foucault's analysis of sexuality and engaging with sociological, psychoanalytic, and phenomenological perspectives on shame as a racial affect, a critique of white interiority explores alternative frameworks through which white anti-racist subjection might be envisioned.

In the first chapter, the book establishes a theoretical framework for analyzing the new racial sensibility. It explores the historical roots of the concept of race and its relationship to power, as well as the emergence of the therapeutic turn in contemporary society. The chapter also examines the ways in which the new racial sensibility operates as a tool of social control, shaping the behavior and attitudes of white individuals.

The second chapter delves into the discursive practices that underpin the new racial sensibility. It examines the ways in which white individuals are encouraged to adopt a therapeutic attitude towards their white emotions and conflicts, as well as the implications of this approach for their understanding of themselves and their place in the world. The chapter also explores the ways in which the new racial sensibility reinforces white privilege and perpetuates racial inequality.

In the third chapter, the book examines the psychological effects of the new racial sensibility. It explores the ways in which white individuals are subjected to a process of racialization, in which their sense of self is defined in terms of their race and their experiences are interpreted through the lens of race. The chapter also examines the ways in which the new racial sensibility contributes to feelings of shame and self-hatred among white individuals.

The fourth chapter considers alternative frames through which white anti-racist subjection might be imagined. It explores the role of white individuals in dismantling systems of oppression and promoting social justice, as well as the challenges and limitations of this approach. The chapter also examines the role of white privilege and power in perpetuating racial inequality.

In the final chapter, the book offers a critical reflection on the implications of the new racial sensibility for white individuals and society as a whole. It explores the ways in which white individuals can challenge the dominant narratives of race and promote greater empathy and understanding between different racial groups. The chapter also examines the potential for white individuals to contribute to the transformation of society towards a more just and equitable future.

Overall, this book provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of the new racial sensibility that has gained prominence in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing. It offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about race and social justice, challenging the assumptions and practices that perpetuate racial inequality and promoting greater empathy and understanding between different racial groups.

Weight: 330g
Dimension: 152 x 217 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031318276
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023