How the Color Line Bends: The Geography of White Prejudice in Modern America

In 2019, a group of Louisianans voted to create a new city in part of the Baton Rouge area, drawing attention to the relationship between local geography, politics, and prejudice in American racial politics. Nina M. Yancy's book "How the Color Line Bends" explores the White perspective through racialized issues such as education, affirmative action, and welfare spending, and illustrates why the color line remains relevant.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 27 May 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

In 2019, a group of Louisianans voted to create a new city in part of the Baton Rouge area, drawing attention due to its potential to create a disproportionately White and wealthy city while leaving the area's predominantly Black school district behind. This story highlights the interconnectedness of local geography, politics, and prejudice in American racial politics. In her book, How the Color Line Bends, Nina M. Yancy explores the relationship between where White Americans live and their attitudes about race. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Yancy argues that what White people think depends on where they live, not necessarily because they feel more threatened in racially diverse areas. Instead, she focuses on power, agency, and positionality in the study of prejudice and place. Yancy examines the White perspective through various racialized issues, such as education, affirmative action, and welfare spending in cities across the United States, as well as a vivid case study of Baton Rouge. By explicitly acknowledging Whites' racialized vantage point, Yancy aims to enhance our understanding of the dynamic nature of prejudice in response to local conditions across a diverse nation. Additionally, she illustrates why the color line remains relevant, recognizing its ability to harden or soften but not necessarily break.

Weight: 486g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197599433