Identity Politics in the United States

The increasingly polarized nature of US politics has reignited debates around the meaning of identity, citizenship, and acceptance in America. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean's book explores how contemporary controversies arise from longstanding struggles over power, access, and belonging, using intersectionality as an organizing framework. She argues that conflicts over group identity are an inescapable feature of American political development and explores issues of citizenship, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, and religion to demonstrate how democracy in the US is built upon the battle of ideas related to how we see ourselves, how we see others, and the mechanisms available to reinforce those distinctions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 27 September 2019
Publisher: Polity Press

In 2017, a white supremacist rally at the University of Virginia sparked a profound reflection on the progress made in a nation that had elected its first Black president just nine years prior. However, beyond these racial tensions, the increasingly polarized nature of US politics has reignited crucial debates surrounding identity, citizenship, and acceptance in contemporary America. In her groundbreaking book, Khalilah L. Brown-Dean delves beyond the headlines to explore the underlying roots of contemporary controversies. Drawing upon intersectionality as an organizing framework, she examines current conflicts such as voter suppression, the Me Too movement, the Standing Rock protests, marriage equality, military service, the rise of the Religious Right, protests by professional athletes, and battles over immigration. Through this comprehensive analysis, Brown-Dean demonstrates how conflicts over group identity are an inevitable part of American political development. She explores issues of citizenship, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, and religion to argue that the foundation of democracy in the United States lies in the ongoing battle of ideas related to how we perceive ourselves, how we perceive others, and the mechanisms available to reinforce these distinctions. Identity Politics in the United States will be an invaluable resource for students and engaged citizens seeking to understand the interconnectedness between historical context, contemporary political challenges, and the pathways toward a more robust and inclusive democracy.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 172 x 246 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780745654126