Making Mixed Race: A Study of Time, Place and Identity

Making Mixed Race explores the geographical and historical contexts that shape the possibilities and constraints for Black mixed-race identities in Birmingham, UK, from 1959 to 1994. The book examines the temporality of mixed-race, the utility of place as an analytical tool, and the experiences of 37 individuals born between 1959 and 1994. It sheds light on how colorism, family, school, gender, whiteness, racism, and resistance have been experienced against the backdrop of post-war immigration, Thatcherism, the ascendency of Black diasporic youth cultures, and contemporary post-race discourses.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Through a series of historical vantage points, Making Mixed Race delves into the intricate tapestry of Black mixed-race identities within the urban landscape, offering profound insights into the geographical and historical contexts that shape the possibilities and limitations of identification. While prevalent representations of mixed-race often portray it as a contemporary phenomenon and are framed within discourses of futurity, this book takes a step back to explore its emergence as a racialized category and personal identity over time. In addition to tracing the temporality of mixed-race, the contributions showcased in this book demonstrate the utility of place as an analytical tool for studying mixed-race experiences. The conceptual framework of place, time, and personal identity serves as a timely intervention in the scholarship, encouraging us to look beyond individual subjectivities and critically examine the structural contexts that shape Black mixed-race lives.

The heart of this book revolves around the life histories of 37 individuals of Mixed White and Black Caribbean heritage, born between 1959 and 1994, in Britain's second-largest city, Birmingham. The intimate life portraits of mixed identity unveil how colorism, family, school, gender, whiteness, racism, and resistance have interwoven against the backdrop of post-war immigration, Thatcherism, the rise of Black diasporic youth cultures, and contemporary post-race discourses. This work will captivate researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students engaged in the study of (mixed) race and ethnicity in academic domains such as geographies of race, youth identities/cultures, gender, colonial legacies, intersectionality, racism, and colorism.

Weight: 276g
Dimension: 233 x 156 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032139326