The Strange Career of Racial Liberalism

The Strange Career of Racial Liberalism explores how the belief in the moral arc of the universe and the belief in time-limited remedies have undermined future movements by insisting that racism is a time-limited crisis.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2022
Publisher: Stanford University Press

The Strange Career of Racial Liberalism

In his book, "The Strange Career of Racial Liberalism," Joseph Darda explores the rise of liberal antiracism and questions the effectiveness of our desire to solve racism through science, civil rights, antiracist literature, integration, and color blindness. He argues that our faith in the moral arc of the universe and the belief that racism can be addressed through time-limited remedies has hindered future movements. While most historians attribute the shortcomings of the civil rights era to a conservative backlash or the fracturing of the liberal establishment, Darda reveals that the civil rights movement also faced resistance from a liberal frontlash.

Through the stories of various individuals such as Ruth Benedict, Kenneth Clark, W. E. B. Du Bois, John Howard Griffin, Pauli Murray, Lillian Smith, and Richard Wright, Darda illustrates how Americans learned to wait for racial change and the enduring harm of this trust in the clock. He highlights how antiredistributive allies constrained the demands and strategies of the civil rights movement, limiting its potential for meaningful change.

Darda's book sheds light on the complexities of the civil rights movement and challenges us to consider alternative approaches to addressing racism. He emphasizes the need to recognize the ongoing struggle for racial justice and to work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.

Weight: 460g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503630925