Whiteness Interrupted: White Teachers and Racial Identity in Predominantly Black Schools

In Whiteness Interrupted, Marcus Bell explores how white teachers in majority-black schools understand and construct their racial identity, highlighting the impact of racial stress and the rejection of white privilege.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 13 August 2021
Publisher: Duke University Press

In his book "Whiteness Interrupted," Marcus Bell delves into a captivating portrayal of white teachers in majority-black schools, shedding light on the limitations of our understanding of how white racial identity is shaped. Through extensive interviews with dozens of white educators from a racially segregated urban school district in Upstate New York, Bell intricately outlines the construction of whiteness, emphasizing that it emerges through localized interactions and takes on distinct forms in predominantly black spaces. His findings reveal that in the face of racial stress in challenging teaching environments, white teachers conceptualized whiteness as a stigmatized category perpetuated by white victimization. When engaging in discussions about race outside majority-black spaces, Bell's subjects portrayed American society as postracial, where race seldom impacts outcomes. However, when discussing their experiences within predominantly black spaces, they vehemently rejected the notion of white privilege, often expressing anger in their responses. Throughout the book, Bell underscores the profound significance of white victimization narratives in black spaces and the far-reaching consequences as the United States transitions into a majority-minority society.

In his book "Whiteness Interrupted," Marcus Bell delves into a captivating portrayal of white teachers in majority-black schools, shedding light on the limitations of our understanding of how white racial identity is shaped. Through extensive interviews with dozens of white educators from a racially segregated urban school district in Upstate New York, Bell intricately outlines the construction of whiteness, emphasizing that it emerges through localized interactions and takes on distinct forms in predominantly black spaces. His findings reveal that in the face of racial stress in challenging teaching environments, white teachers conceptualized whiteness as a stigmatized category perpetuated by white victimization. When engaging in discussions about race outside majority-black spaces, Bell's subjects portrayed American society as postracial, where race seldom impacts outcomes. However, when discussing their experiences within predominantly black spaces, they vehemently rejected the notion of white privilege, often expressing anger in their responses. Throughout the book, Bell underscores the profound significance of white victimization narratives in black spaces and the far-reaching consequences as the United States transitions into a majority-minority society.

Weight: 396g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478014638