Author: Dr. Robin DiAngelo
Publisher & Date: The Beacon Press, 26 Jun 2018
Page Count: 192 pages
ISBN: 978-0807047415
Age/Reading Level: Adult/College
Representation:
Other Information: There is also a complementary edition written more specifically suited for the young adult audience, ages 13-18/Grades 8-12.
Book Information
The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.
In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.
Challenges & Bans
No specific challenges noted.
Awards & Accolades
#1 New York Times Bestseller (2020), In 2019 became the fastest selling book in Beacon Press’ history
