Blink; Why are All the Black Kids...; Conquest

[rootedinsong.livejournal.com]

2. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell

Standard Gladwell fare: intriguing, well-written, not particularly deep.

As someone interested in psychology, interpersonal dynamics, and shrink things, I found his discussion of predicting whether relationships will succeed or fail and the elements of facial expressions to be quite interesting. I intend to read about the latter topic in depth (if I ever find the time).

His discussions of stereotype threat and unconscious racism give some good information for countering the sort of "not racist" racist things you're likely to hear these days.

3. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race, by Beverly Daniel Tatum

A strong introduction to anti-racism. I especially appreciated the in-depth discussion of racial identity formation.

4. Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide, by Andrea Smith

What everyone else said. Very hard to read, at least for me, but brilliant and devastating. This is what we should keep in mind as an example of what an intersectional analysis should be.

(Note: It does repeat the vaccines-cause-autism myth, which may discredit it in the eyes of people inclined to be skeptical - but maybe this isn't worth mentioning, since people who are inclined to discredit it will probably find a reason to no matter what.)

Comments

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Note: It does repeat the vaccines-cause-autism myth, which may discredit it in the eyes of people inclined to be skeptical - but maybe this isn't worth mentioning, since people who are inclined to discredit it will probably find a reason to no matter what.

That wouldn't make me discredit it, but it is a serious disappointment in a book I've been really looking forward to reading, so thank you for mentioning it. :(

[rootedinsong.livejournal.com]

This is a very minor issue - I think the reference is limited to one sentence.

[sanguinity]

Huh. I missed the vaccines/autism reference. And that would normally catch my eye.

I was iffy about Blink, but loved him pointing out stereotype threat, which I hadn't previously heard of. I found it a good indicator of how high the bar of behavior needs to be set if you don't want to be playing into the background racism. (That is, acting as if racism doesn't enter your classroom unless someone explicitly invokes it isn't good enough, because racism is already there in all your students' heads. You have to actively oppose what the students, white and POC, are bringing in with them.) On the other hand, you can oppose it. I found this article, as reviewed by Ed Yong, quite encouraging.

[rootedinsong.livejournal.com]

That is encouraging.

[pretzelcoatl.livejournal.com]

We read Blink in my Cognitive Psych seminar (it was a 400-level class). I really liked it and liked that it got people thinking more about bias and implicit attitudes towards race.

Plus he mentioned Kenna, who is one of my current favorite artists. That didn't hurt. :)

[silvaerina-tael.livejournal.com]

I've been introduced to the issues inherent in Native genocide as well, only from the Canadian side. Here's a site, http://www.hiddenfromhistory.org/ dedicated to that. And difficult to read this material is. I can honestly say that I'm rather relieved to not be a member of any mainline Christian church, Protestant or Catholic.

ETA: Fixed spelling and grammar...

[rootedinsong.livejournal.com]

At least one of my ancestors was sent here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle_Indian_Industrial_School).

[silvaerina-tael.livejournal.com]

What appals me is the reasons for these schools, coupled with the arrogance, conceit and ethnocentrism. And these same reasons are still in place.