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Examines the discursive space of "white" in late-20th-century discourses, drawing on open-ended survey data from 350 US college students & interviews with participants in sporting events attended primarily by whites. Mapping the discursive territory of whiteness is the initial step in the process of revealing whiteness as a rhetorical construction. The unquestioned center space assumed by whites in US culture is explored, along with the cultural construction of whiteness & the mechanical functioning of the assemblage of whiteness that depends on strategic rhetoric to preserve its center position. Six strategies of the discourse of whiteness are identified, & the relation between these strategies & power is examined, along with their ability to consider oppression without referencing the oppressive class. Meanings behind resistance to labels, the imbalance between discourse on gender & discourse on whiteness, & effects of the discursive space of whiteness on social structure are discussed. 42 References. J. Lindroth

"This handbook presents a foundational collection of core theoretical, methodological, and applied works that constitute and illustrate critical intercultural communication studies. With these core pieces in one book, scholars gain a defining assemblage of pieces that define critical intercultural communication from key intercultural communication and critical scholars. Moreover, these essays are bound together in a book structure that scaffolds up from foundation to application and allows for reflection and connection among sections and pieces. Even after ten years, this one-stop defining collection is more appealing than piecing together separate articles over time. No other comprehensive collection of essays defines, delineates, and constitutes critical intercultural communication studies"--

"Human Communication in Society, Sixth Edition, like previous editions, covers the full range of topics addressed in existing textbooks but also introduces some useful innovations. We begin by describing the theoretical foundations of the study of communication, including models of communication and the role of identity and perception in communication. We present the factors of verbal and nonverbal communication, a new chapter on in-person conversation, and a chapter on listening and responding. We then explore communication in various contexts such as culture, close relationships, small groups, and organizations. Ours is the first book to provide comprehensive coverage of rhetoric (Chapter 12), and we devote full chapters to communication and mass media (Chapter 13) and to the continuing important topic of interactive (social) media (Chapter 14). Overall, we discuss the full range of paradigmatic approaches in the field, offering a balance between theory and practice"--

Traces the history of racialized thinking in the US, focusing on social contexts & power relations that generate a rhetoric of whiteness, as well as its intersection with class, gender, & sexuality. The concept of whiteness is rooted in naturalistic racial classifications developed during the 18th & 19th century. Social & political uses of the Caucasian, Mongoloid, & Negro hierarchy are examined, showing how they were used to subjugate nonwhites during European global expansion & US westward expansion. Support by religious/political institutions of race theory that justified colonization/white domination helped to construct whiteness as an elitist category different from the racial designation. It is argued that whiteness indicates a historical, systemic, race-based superiority that ignores the plight of millions of nonwhites, as well as poor whites. Understanding how the shift from race to whiteness allows white privilege to function without identifying anyone as racist sheds light on human discourse that perpetuates structures of power/wealth & is the first step toward reconfiguring race relations. 41 References. J. Lindroth

Examines the preferences & meanings of labels for white Americans to argue that they represent expressions of white US identity. On questionnaires, 371 white college students rated labels in terms of preference & indicated meanings they commonly attached to the designations. Most students preferred the label "white," followed by Caucasian, white American, & European American. The least preferred labels were Euro-American, Anglo, & white Anglo Saxon Protestant, which were associated with derogatory meanings indicating racism & feelings of superiority. There was a high overall pattern of agreement with few definitions for the most preferred terms. A multiperspective interpretation, incorporating social psychological & critical explanations, suggests that the uniformity of the answers reflects a lack of awareness about the meaning of being white that hides white power & also denotes unrealistic feelings of equality that obscure current realities. Suggestions are made for further research. 5 Tables, 63 References. J. Lindroth