A realistic blacktopia: why we must unite to fight
In: Philosophy of race series
"The United States is dogged by racism and racial disparities in income, wealth, health, education, and criminal justice. Philosophers disagree on what kind of politics is needed to address this problem. Do we pursue race-specific remedies to undo racism or do we assume the permanence of racism and opt for non-race-specific remedies in pursuit of a more egalitarian society? Paradoxically, the way to make racial progress in racist America is to downplay race. In A Realistic Blacktopia political philosopher Derrick Darby challenges the "small tent" approach by examining U.S. Supreme Court cases on education and voting rights arguing that they hold general lessons about the limits of racial politics. He further argues that pursing non-race-specific remedies with maximal democratic inclusion is a necessary strategy for mitigating racial inequality and achieving racial justice. Securing racial justice in racist America - where the myth of postracialism prevails in law, politics, and social psychology - calls for "big tent" remedies. Anti-racists must build coalitions among marginalized populations interested in issues that impact them collectively. A Realistic Blacktopia offers clarity on how racism persists contrary to claims that America is a postracial society. It explains why the myth of postracialism cannot be ignored in crafting remedies for racial inequality. It supplies a principled pragmatic proposal for achieving racial justice. Drawing on the political thought of Martin Luther King Jr., W. E. B. Du Bois, and the black radical tradition, the book also explains why achieving racial justice requires inclusive democracy"--