Suchergebnisse

The concept of race is defended as a socially appropriate & necessary way of identifying persons & groups. Fundamental differences among people & the specific historical political contexts of societies are best conceptualized through the use of race. The appropriate use of race concepts that recognize & celebrate differences while maintaining political balance allows for the social formation of race, so that race concepts combine a cluster of biological, cultural, & geographical features in a single word. W. E. B. Du Bois's (1940) argument for this type of race concept is defended against the criticism of Kwame Anthony Appiah (1986), who erroneously attributes an essentialist conception of race to Du Bois. Du Bois's sensitivity to the political & cultural importance of race is argued to be superior to that of Appiah, who does not give enough credence to Du Bois's idea of choosing & fashioning racial identity. H. von Rautenfeld

The historical evolution of theory & perceptions regarding race & ethnicity is discussed with specific focus on forming a critical theory of race that promotes both diversity & collective action. Conceptions that depict race as self-evident or a constitutive element of common sense are challenged, & it is argued that neither race nor class is the essential key to understanding social inequality. A notion of racial formation is advanced that denies the presence of both fixed, objective racial categories or the complete absence of race, emphasizing instead the socially, politically, & historically constructed features of race. Contrary to the melting pot theory of US democracy, race cannot be eliminated or undermined to achieve emancipation. However, it is concluded that the socially divisive aspects of race-oriented thinking must be abolished in combination with an effort to establish a multiethnic & multiracial society. T. Sevier

The Marxist tradition's ability to serve as an adequate method of approaching social conditions is questioned, based on the analysis of the current world situation recently outlined by Rajni Kothari ("Survival in an Age of Transformation," Praxis International, 1983, 2, 4, Jan, 371-388). The Marxist critical tradition has been flawed in its consistent employment of a universalist conception of human existence, derived from its heritage in philosophical anthropology. This universalism has consistently blinded it to the actual, widely varying conditions of human existence, & has caused critical theorists to undervalue the importance of subjectively specific experiences, eg, those associated with racism, sexism, & other forms of oppression not directly accessible through Marxist theories of SC struggle. It is asserted that critical social theorizing must be revised to reflect an openness to the importance & authenticity of the particularities of varied social groups, based on universal acceptability, & finding expression in a praxis beginning with a stronger commitment to open dialogue. J. Weber.

1. Black folk and the struggle in "philosphy" -- 2. Philosophy, African-Americans, and the unfinished American revolution -- 3. African "philosophy"?: deconstructive and reconstructive challenges -- 4. Africana philosphy -- 5. Africology: normative theory -- 6. Against the grain of modernity: the politics of difference and the conservation of "race" -- 7. Life-worlds, modernity, and philosophical praxis: race, ethnicity, and critical social theory -- 8. The future of "philosophy" in America.

Thirty years have passed since Cornel West's book Race Matters rose to the top of the bestseller lists in 1993. Yet his book remains as relevant as ever to American culture—even more so, if one considers its influence on contemporary racial justice movements such as Black Lives Matter, prison justice, and the fight for police reform. Prophetic Leadership and Visionary Hope, an edited volume of essays by leading scholars in Black studies, religious studies, and social justice history, looks back to the original 1993 text and forward into the future of racial understanding and healing in our current century, responding to Dr. West's own repeated insistence that we can only understand our present and future by looking back.By reengaging with West's book at this seminal moment, Prophetic Leadership and Visionary Hope offers new points of entry into the thorny issues that the 1993 text addressed: the challenge of leadership in a culture marked by the legacy of white supremacy; the limited value of liberal affirmative action programs in promoting the affirmation of Black humanity; the dangerous seductions of African American conservatism and the question of Black self-regard (what West called "black nihilism"); the necessity and difficulty of cross-race solidarity and cross-religious affinity; the need to channel legitimate Black rage over untenable conditions of existence into productive opportunities and viewpoints. All of these issues are even more marked in American society today. The voices collected in this volume are the legitimate intellectual heirs of the original Race Matters. With essays that span the topics of history, politics, philosophy, religion, cultural studies, music, and aesthetics, Prophetic Leadership and Visionary Hope is as wide-ranging as the thinker whose ideas it engages, interrogates, and celebrates.Contributors:Nkosi Du Bois Anderson, Paul A. Bové, Matthew M. Briones, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Susannah Heschel, Lucius T. Outlaw Jr., Andrew Prevot, Brandon M. Terry, Cornel West, Barbara Will