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Ian Haney-López

White by Law: The Legal Construction of Race

Ian Haney-LópezNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1996

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Book Brief

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Ian Haney-López

White by Law

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1996
Book Details
Pages

310

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1990s

Publication Year

1996

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

White by Law by Ian Haney López explores how the American legal system constructed race, demonstrating that race is a social construct rather than a biological fact. Through analysis of racial prerequisite cases from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the book illustrates how law shaped notions of whiteness and non-whiteness, influencing citizenship and perpetuating racial hierarchies. Replete with historical legal contexts, Haney López urges critical examination of whiteness and its societal implications for achieving racial equality. The book includes discussions on physical features, legal segregation, and anti-miscegenation laws.

Informative

Challenging

Mysterious

Unnerving

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.5

602 ratings

87%

Loved it

9%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Ian Haney-López's White by Law is widely praised for its critical examination of racial categories in U.S. legal history, highlighting how laws construct racial identities. Reviewers commend its thorough research and insightful analysis, though some note its dense academic prose. Despite this, it’s deemed essential for understanding race and law in America.

Who should read this

Who Should Read White by Law?

Readers who would enjoy White by Law by Ian Haney-López are likely scholars and students interested in critical race theory, legal history, and social justice. Similar audiences might appreciate Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow and Derrick Bell's Faces at the Bottom of the Well.

4.5

602 ratings

87%

Loved it

9%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

310

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1990s

Publication Year

1996

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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