47 pages • 1 hour read
White by Law: The Legal Construction of Race
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Book Brief
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
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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 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.
602 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
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