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Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1998

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Book Brief

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Matthew Frye Jacobson

Whiteness of a Different Color

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1998
Book Details
Pages

338

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

United States • 19th-20th century

Publication Year

1998

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race by Matthew Frye Jacobson explores how various European immigrant groups in the United States, initially considered distinct "races," gradually became assimilated into the category of "white" Americans. The book delves into the historical evolution of racial categorization and identity, examining themes such as Shifting Constructions in Whiteness, Property-in-Whiteness, and The Construction of the White/Black Binary. The study underscores the profound material consequences of these shifts, affecting citizenship, privilege, and identity. The text examines systemic racism and refers to outdated racialized terms.

Informative

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.3

789 ratings

76%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Matthew Frye Jacobson's Whiteness of a Different Color receives praise for its thorough historical analysis of shifting racial identities and its incisive critique of race construction in America. Critics find it academically rigorous but some note it can be dense and challenging for general readers. Overall, it's an essential read for students of race and ethnicity.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Whiteness of a Different Color?

Readers of Whiteness of a Different Color by Matthew Frye Jacobson typically appreciate nuanced explorations of race, ethnicity, and American social history. Similar works include Noel Ignatiev's How the Irish Became White and Nell Irvin Painter's The History of White People. These readers often have an academic interest in critical race theory and immigration studies.

4.3

789 ratings

76%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

338

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

United States • 19th-20th century

Publication Year

1998

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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