Education and Racism: A Primer on Issues and Dilemmas

Education and Racism is a concise and easily accessible primer for introducing undergraduate and graduate students to the field of race and education. Designed for introductory courses, each chapter provides an overview of a main issue or dilemma in the research on racial inequality and education and the particular approaches that have been offered to explain or address them. Theme-oriented chapters include curriculum, school (re)segregation, and high stakes testing as well as discussions on how racism intersects with other forms of marginality, like socio-economic status. The focus on particular educational themes is the strength of this book as it paints a portrait of the systematic nature of racism. It surveys multiple approaches to racism and education and places them in conversation with one another, incorporating both classical as well as contemporary theories. Although conceptually rich and dense with critical perspectives and empirical study, this expanded edition contains several powerful vignettes that illustrate the commanding roles racism and structural inequality continue to play in the classroom.