Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence

Preface ix
<p>Preface to the Paperback Edition xv</p>
<p>Acknowledgments xix</p>
<p>About the Author xxi</p>
<p>SECTION ONE: THE CHARACTERISTICS, DYNAMICS, AND MEANING OF RACE TALK</p>
<p>CHAPTER ONE What Is Race Talk? 3</p>
<p>Race Talk Represents a Potential Clash of Racial Realities 7</p>
<p>Race Talk Pushes Emotional Hot Buttons 11</p>
<p>Race Talk Evokes Avoidance Strategies 13</p>
<p>Why Is Successful Race Talk Important? 16</p>
<p>CHAPTER TWO The Characteristics and Dynamics of Race Talk 18</p>
<p>What Are Characteristics of Race Talk? 21</p>
<p>How Do Societal Ground Rules (Norms) Impede Race Talk? 23</p>
<p>Why Is Race Talk So Difficult and Uncomfortable for Participants? 27</p>
<p>Conclusions 33</p>
<p>CHAPTER THREE The Stories We Tell: White Talk Versus Back Talk 35</p>
<p>Race Talk: Narratives and Counter–Narratives 37</p>
<p>Telling on Racism: Unmasking Ugly Secrets 38</p>
<p>SECTION TWO: THE CONSTRAINING GROUND RULES FOR RACE TALK</p>
<p>CHAPTER FOUR The Entire World s a Stage! 55</p>
<p>The Politeness Protocol and Race Talk 57</p>
<p>The Academic Protocol and Race Talk 64</p>
<p>CHAPTER FIVE Color–Blind Means Color–Mute 74</p>
<p>Color–Evasion: We Are All the Same Under the Skin 78</p>
<p>Stereotype–Evasion: I Don t Believe in Those Stereotypes 82</p>
<p>Power–Evasion: Everyone Can Make It in Society, If TheyWork</p>
<p>Hard Enough 86</p>
<p>Myth of the Melting Pot 89</p>
<p>SECTION THREE: WHY IS IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR TO HONESTLY TALK ABOUT RACE?</p>
<p>CHAPTER SIX What Are the Consequences for Saying What I Mean? 95</p>
<p>Ethnocentric Monoculturalism 99</p>
<p>Power and Oppression 105</p>
<p>CHAPTER SEVEN To Speak or How to Speak, That Is the Question 112</p>
<p>Communication Styles 115</p>
<p>Nonverbal Communication 118</p>
<p>Nonverbal Communication in Race Talk: Sociopolitical</p>
<p>Considerations 121</p>
<p>Being Constrained and Silenced: Impact on People of Color 123</p>
<p>Conclusions 127</p>
<p>SECTION FOUR: WHY IS IT DIFFICULT FOR WHITE PEOPLE TO HONESTLY TALK ABOUT RACE?</p>
<p>CHAPTER EIGHT I m Not Racist! 131</p>
<p>Cognitive Avoidance Racism Denial 133</p>
<p>Emotional Avoidance Fear, Guilt, and Other Feelings 138</p>
<p>Behavioral Avoidance Helplessness and Hopelessness 142</p>
<p>Emotional Roadblocks to Race Talk 144</p>
<p>CHAPTER NINE I m Not White; I m Italian! 147</p>
<p>What Does It Mean to Be White? 148</p>
<p>The Invisibility of Whiteness: What Does It Mean? 152</p>
<p>The Fear of Owning White Privilege 154</p>
<p>Fear of Taking Personal Responsibility to End Racism: Moving From Being Nonracist to Becoming Antiracist 159</p>
<p>SECTION FIVE: RACE TALK AND SPECIAL GROUP CONSIDERATIONS</p>
<p>CHAPTER TEN Interracial/Interethnic Race Talk: Difficult Dialogues Between Groups of Color 167</p>
<p>Interracial/Interethnic Relationship Issues 169</p>
<p>Race Talk: Fears of Divide and Conquer 171</p>
<p>Sources of Conflict Between People of Color 174</p>
<p>CHAPTER ELEVEN Race Talk and White Racial Identity Development: For Whites Only 186</p>
<p>Developing a Nonracist and Antiracist Racial Identity 189</p>
<p>White Racial Identity Development and Race Talk 202</p>
<p>SECTION SIX: GUIDELINES, CONDITIONS, AND SOLUTIONS FOR HAVING HONEST RACIAL DIALOGUES</p>
<p>CHAPTER TWELVE Being an Agent of Change: Guidelines for Educators, Parents, and Trainers 209</p>
<p>Talking to Children About Race and Racism 213</p>
<p>Guidelines for Taking Personal Responsibility for Change 214</p>
<p>CHAPTER THIRTEEN Helping People Talk About Race: Facilitation Skills for Educators and Trainers 226</p>
<p>Ineffective Strategies: Five Things Not to Do 230</p>
<p>Successful Strategies: Eleven Potentially Positive Actions 234</p>
<p>References 245</p>
<p>Author Index 260</p>
<p>Subject Index 266</p>