"Whiteness of a Different Color" tells us about the varying, and
inevitably failing, attempts to come to terms with the concept of
"whiteness," which, despite its vicissitude and inconclusiveness,
was, and still is, one of the most important notions in American
political culture...True to his "identities" as historian and
American Studies scholar, Jacobson's sources are tremendously
varied, ranging from novels, films, print journals, to legal
records, colonial charters, and state constitutions...The book's
argument is most convincing.--Christiane Harzig "International
Review of Social History "
[Matthew Frye Jacobson's] analysis of the European immigrant
experiences, American racial classifications and "their fluidity
over time" is a valuable addition to the flourishing genre of
"whiteness studies" in the fields of labour and working-class
history...Racial categories and perceptions, Jacobson argues, are
cultural and political fabrications, reflections of power
relationships in a society that has periodically needed to
construct (and reconstruct) an "American" and "white" identity out
of an increasingly polyglot European immigrant
population..."Whiteness of a Different Color" is a subtle and
sensitive exegesis and deconstruction of the immigrant experience
in American culture.--John White "Times Higher Education Supplement
"
In this fascinating book, Jacobson traces the development of racial
identity in America. Between the 1840s and the 1920s, racial
differences and hierarchy between Anglo-Saxons and other white
ethnic groups were given great significance. "White ethnics" were
generally considered as distinct and inferior to the original Anglo
Saxon immigrants...["Whiteness of a Different Color"] explodes the
myth of the American melting pot. Jacobson demonstrates how white
racial inclusion was inextricably linked with the exclusion of
non-whites and, interestingly, how their widely-recognised
whiteness is partly due to the presence of non-white groups...This
is a thought-provoking account of an often overlooked
topic.--Claire Xanthos "The Voice "
Jacobson builds a history of how the category of "whiteness" plays
in American history...His goal is to demystify, and the tone he
takes does exactly that. Wry and often sarcastic, his bite is
sharpened by his ability to pick out the dark, unintentional humor
from his sources.--Willoughby Mariano "New Haven Advocate "
Jacobson has written a provocative, nuanced account of American
race formation and especially of the way in which many American
immigrants from Europe were cast initially as "nonwhites" in the
late 19th century...Using a variety of sources, including film and
fiction, Jacobson concludes that whiteness is clearly a socially
constructed category infinitely malleable as a political tool. This
historical survey is highly recommended for all libraries.--Anthony
O. Edmonds "Library Journal "
Jacobson's important book helps to fill an important gap in the
literature about the history of European immigrants assuming
different racial identities in the United States...Because of its
broad sweep of history, Jacobson is able to reveal previously
ignored ways in which anti-racism coalitions have succeeded without
yielding to assimilationist ideology.--Louis Anthes "H-Net Reviews
"
ÝMatthew Frye Jacobson's¨ analysis of the European immigrant
experiences, American racial classifications and "their fluidity
over time" is a valuable addition to the flourishing genre of
"whiteness studies" in the fields of labour and working-class
history...Racial categories and perceptions, Jacobson argues, are
cultural and political fabrications, reflections of power
relationships in a society that has periodically needed to
construct (and reconstruct) an "American" and "white" identity out
of an increasingly polyglot European immigrant
population..."Whiteness of a Different Color" is a subtle and
sensitive exegesis and deconstruction of the immigrant experience
in American culture. -- John White "Times Higher Education
Supplement"
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