C. Richard King is associate professor of Comparative Ethnic Studies at Washington State University. He is also the author or editor of several books, including Native American Athletes in Sport and Society (2006), Native Americans in Sports (2003), and Animating Difference (2010).
The contributors link the history and significance of Native
American mascots to ongoing struggles for social justice. Rejecting
the idea that mascots are limited to sporting events, the authors
persuasively argue that they are instead representative of dominant
attitudes that both distance and dehumanize Native people. Hardly
seeing mascots as an "honor," the authors trace how Native American
mascots are based on an idea of a savage male opponent that will be
vilified and humiliated by opposing teams. The book is aimed
squarely at those working in higher education, for a school that
endorses inaccurate, ahistorical images of Native Americans is
hardly a safe space for Native students. The text compiles
speeches, articles, policies, and resolutions that have been
previously published, usually for a specific targeted audience. The
value of this text is that it details both the scope and diversity
of the opposition to Native American sports mascots. Oriented
toward directing action on the part of readers to both educate and
resist, the book can be viewed as a supplement to other sources,
such as the Jay Rosenstein film In Whose Honor? (1997). Summing Up:
Recommended. All levels/libraries.
*CHOICE*
Ask a Question About this Product More... |