"The Wages of Whiteness"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the book "The Wages of Whiteness: Race and the Making of the American Working Class" by David R. Roediger which analyzes the history of racism in the United States, beginning with colonial racism and working its way up to the present. The paper notes that the author attempts to place race in a larger perspective than just class and focuses on the larger issues of race, class, and racism in society, and how society manages them. The paper comments that the author explores the conceptual categories of race, racism, the working class, and society in the United States.

From the Paper:

"He says in the first chapter of the book that he began to recognize racism early and did not understand it, and has worked to eradicate it from an early age. This context certainly shapes his text, because he attempts to show why racism exists, but also how to conquer it. In the Afterward, he notes there are several "mistakes" in his original text, including the assumption that only white males made up the initial working class of America. However, this reader feels he did make his points strongly and backed them up with outstanding research, and he simply may be a little too hard on himself in retrospect of his work."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Roediger, David R. "The Wages of Whiteness: Race and the Making of the American Working Class". New York: Verso, 1999.

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