Written by a leading scholar of U.S. racial studies, this is the only book yet to comprehensively analyze the societal implications of the U.S. becoming a white minority nation as demographic changes bring people of color into the majority. Joe Feagin traces important societal changes since former president Donald Trump declared white nationalists at Charlottesville among the “very fine people on both sides,” up through recent, highly publicized calls by the white far-right to challenge supposed “white replacement.” Feagin details a range of U.S. social, political, and demographic issues commonly described in terms like the “browning of America,” “the coming white minority,” the “minority-majority nation,” and “white genocide.” He thoroughly unpacks these terms with data and comprehensively explores related critical issues, accenting and documenting the larger historical societal context, the big-picture view of four centuries of persisting foundational and systemic racism, and the many challenges to it by Americans of color.
The U.S.’s demographic shift is already driving major divisions between Americans and their political parties. It will continue to do so in coming decades. What will the racial and other societal structure of the United States look like by the 2050s?
Introduction: A White Minority Nation and Societal Upheaval 1 Population Realities: Popular and Scholarly Debates 2 White Fear of Racial Change: Historical Context, Current Realities 3 Manufacturing White Racism, Ignorance, and Fear 4 Browning of America: Economic and Educational Impacts 5 Browning of America: Political Impacts 6 America at a Historical Crossroads
Biography
Joe R. Feagin is Distinguished Professor and Ella C. McFadden Professor in Sociology at Texas A&M University. He has published internationally recognized research on U.S. racism, sexism, and political economy issues. Over six decades he has written or co-written 78 scholarly books and over 200 scholarly articles.
In this timely book, Joe Feagin brings to light the centrality of whiteness in American history and politics. Feagin meticulously dismantles the current schism that has splintered national unity and imperils the future of American democracy. Since whites are declining demographically, they have resorted to district gerrymandering and voter suppression. Feagin envisions reforming these undemocratic institutions and developing "a new and truly democratic constitutional convention at which all U.S. population groups are fairly represented and at which the central goal is creating a truly multiracial democracy."
Stephen Steinberg, author of Counterrevolution: The Crusade to Roll Back the Gains of the Civil Rights Movement
White Minority Nation is truly a touchstone at this turning point in U.S. history. With unparalleled eloquence, Feagin brilliantly offers a compelling, in-depth look at the perils of white supremacy and eloquently shares the potential for ordinary and elite Americans to attain an authentic multiracial democracy in the coming decades. The dazzling scope, depth, and breadth of this commentary set the book apart, offering unparalleled insight into current realities and a pathway to mobilizing concerted action toward social justice and a more inclusive society.
Edna Chun, Chief Learning Officer, HigherEd TalentColumbia University School of Professional Studies
This book is packed with analyses and critiques of social science claims about how white society might respond as they become a numerical minority racial group. Dr. Feagin examines multiple data points and common interpretations that do not stand up to current reality. The reality is that the U.S. is becoming a majority-minority nation. Feagin’s breakdown of the white distress, horror, and resistance to losing the country is fascinating. However, white supremacy will not die without a fight.
William A. Smith, University of Utah
