Racial Formation in the United States: From the 1960s to the 1990s

What does it mean for race to be a “master category” (viii) and a “template” (106)? Do you agree with the idea of race as a “master category” in comparison to gender, class, sexuality, etc.? Why or why not?

Choose a primary source or an academic work that Omi and Winant cite, such as those by W. E. B. Du Bois (23), Adolph L. Reed (88), Thomas Jefferson (116), or Barack Obama (229). How do the author’s views on race compare with those of Omi and Winant? How are they similar or different?

When discussing ethnicity theory or the ethnicity paradigm, class, and nation in Part 1, Omi and Winant cite the works of various social scientists, such as Gunnar Myrdal (31-32) and Douglas S. Massey (62-64). What is the significance of the use of social science in their analysis? Do you think there are any limits or problems with this approach?

Choose one of the three categories of identity and analysis that the authors discuss: ethnicity, class, or nation. What are the benefits and weaknesses of this approach, according to Omi and Winant? Do you agree or disagree with their assessment?

What is the “Great Transformation”? What do you think the next trajectory will look like? Why?

Name three examples of historical change discussed in Racial Formation in the United States. How do these examples support Omi and Winant’s analysis? How do current developments in racial activism and change continue, or diverge from, these prior events?

Why do Omi and Winant consider colorblindness a problem in the context of civil rights? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a colorblind position toward racial equality?

Analyze Omi and Winant’s assessment of Barack Obama’s presidential administration. How does it fit with their views on historical trajectories?