A review by deathcabforkatey
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
5.0
"Although colorblind approaches to addressing the problems of poor people of color often seem pragmatic in the short run, in the long run they are counterproductive. Colorblindness, though widely touted as the solution, is actually the problem." - p. 240
If you are a college-educated person who, like me, thought you had this race thing all figured out - you need this book. If you think this book is solely about the issue of mass incarceration, you are wrong. If you think that you know everything there is to know about mass incarceration and therefore you don't need this book, you're wrong. In this book, Alexander is able to cogently, with unbelievable intelligence and clarity, illustrate to the reader what mass incarceration is, what it isn't, who suffers, who benefits, and who is to blame. Her arguments are airtight and are so well-researched in every way, shape, and form.
If you are to read ONLY one chapter, it should be the first one. Her historical journey through the anti-black racism in America is thoughtful, purposeful, and tightly wound. If you get through that chapter, and still aren't convinced, at the very least read chapter 3. Her journey through the court system is eye-opening, and shocking to me as someone who is not truly familiar with the legal civil rights issues beyond Dred Scott & Brown v. Board.
The amazing thing about her argument is that she illustrates the structural/institutional racism of the justice system, while also pointing out that this is not the intent of the individuals within society today to be upholding this system.
Importantly, though, I really believe this book is written for (and thus relevant to) a limited population. It is a pretty academic non-fiction book, so if you snore through those, this book is probably not for you. In addition, I really feel like her ideal audience here is a liberal, college-educated person who already would say they are anti-racism advocates in the 21st century. I feel like this is her baseline that she starts from and that it may be hard for someone who is not as on-board with the current racial issues of our time.
5/5 stars, shoots to the top of my favorite non-fiction books list.
Read if you like...just read it. At least read Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 if you're really not sure. Please read this book. I will let you borrow my copy.
If you are a college-educated person who, like me, thought you had this race thing all figured out - you need this book. If you think this book is solely about the issue of mass incarceration, you are wrong. If you think that you know everything there is to know about mass incarceration and therefore you don't need this book, you're wrong. In this book, Alexander is able to cogently, with unbelievable intelligence and clarity, illustrate to the reader what mass incarceration is, what it isn't, who suffers, who benefits, and who is to blame. Her arguments are airtight and are so well-researched in every way, shape, and form.
If you are to read ONLY one chapter, it should be the first one. Her historical journey through the anti-black racism in America is thoughtful, purposeful, and tightly wound. If you get through that chapter, and still aren't convinced, at the very least read chapter 3. Her journey through the court system is eye-opening, and shocking to me as someone who is not truly familiar with the legal civil rights issues beyond Dred Scott & Brown v. Board.
The amazing thing about her argument is that she illustrates the structural/institutional racism of the justice system, while also pointing out that this is not the intent of the individuals within society today to be upholding this system.
Importantly, though, I really believe this book is written for (and thus relevant to) a limited population. It is a pretty academic non-fiction book, so if you snore through those, this book is probably not for you. In addition, I really feel like her ideal audience here is a liberal, college-educated person who already would say they are anti-racism advocates in the 21st century. I feel like this is her baseline that she starts from and that it may be hard for someone who is not as on-board with the current racial issues of our time.
5/5 stars, shoots to the top of my favorite non-fiction books list.
Read if you like...just read it. At least read Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 if you're really not sure. Please read this book. I will let you borrow my copy.