Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity Book

This book debunks the idea of post-racial liberalism. Post-racial liberalism is the idea that we have addressed most of the major racial issues in our society, capped by the election of our first black president, and that appeals to race may be counterproductive to further progress. Instead, the argument goes, social issues are better dealt with in a race neutral context (e.g., health care for all, raising the minimum wage, etc.).

Certainly, we have made progress in addressing many of the issues raised by the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. However, it doesn't mean we have eliminated the problems. In fact, Wise argues, many of our social problems still disproportionately affect black Americans, beginning with incarceration but including employment, health care, education, housing, etc. If race wasn't a component, how, he asks, can we explain why patients with the same diagnoses are given significantly less aggressive/effective treatments if they are black; or how employers react to the same job application/resume depending on whether the applicant has an European surname or a black sounding name; or how teachers treat students differently, based on biased expectations shaped by neighborhood or other cultural contexts. (Wise argues persuasively that much of the opposition to the Affordable Care Act - Obamacare - motivated by the perception that many/most of the beneficiaries are black.)

In addition, Wise argues that it is race-neutrality, not race consciousness, that hinders social progress. Proponents of race-neutrality argue that direct racial correctives are not as urgent these days, and that they may be counter-productive by engendering backlash. However, Wise argues that race-neutrality often can and is used as a cover for racial discrimination (albeit in many cases it may be subconscious rather than direct or blatant discrimination). Wise's corrective is what he calls "illuminated individualism" - bringing a race consciousness into our decision making. By ignoring race, subconscious fears may surface and bias our decisions unknowingly. By trying to bring our (collective as well as individual) fears and stereotypes to the forefront of our consciousness, we can neutralize the effect that our subconscious and/or collective fears and biases can exert.