Covert Racism

Covert racism, subtle in application, often appears hidden by norms of association, affiliation, group membership and/or identity. As such, covert racism is often excused or confused with mechanisms of exclusion and inclusion, ritual and ceremony, acceptance and rejection. Covert racism operates as a boundary keeping mechanism whose primary purpose is to maintain social distance between racial majorities and racial minorities. Such boundary mechanisms work best when they are assumed natural, legitimate, and normal. These boundary mechanisms are typically taught subconsciously or even unconsciously within social institutions and groups. This volume deals with the theories, institutions and experiences associated with covert racism.

Rodney D. Coates, Ph.D. (1987) in Sociology, University of Chicago, is Professor of Sociology at Miami University. He has published extensively in the areas of critical race and ethnic relations including his edited text Race and Ethnic Relations: Across Time, Space and Discipline (Brill 2004).

"This elaborate volume which pulls together the work of leading scholars examining racial inequality explicates the insidious depth and breadth of racism in contemporary U.S. (and global) social structure. […] I thought about the usefulness of this book for my own scholarship and teaching. The different levels of analysis (…) as well as the varied methodologies (…) would appeal to young students. Additionally, the book’s breadth of substantive information about race and racism, […] provides a wealth of important resources for scholars of race at all levels from student to professor." - Wendy Leo Moore, in: Contemporary Sociology 42, 4
"This is a useful one-stop guide devoted to explaining how, to borrow from Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, "racism without racists" works. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries." - in: Choice, February 2012