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Some White Folks

The Interracial Politics of Sympathy, Suffering, and Solidarity

Some White Folks

The Interracial Politics of Sympathy, Suffering, and Solidarity

A pioneering exploration of the unexamined roots and effect of racial sympathy within American politics.

There is racial inequality in America, and some people are distressed over it while others are not. This is a book about white people who feel that distress. For decades, political scientists have studied the effects of white racial prejudice, but Jennifer Chudy shows that white racial sympathy for Black Americans’ suffering is also a potent force in modern American politics. Grounded in the history of Black-white relations in America, racial sympathy is unique. It is not equivalent to a low level of racial prejudice or sympathy for other marginalized groups. Some White Folks reveals how racial sympathy shapes a significant number of white Americans’ opinions on policy areas ranging from the social welfare state to the criminal justice system. Under certain circumstances, it can also spur action—although effects on political behavior are weaker and less consistent, for reasons Chudy examines.

Drawing on diverse quantitative and qualitative evidence and integrating insights from multiple disciplines, Chudy explores the origins, importance, and complexity of racial sympathy, as well as the practical implications for political and movement leaders. A companion to the rich literature on prejudice, Some White Folks demonstrates the multifaceted role of race in American politics and public opinion.

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280 pages | 16 line drawings, 49 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2024

Chicago Studies in American Politics

Political Science: American Government and Politics, Political Behavior and Public Opinion, Race and Politics

Reviews

“Some White Folks embarks on a necessary exploration of the intricate landscape of white Americans' racial attitudes. Chudy presents a compelling portrait of the often-overlooked dimension of racial sympathy, offering valuable insights into its origins, effects, and potential for political change. In a time marked by pressing social inequalities, Some White Folks emerges as a much-needed tool to better detect and accurately track when, why, and how distress over the inequity Black folks endure may arise among White Americans.”

Candis Watts Smith | author of "Racial Stasis: The Millennial Generation and the Stagnation of Racial Attitudes in American Politics"

“An important contribution to the voluminous literature on white Americans’ racial attitudes, which until recently had little to say about anti-racism. Some White Folks demonstrates that non-prejudice is not merely the absence of prejudice. Many white Americans abhor racial discrimination and expect government to address it. When events or movements put racial justice on the nation’s agenda, these Americans are willing to take action to bring positive change. A hopeful conclusion, rooted in a compelling empirical analysis.”

Tali Mendelberg | Princeton University

Table of Contents

Chapter 1.       Introduction: An Underexplored Force in American Racial Politics
Chapter 2.       What Is Racial Sympathy?
Chapter 3.       Measuring Racial Sympathy
Chapter 4.       Who Are Racially Sympathetic White People?
Chapter 5.       Public Opinion on Redistributive Policies
Chapter 6.       Public Opinion on the Criminal Legal System
Chapter 7.       Does Sympathy Lead to Action?
Chapter 8.       Action and Perceptions of Efficacy
Chapter 9.       Racial Sympathy in the Twenty-First Century
Acknowledgments
Appendix A. Chapter 3
Appendix B. Chapter 4
Appendix C. Chapter 5
Appendix D. Chapter 7
Appendix E. Chapter 8
Appendix F. Survey Items and Interview Script
Notes
References
Index

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