Encyclopedia of Race and Racism – a-f

002866020X, 978-0-02-866020-2, 978-0-02-866021-9

The introduction to the Encyclopdia of Race & Racism states that race and racism are two different terms with different histories. The set explores the historical origin of these concepts and their social and scientific impact throughout history. There are approximately 400 entries from 350 contributors, arranged around 28 themes such as “Colonialism,” “Genetic and Biological Concepts,” “Genocide,” and “Popular Culture.” Although the U.S. receives the most attention, the encyclopedia provides a worldwide perspective on race and racism, with articles on cultural groups, such as Burakumin, Dalits, and Roma; individuals, such as Stephen Biko and Nelson Mandela; and concepts, such as Black feminism in Brazil, English skinheads, and Indigenismo in Mexico. A series of articles covers the colonization of Africa by various European nations and is accompanied by maps displaying the regions they claimed. The third volume contains an annotated filmography listing both feature films and documentaries; a selection of several primary sources, including “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” the “Lusaka Manifesto” on southern Africa, and the “Report on Crimes against Humanity in Guatemala”; and an easily accessible index to the volumes. See also references link some related entries, and bibliographies following each entry can provide further reading. A number of maps, drawings, and photographs add to the text. The caption for a photo in the article on Color-blind racism implies that the Los Angeles Urban League supported California Proposition 209 to ban race or gender preferences in public hiring, but in fact the Los Angeles Urban League was against the proposition. In addition, a map of Italian colonies in Africa in 1914 fails to show Italian Somalia. The set is very comprehensive in its coverage of both race and racism and deserves credit for clear and concise explanations of a variety of often confusing issues, for example, multiculturalism, tokenism, immigration, and IQ testing. The Encyclopedia of Racism in the United States (Greenwood, 2005) is a similar work, though focused solely on the U.S., and some libraries may opt not to update their collections with this new set. It is, however, highly recommended for most libraries based on its broad look at race and racism and well-researched articles showing how and why people came to believe racist theories and refuting those beliefs. This title is also available as an e-book. -Steve Stratton