<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Book never really comes together
Review: Basically, the author's premise is that Jews have been seen as white at some points in history in the United States and as not-quite-white in others. Okay, fine --- my grandparents have told me about their experiences with those different perceptions. Brodkin then tries to illustrate these changing perceptions in her book. She is only partially successful. Her arguments, which are interesting, just never totally gel and she is prone to sweeping generalizations and massive amounts of repetition to get her point across.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Book, but not the one I would have written
Review: Dr. Brodkins' book is a fair synthesis of post -War racial scholarship and theorizing. Her personal approach is entertaining and seductive but far from being a compelling story -even though there are many aspect of the book for one to like. Moreover, one can hardly disagree with her main theme that racism and racial identity is the single most important basis of a healthy self-concept in the contemporary American way of life. As well, one must take careful note of what she has to say about Jewish industriousness as being a critical parameter in the route to group success against all forms of chauvinism--including anti-Semitism and racism--although it was difficult to avoid the fact that she jumped quickly over the issue of race to get to her main menu item, gender. All that said however, it was painful watching her finesse the issue of Jewish racism against blacks and other non-whites, both before and after the events directed against European Jews; and both before and after the "gender revolution." One reason the war against racism (and sexism) cannot be won in the way the author suggests is that once a group is admitted to the club of "being white," or being allowed to use "the flawed white male model", in the case of sexism, it already has learned all too well how to play the game of being an oppressor against those still remaining outside that club. In a racist and sexist society there is hardly any incentive to do otherwise. That passive-aggressive racism and passive-aggressive sexism are at least as dangerous as their more overt and active counterparts is hardly a secret anymore. Yet, the fact that this book splits these two hairs, emphasizing one at the expense of the other clearly marks its position on the racist-sexism evolutionary spectrum. One must continue to be surprised and disappointed when those who have experienced racism on such a massively inhuman scale, as has been the case with Jews, Native Americans and American Blacks, nevertheless lend their voices to the same worldview and tactics used to invent ideologies that led to such atrocities. The attitude that "racism is okay so long as it does not affect me or my group" guarantees we will never bring the practice in America to a final end. Although this is not the book I would have written if I were a Jewish woman, it is nevertheless a worthy and interesting effort. Four Stars!
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book, but not the one I would have written
Review: Dr. Brodkins' book is a fair synthesis of post -War racial scholarship and theorizing. Her personal approach is entertaining and seductive but far from being a compelling story -even though there are many aspect of the book for one to like. Moreover, one can hardly disagree with her main theme that racism and racial identity is the single most important basis of a healthy self-concept in the contemporary American way of life. As well, one must take careful note of what she has to say about Jewish industriousness as being a critical parameter in the route to group success against all forms of chauvinism--including anti-Semitism and racism--although it was difficult to avoid the fact that she jumped quickly over the issue of race to get to her main menu item, gender. All that said however, it was painful watching her finesse the issue of Jewish racism against blacks and other non-whites, both before and after the events directed against European Jews; and both before and after the "gender revolution." One reason the war against racism (and sexism) cannot be won in the way the author suggests is that once a group is admitted to the club of "being white," or being allowed to use "the flawed white male model", in the case of sexism, it already has learned all too well how to play the game of being an oppressor against those still remaining outside that club. In a racist and sexist society there is hardly any incentive to do otherwise. That passive-aggressive racism and passive-aggressive sexism are at least as dangerous as their more overt and active counterparts is hardly a secret anymore. Yet, the fact that this book splits these two hairs, emphasizing one at the expense of the other clearly marks its position on the racist-sexism evolutionary spectrum. One must continue to be surprised and disappointed when those who have experienced racism on such a massively inhuman scale, as has been the case with Jews, Native Americans and American Blacks, nevertheless lend their voices to the same worldview and tactics used to invent ideologies that led to such atrocities. The attitude that "racism is okay so long as it does not affect me or my group" guarantees we will never bring the practice in America to a final end. Although this is not the book I would have written if I were a Jewish woman, it is nevertheless a worthy and interesting effort. Four Stars!
Rating:
Summary: Racism or Sexism? You Chose
Review: I judge Dr. Brodkins' book to be a better than fair synthesis of post 'World War II racial scholarship--and racial theorizing in general. Her personal experiences and approach is certainly entertaining and even seductive at times, but in my humble opinion, the book is far from being compelling. Even though I did like it immensely, I must admit that some aspects did make me squirm . And, that is as it should be with any good book. On the positive side, one can hardly disagree with her main theme that racism and racial identity is the single most important basis of a healthy self-concept in the capitalist racist American way of life. As well, everyone, especially blacks, would do well to take careful note of what she has to say about Jewish industriousness being a critical parameter in the route to group success against racism'-although it must be added that it was difficult to avoid noting the urgency with which she moved from discussions of race to her "pet" subject, gender. Although I certainly got the obvious rawness of the issues between Jewish women and Jewish men, I am not sure I got their full import. On the negative side,it was painful watching this superb scholar try to finesse her way around Jewish racism against blacks, both before and after the events against European Jews during WW-II; and both before and after the so-called 'gender revolution.' It is easy to see how having been white and nevertheless dispised by other whites could lead to ambivalence and hesitency towards non-white groups once accepted into the "white only" club. (But isn't there some moral obligation to tear down this house once inside it?) All that said however, one reason the war against racism (and sexism) cannot be won in the way the author suggests is that just as has been the case with American Jews, once a group is finally admitted to the club of 'being white,' or being allowed to use 'the flawed white male model' (in the case of sex) to advance its own group interests, it already has learned all too well how to become a racist in its own right. Oddly this appears to make it easier rather than more difficult to be recruited into the "white racist family." The anti-morality conditioning is total and immediate: all of the cute tricks of how to defend (just beneath consciousness) the collective racist orthodoxy is all but self-evident. Dr. Brodkin must know as well as anyone that "pervasive passive-aggressive" racism and "pervasive passive-aggressive sexism"--the latest mutants of the formerly good old fashion racism and sexism--are at least as evil and dangerous as their more overt and virulently active counterparts. The author must know as well, that the ability to avoid having to split hairs between them marks a clear dividing line along the "racism-sexism-awareness spectrum." The effects of passive-aggressive racism (sexism) cannot be good simply and only because the effects of overt active racism (sexism) are perceived to be so much worse? One can never cease to remain surprised and disappointed when those who have experienced racism on such a massively inhuman scale, as has been the case with Jews, Native Americans and Blacks, nevertheless are found mimicking the same chauvinistic habits and adopting the same worldview and tactics as those who have forged the ideologies that led to such atrocities in the first place. Rather than the author's suggestions, it is precisely this 'racism is bad only when it affects me (or my group') attitude that guarantees that we will never bring the normalized practices of racism in America to a final end. Although this is not the book I would have written had I been a Jewish woman, it is nevertheless a worthy and interesting effort. Four Stars!
Rating:
Summary: Racism or Sexism? You Chose
Review: I judge Dr. Brodkins� book to be a better than fair synthesis of post �World War II racial scholarship--and racial theorizing in general. Her personal experiences and approach is certainly entertaining and even seductive at times, but in my humble opinion, the book is far from being compelling. Even though I did like it immensely, I must admit that some aspects did make me squirm . And, that is as it should be with any good book. On the positive side, one can hardly disagree with her main theme that racism and racial identity is the single most important basis of a healthy self-concept in the capitalist racist American way of life. As well, everyone, especially blacks, would do well to take careful note of what she has to say about Jewish industriousness being a critical parameter in the route to group success against racism�-although it must be added that it was difficult to avoid noting the urgency with which she moved from discussions of race to her "pet" subject, gender. Although I certainly got the obvious rawness of the issues between Jewish women and Jewish men, I am not sure I got their full import. On the negative side,it was painful watching this superb scholar try to finesse her way around Jewish racism against blacks, both before and after the events against European Jews during WW-II; and both before and after the so-called �gender revolution.� It is easy to see how having been white and nevertheless dispised by other whites could lead to ambivalence and hesitency towards non-white groups once accepted into the "white only" club. (But isn't there some moral obligation to tear down this house once inside it?) All that said however, one reason the war against racism (and sexism) cannot be won in the way the author suggests is that just as has been the case with American Jews, once a group is finally admitted to the club of �being white,� or being allowed to use �the flawed white male model� (in the case of sex) to advance its own group interests, it already has learned all too well how to become a racist in its own right. Oddly this appears to make it easier rather than more difficult to be recruited into the "white racist family." The anti-morality conditioning is total and immediate: all of the cute tricks of how to defend (just beneath consciousness) the collective racist orthodoxy is all but self-evident. Dr. Brodkin must know as well as anyone that "pervasive passive-aggressive" racism and "pervasive passive-aggressive sexism"--the latest mutants of the formerly good old fashion racism and sexism--are at least as evil and dangerous as their more overt and virulently active counterparts. The author must know as well, that the ability to avoid having to split hairs between them marks a clear dividing line along the "racism-sexism-awareness spectrum." The effects of passive-aggressive racism (sexism) cannot be good simply and only because the effects of overt active racism (sexism) are perceived to be so much worse? One can never cease to remain surprised and disappointed when those who have experienced racism on such a massively inhuman scale, as has been the case with Jews, Native Americans and Blacks, nevertheless are found mimicking the same chauvinistic habits and adopting the same worldview and tactics as those who have forged the ideologies that led to such atrocities in the first place. Rather than the author's suggestions, it is precisely this �racism is bad only when it affects me (or my group�) attitude that guarantees that we will never bring the normalized practices of racism in America to a final end. Although this is not the book I would have written had I been a Jewish woman, it is nevertheless a worthy and interesting effort. Four Stars!
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and Seductive ... but...
Review: Resubmitted on 2/5/3 Dr. Brodkins' book is a fair synthesis of post -War racial scholarship and theorizing. Her personal approach is entertaining and seductive but far from being a compelling story -even though there are many aspects of the book for one to like. As well, one can hardly disagree with her main theme that racism and racial identity is the single most important basis of a healthy self-concept in the contemporary American way of life.
Moreover, one must take careful note of what she has to say about Jewish industriousness as being a critical parameter in the route to group success against all forms of chauvinism--including anti-Semitism, sexism and racism--although it was difficult to avoid the fact that she did jump over rather quickly the issues of race and anti-Semitism to get to her main menu item, gender.
All that said however, it was painful watching her finesse the issue of Jewish racism against blacks, both before and after the events directed against European Jews; and both before and after the "gender revolution."
One reason the war against racism (and sexism) cannot be won in the way the author suggests is that once a group is admitted to the club of "being white," or being allowed, in the case of sexism, to use "the flawed white male model," it already has learned all too well how to play the role of being superior to those still remaining outside those exclusive clubs. The real problem is that the illicit rewards, both tangible and intangible, in a racist and/or sexist society are so enormous that there is hardly any incentive to do otherwise. That passive-aggressive racism and passive-aggressive sexism are at least as dangerous as their more overt and active counterparts is hardly a secret anymore. Yet, the fact that this book splits hairs between sexism and racism, emphasizing one at the expense of the other, marks its clear position on the racist-sexism evolutionary chart. One must continue to be surprised and disappointed when those who have experienced racism on such a massively inhuman scale, as has been the case with European Jews, Native Americans and American Blacks, nevertheless lend their voices to the same worldview and tactics used to invent ideologies that can lead to such atrocities. The attitude that "racism is okay so long as it does not affect me or my group" guarantees we will be a long time bringing the practice in America to a final end. Although this is not the book I would have written if I were a Jewish woman, it is nevertheless a worthy and interesting effort. Four Stars!
Rating: 
Summary: interesting - uncontroversial - academic - brief
Review: The author's examination of the "myth" of Jewish upward mobility as being due primarily to hard-work and discipline and only secondarily to the decline of explicit anti-semitic prejudice is fascinating (although hardly controversial anymore.) What is more important is how the author leverages her experiences and Jewish experiences in the U.S. as a springboard to examine how ethnoracial identities and ethnoracial assignments affect the life chances of individuals and communities today. My strongest "disappointment" with this book is the feeling that it seems somewhat academic and far too short to do its subject justice.
Rating: 
Summary: Unsupported and invalid
Review: This is quite possibly the worst piece of scholarship that I have read in this field. The central conceit of the book involves an error of self-persuasion: namely, that the author's own vicissitudes over racial issues in the post-60s decades are historically reflected in some empirical fashion in the history of Jewish people in American society. The insights that the author has lifted from other books are of the cut-and-paste variety rather than a serious rethinking and analysis.
Rating: 
Summary: class or race?
Review: While the book includes many valid insights, the main idea is way off. The author confuses class with race- when the Jews attained upward mobility they were white, before that they were un-white. Anyone with a minimal knowledge of American history knows that in this country, the color of one's skin became the single racial divider, dividing the rich from the poor as well as the poor from the poor.
<< 1 >>
| 
