Privilege: A Reader

Privilege is about more than being white, wealthy, and male—as Michael Kimmel, Abby Ferber, and a wide range of contributors make clear in this innovative and timely anthology. In an era when “diversity” is too often shorthand for “of color” and/or “female,” the personal and analytical essays in this collection explore the multifaceted nature of social location and consider how gender, class, race, sexual orientation, (dis)ability and religion interact to create nuanced layers of privilege and oppression. The individual essays are powerfully thought-provoking; taken together, they help guide students to a deep understanding of the dynamics of diversity and stratification, advantage and power.

The third edition features ten new or newly-recast essays which will help students understand the intersectional nature of privilege and oppression. Enhanced pedagogy (including new discussion questions and “personal connections” activities at the conclusion of each section) encourages students to examine their own assumptions, beliefs, values, practices, and social locations—without becoming overwhelmed.

Michael S. Kimmel is Distinguished Professor of Sociology at SUNY at Stony Brook.  The author or editor of more than twenty volumes, his books include The Guy's Guide to Feminism (2011), Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men (2008), Men's Lives (9th edition, 2013), and Manhood in America: A Cultural History (3rd edition, 2011). He is also founder and editor of Men and Masculinities, the field's premier scholarly journal.

Abby L. Ferber is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Her many authored, co-authored, and edited books include White Man Falling: Race, Gender, and White Supremacy (1998), Hate Crime in America: What Do We Know? (2000) and The New Basics: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality (2008). She is also co-organizer of the national White Privilege Conference and the Knapsack Institute.