Structural Racism: The Dynamics of Opportunity and Race in America

This book explains how racial inequality in the United States is produced and perpetuated and what should be done about it. It develops the elusive concept of “structural racism,” presenting a precise definition that is clear and comprehensible, and illustrates how it operates methodically and rigorously.

Many other books are long on problems and short on solutions, whereas this book develops the key principles that must ground a structural reform agenda, and then presents a broad-ranging set of interventions organized around ten themes that will reduce racial disparities while expanding opportunity for all.

Unlike most books on race which focus on a particular issue or sector, this book is comprehensive in its scope, encompassing the vital systems that shape racial inequality in contemporary American society: from education and public schools to income and wealth disparities to housing and health care to policing and the criminal justice system. As such, this book is the ideal text for readers seeking to learn more about structural racial inequality in society, how it came to be that way, and what we should do about it, while deepening our understanding and challenging many misguided or simplistic prevailing notions.

In a time of backlash to racial justice and growing doubts about racial equity initiatives, this book is a timely and necessary entry. A must read for advocates, students, policymakers, and researchers alike.

Stephen Menendian is the Assistant Director and Director of Research at the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, where he leads several major initiatives, including projects advising state, local, and federal housing authorities. His research focuses on inequality between social groups, especially in the areas of housing and education, and the design of effective and lawful policy remedies. Stephen is the author of many scholarly publications, journal articles, and other notable books.