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“Whitening” and the Changing American Racial Hierarchy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 November 2012

Herbert J. Gans
Herbert J. Gans*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Columbia University
*
*Herbert J. Gans, Department of Sociology, Columbia University, Knox Hall, 606 W. 122nd Street, MC9649, New York, NY 10027. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

As a result of the increasing number of biracials and multiracials, and White reconstructions of previously non-White skin colors, the Whitening of selected immigrants and especially their children appears to be proceeding. Although there are many studies on the racial identity of biracials, too little research exists on how Whites identify them and light-skinned monoracials, which of these they Whiten, how, and why. Enough is known to suggest that if current trends continue, our picture of the country's racial hierarchy has to be revised. While Whites will likely remain on top and poor African Americans and other Blacks at the bottom, what happens in the middle cannot now even be guessed at with any hope of accuracy. For that reason alone, empirical and policy-oriented research on White identification patterns is badly needed.

Keywords

Racial HierarchyRacial IntermarriageDeracializationBiracialsMultiracialsWhitening
Type
State of the Discipline
Information
Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , Fall 2012 , pp. 267 - 279
Copyright
Copyright © W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research 2012

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