New Faces in a Changing America

Book excerpt: "New Faces in a Changing America is a comprehensive, penetrating, authoritative, and provocative examination of what it means to be multiracial in this country. With contributions by the leading thinkers, activists, and researchers on the subject, it admirably links theory and the powerful lived experiences of mixed-race people. This book will be the most important reference source on the subject for many years." -- James P. Allen, California State University, Northridge "Not since the work of Root has there been as important of an anthology as New Faces in a Changing America. This book explores the reality of multiracial people from a variety of theoretical and conceptual perspectives. It is a must read for anybody who want to understand the multiracial movement and the multiracial people who lead that movement. Any teacher who wants to introduce the concept of "multiraciality" to his/her class must also have this book. Winters and Debose are to be commended for putting together this first-rate academic examination of an important social phenomenon." -- George Yancey, University of North Texas How multiracial people identify themselves can have major consequences on their positions in their families, communities and society. Even the U.S. Census has recognized the rapidly increasing numbers of those who consider themselves multiracial, adding a new racial category to the 2000 Census form: two or more races. New Faces in a Changing America: Multiracial Identity in the 21st Century examines the multiracial experience, its history and the political issues and consequences surrounding biracial and multiracial identity, bringing together top names in the field to give readers cutting edge views and insights gained from contemporary research. This important new text follows the trail blazed by Maria Root, who contributes its opening chapter. An introduction places the issues of multiracial identity into context via a discussion of U.S. Census data and debates, providing an overview of the varied readings to come covering such topics as: Race as a social, rather than biological, construction The Multiracial Movement Racial/Ethnic Groups in America and Beyond Race, Gender & Hierarchy Gang Affiliation and Self-Esteem Black/White Interracial Couples and the Beliefs that Help Them to Bridge the Racial Divide The book concludes with "The Multiracial Movement: Harmony and Discord," by co-editor Loretta Winters, an epilogue putting the readings into perspective according to three models in the multiracial identity literature: the Multiracial Movement model, the Counter Multiracial movements model and the Ethnic Movement model. Timely and comprehensive in its range of topics, this is an important resource for many audiences: students in Ethnic Studies, Race Relations and related courses; human service professionals including psychologists, counselors, social workers and school personnel and, importantly, multiracial individuals themselves.