''Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm'' is a 2021 book by

Robin DiAngelo Robin Jeanne DiAngelo (née Taylor; born September 8, 1956) is an American author working in the fields of critical discourse analysis and whiteness studies. She formerly served as a tenured professor of multicultural education at Westfield St ...

on the subject of

race relations in the United States Racism has been reflected in discriminatory laws, practices, and actions (including violence) against racial or ethnic groups throughout the history of the United States. Since the early colonial era, White Americans have generally enjoyed le ...

. Following on from '' White Fragility'' (2018), DiAngelo criticizes behavior by white

progressives Progressivism is a left-leaning political philosophy and reform movement that seeks to advance the human condition through social reform. Adherents hold that progressivism has universal application and endeavor to spread this idea to human so ...

as racist and discusses situations from her

diversity training Diversity training is a type of corporate training designed to facilitate positive intergroup interaction, reduce prejudice and discrimination, and teach different individuals how to work together effectively. Diversity training is often aimed ...

workshops and personal life. The book became a ''New York Times'' Best Seller, and received mixed critical reception.

Background

Robin DiAngelo for the Unitarian Universalist Association

Author

is a white American academic. She worked for 20 years in providing

for businesses. After five years in the job, she began studying for a PhD in multicultural education at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

. DiAngelo became a tenured professor at

Westfield State University Westfield State University (commonly known as Westfield State) is a public university in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1839 by Horace Mann as the first public coeducational college in America. History In 1839, Horace Mann founded ...

, working in the areas of critical discourse analysis and

whiteness studies Whiteness studies is the study of the structures that produce white privilege, the examination of what whiteness is when analyzed as a race, a culture, and a source of systemic racism, and the exploration of other social phenomena generated by ...

. At the time of ''Nice Racism''s publishing, DiAngelo was an affiliate associate professor of education at the

. ''Nice Racism'' followed on from DiAngelo's most well-known work: her third book, '' White Fragility'' (2018). It takes its name from the term " white fragility", which DiAngelo coined in 2011 to describe defensive behavior by a white person when their conception of racism is questioned. ''White Fragility'' was reviewed negatively by right-wing commentators. Among anti-racists, ''White Fragility'' received mixed reception, being seen by some as encouraging racial

essentialism Essentialism is the view that objects have a set of attributes that are necessary to their Identity (philosophy), identity. In early Western thought, Platonic idealism held that all things have such an "essence"—an Theory of forms, "idea" or "f ...

. In response to critics who argued that material political changes were needed rather than individual attitude changes, DiAngelo said: "I don't see that they can be separated. Institutions are not people, but people make up institutions". She also said that her generalization of white people as a category is in opposition to "the ideology of

individualism Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote realizing one's goals and desires, valuing independence and self-reliance, and a ...

" and that those who thought she was aiming to cause guilt were "willfully misreading" her books, as "guilt serves no one". Responding to criticism of ''Nice Racism'' that DiAngelo labels some actions and their opposites as both problematic, she said "in some ways you are damned if you do and damned if you don't... we just simply are not going to get this right... but again, that should never be the reason you don't struggle to get it a little more right". ''Nice Racism'' was published on June 29, 2021, by

Beacon Press Beacon Press is an American left-wing non-profit book publisher. Founded in 1854 by the American Unitarian Association, it is currently a department of the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is known for publishing authors such as Jame ...

. Its target audience is white

. DiAngelo said that ''White Fragility'' "established that racism exists" and that ''Nice Racism'' explores the less obvious question of how white progressives are affected by and engage in racism. DiAngelo said that her goal for the impact of her works was to achieve "less harm" done. Though she found analysis of racism more interesting than outlining a solution, DiAngelo said that she was always asked for an answer and that "there's constant pressure when you write a book to 'Make sure that last chapter tells people what to do'". In some of the writing, she aimed to "close all of the escape valves" that she had observed white people using as a way to avoid responsibility, such as by emphasizing the importance of an action's impact, regardless of its intention. One chapter, "Why It's Okay to Generalize About White People", was a topic that DiAngelo was compelled to "take on right away" after not exploring it sufficiently in ''White Fragility''.

Synopsis

The book describes many experiences DiAngelo had while working in diversity training and workshops about race, as well as her personal life, including her experience of poverty in childhood. Following on from ''White Fragility'', DiAngelo replies to criticism of the book. The book contains a study guide for navigation. DiAngelo presents patterns of white progressives unknowingly engaging in racial harm, such as by being overeager to prove themselves anti-racist to people of color, co-opting indigenous or minority ethnic cultural traditions, or expecting people of color to educate them. The book contains a list of some things that DiAngelo believes cause racial harm.

Reception

The book was thirteenth in ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list for Hardcover Nonfiction in the week July 18, 2021. Based on independent bookstore sales in Canada, the book was seventh in the ''

Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, and is the larg ...

''s international bestsellers in the New Releases category for sales ending in the week July 3, 2021. ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

''s Clive Davis gave a negative review of the book, describing many of DiAngelo's opinions as "brutally reductive" and "clouded by a puritanical dogma", such as her criticism of white women offering sympathy to crying black women in a group session she attended. He also reviewed the prose as "robotic". However, Davis found "some worthwhile observations" about race and class in the US and sympathized with DiAngelo's childhood poverty. In a negative review for ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...

'', Ashish Ghadiali reviewed DiAngelo's writing as "condescending" and filled with "deep internal contradiction", as she "assumes the role of an omniscient narrator", but describes situations in which she engages in behavior that she criticizes elsewhere "without any sense of irony or awareness". In a mixed review, ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' believed that DiAngelo "dismantles unconscious biases with precision" and that the book leads readers "to hold themselves more accountable", but criticized DiAngelo's defensiveness as "more exhausting than inspiring". A writer for ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' recommended the book as a "valuable primer" to the topic, describing it as a "pointed reminder that good intentions aren't enough" to combat racism and praising DiAngelo's comments on white people finding it difficult to be open-minded and listen to descriptions of race-related issues. Jenny Hamilton of ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...

'' praised that it "carefully delineates manifestations of white progressive racism and breaks down the reasons they are problematic and how to do better", approving of DiAngelo's exploration of her flawed behavior and recommending the book as a way "for white liberals to understand their role in upholding white supremacy" and "know and do better".

Background

Synopsis

Reception

References

Further reading