Robin DiAngelo
Author of White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
About the Author
Image credit: Robin DiAngelo
Works by Robin DiAngelo
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (2018) 4,614 copies, 145 reviews
Associated Works
White Fragility, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, So You Want to Talk about Race (2019) — Contributor — 5 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- DiAngelo, Robin
- Legal name
- DiAngelo, Robin Jeanne
Taylor, Robin Jeanne (birth) - Birthdate
- 1956-09-08
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- San Jose, California, USA
- Places of residence
- Seattle, Washington, USA
- Education
- University of Washington (Ph.D|2004)
Seattle University (BA|1991) - Occupations
- professor
multiculturalist - Relationships
- Toews, Jason (husband)
- Organizations
- University of Washington
Westfield State University
Members
Reviews
I wanted to like this book since it was rated so well. While I agree with so much of what she said and did look at a few things in new ways, overall, I just didn't like this book. I think there are much better books out there to learn about cultural racism and our biases and things we can do to improve as white people. The subject is important though and I want to continue to grow so I will continue reading and learning with other books and people and such.
3.5 stars
The author is a sociologist and, for a couple of decades now, has been hired to train employees of companies on antiracism. DiAngelo explains that there is a difference between prejudices (held by individuals) and racism (institutions and society). In The U.S., Canada, and Western Europe where the bulk of people are white, we are raised in racist societies, and there is no way to get away from that. What we can do, though, is challenge it. Be aware of those racist tendencies that will and do happen within ourselves, and challenge it. If someone points out something racist that you’ve said or done, don’t get defensive; this what she defines as “white fragility”, and it shuts down any further conversation.
This was interesting and I don’t doubt what she’s said. It is very difficult to face your own racism and prejudices. There were many things in the book that were repeated multiple times, but in a lot of cases, it’s helpful to have that repetition, especially with such a difficult subject when people want to deny. I will read more on the topic.… (more)
The author is a sociologist and, for a couple of decades now, has been hired to train employees of companies on antiracism. DiAngelo explains that there is a difference between prejudices (held by individuals) and racism (institutions and society). In The U.S., Canada, and Western Europe where the bulk of people are white, we are raised in racist societies, and there is no way to get away from that. What we can do, though, is challenge it. Be aware of those racist tendencies that will and do happen within ourselves, and challenge it. If someone points out something racist that you’ve said or done, don’t get defensive; this what she defines as “white fragility”, and it shuts down any further conversation.
This was interesting and I don’t doubt what she’s said. It is very difficult to face your own racism and prejudices. There were many things in the book that were repeated multiple times, but in a lot of cases, it’s helpful to have that repetition, especially with such a difficult subject when people want to deny. I will read more on the topic.… (more)
'White Fragility' is very different from any other book about racism I've ever read, as it is narrowly and forensically focused on everyday white behaviour patterns that perpetuate racism. While I'd come across the term 'white fragility' before, this is by far the most detailed and systematic examination that I've read. I found it incredibly helpful to have this structure for understanding how white defensiveness and outrage shuts down or derails discussions of racism. Diangelo sets this out in a very clear fashion, for example this list of the functions white fragility performs:
The book is short but thorough. It explains what white fragility is, how it manifests, its role in reinforcing racial inequality, and finally how white people can start to overcome it. While Diangelo is writing from an American context, these patterns are definitely replicated in the UK. Other books deal with the history of racial prejudice and inequality in much greater depth, but that is not the aim here. Diangelo is trying to get white people to think beyond their personal fragility, while emphasising that racist culture makes this difficult. Perhaps the greatest barrier to recognising and trying to overcome unconscious racial bias is the powerful social message that there is a dichotomy between an entirely racist person and an entirely not-racist person. Thus the defensiveness of treating any critique of particular behaviour as an attack on character, as an accusation of being a bad person. Examples of this can be seen in the media every day, as well as frequently in daily life. Diangelo recounts plenty that she has observed. In fact, America and the UK are societies saturated in racial bias and none of us are immune to it. This book explains clearly and carefully that white people must accept that we think racist thoughts and do racist things, even if we consider ourselves good people. The idea is to try and be better people who think about the impact of our behaviour and accept critique when given it.
The reason for this book being necessary is that racism is hard for white people to think and talk about. Certainly for me. It's uncomfortable feeling complicit in a system that privileges you, but the whole point is that system oppresses, hurts, and kills people who aren't white. To get beyond white fragility, it's important to face that and deprioritise such feelings of discomfort. While reading this book, I noticed it was easier for me to think about analogies with workplace sexism, something familiar to me. But that was totally letting myself off the hook, by thinking about the white male fragility I'd observed rather than how I personally could do better. Similarly, I thought about giving other white people a copy of this book. That's all very well, but again letting myself off the hook. Reading this book is certainly not sufficient, however it provides a helpful blueprint for thinking beyond white fragility and considering how I could behave better. Diangelo writes with a firm clarity that I appreciated:
I do wonder if the book could benefit from an additional chapter about online dynamics. I suppose it was published in 2018 and no-one predicted such a high proportion of communication would have to happen online in 2020. The same structures of white fragility surely manifest on social media, however I would have liked a bit more about how to overcome white fragility in such contexts. The fast, reductive, and adversarial stances that twitter et al engender probably make calm and constructive communication about racism very difficult. Still, there must be ways to improve it.
Diangelo very much takes the approach that if you wish to change the world you must first change yourself. Obviously this is not sufficient to fix racism and Diangelo doesn't claim that it is. However, before any systemic inequality can be addressed, at least some of those who benefit from it (more than at present) must recognise the problem. Racism is far too easy for white people to ignore and this book provides steps for facing up to it and making efforts to do better.… (more)
- Maintain white solidarity
- Close off self-reflection
- Trivialise the reality of racism
- Silence the discussion
- Make white people the victims
- Hijack the conversation
- Protect a limited worldview
- Take race off the table
- Protect white privilege
- Focus on the messenger, not the message
- Rally more resources to white people
The book is short but thorough. It explains what white fragility is, how it manifests, its role in reinforcing racial inequality, and finally how white people can start to overcome it. While Diangelo is writing from an American context, these patterns are definitely replicated in the UK. Other books deal with the history of racial prejudice and inequality in much greater depth, but that is not the aim here. Diangelo is trying to get white people to think beyond their personal fragility, while emphasising that racist culture makes this difficult. Perhaps the greatest barrier to recognising and trying to overcome unconscious racial bias is the powerful social message that there is a dichotomy between an entirely racist person and an entirely not-racist person. Thus the defensiveness of treating any critique of particular behaviour as an attack on character, as an accusation of being a bad person. Examples of this can be seen in the media every day, as well as frequently in daily life. Diangelo recounts plenty that she has observed. In fact, America and the UK are societies saturated in racial bias and none of us are immune to it. This book explains clearly and carefully that white people must accept that we think racist thoughts and do racist things, even if we consider ourselves good people. The idea is to try and be better people who think about the impact of our behaviour and accept critique when given it.
The reason for this book being necessary is that racism is hard for white people to think and talk about. Certainly for me. It's uncomfortable feeling complicit in a system that privileges you, but the whole point is that system oppresses, hurts, and kills people who aren't white. To get beyond white fragility, it's important to face that and deprioritise such feelings of discomfort. While reading this book, I noticed it was easier for me to think about analogies with workplace sexism, something familiar to me. But that was totally letting myself off the hook, by thinking about the white male fragility I'd observed rather than how I personally could do better. Similarly, I thought about giving other white people a copy of this book. That's all very well, but again letting myself off the hook. Reading this book is certainly not sufficient, however it provides a helpful blueprint for thinking beyond white fragility and considering how I could behave better. Diangelo writes with a firm clarity that I appreciated:
White people do need to feel grief about the brutality of white supremacy and our role in it. In fact, our numbness to the racial injustice that occurs daily is key to holding it in place. But our grief must lead to sustained and transformative action. Because our emotions are indicators of our internal frameworks, they can serve as entry-points to a deeper self-awareness that leads to this action. Examining what is at the root of our emotions (shame for not knowing, guilt for hurting someone, hurt feelings because we think we must have been misunderstood) will enable us to address these frameworks. We also need to examine our responses toward other people's emotions and how they may reinscribe racial and gender hierarchies. Our racial socialisation sets us up to repeat racist behaviour, regardless of our intentions or self-image. We must continue to ask how our racism manifests, not if.
I do wonder if the book could benefit from an additional chapter about online dynamics. I suppose it was published in 2018 and no-one predicted such a high proportion of communication would have to happen online in 2020. The same structures of white fragility surely manifest on social media, however I would have liked a bit more about how to overcome white fragility in such contexts. The fast, reductive, and adversarial stances that twitter et al engender probably make calm and constructive communication about racism very difficult. Still, there must be ways to improve it.
Diangelo very much takes the approach that if you wish to change the world you must first change yourself. Obviously this is not sufficient to fix racism and Diangelo doesn't claim that it is. However, before any systemic inequality can be addressed, at least some of those who benefit from it (more than at present) must recognise the problem. Racism is far too easy for white people to ignore and this book provides steps for facing up to it and making efforts to do better.… (more)
1 
annarchism | 144 other reviews | Aug 4, 2024 |
annarchism | 144 other reviews | Aug 4, 2024 | Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 7
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 4,962
- Popularity
- #5,055
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 150
- ISBNs
- 51
- Languages
- 6
- Favorited
- 2
We cannot change what we won’t confront.
Racism is one of those ugly “isms,” but it stands out as the only one we don’t scrutinize to the same degree. In White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo explains why. Her eye-opening book rocks the boat and will make white people* uncomfortable. I’m grateful she wrote it.
DiAngelo is a sociologist who’s frequently hired to hold the “diversity workshops” that most, if not all, U.S. companies require employees to attend--but she doesn’t hold the superficial ones that won’t upset whites (i.e., that maintain the status quo). She requires all whites in the room to look inward and take an honest look at themselves in a humble spirit.
Similarly, White Fragility requires a generous dose of humility from readers, with total openness to understanding and absorbing DiAngelo’s explanations. This is uncomfortable for most, and in DiAngelo’s workshops reactions run the gamut, with most being very unpleasant, to put it mildly; however, it’s undeniable that DiAngelo’s confrontation is necessary, and her workshops are thought-provoking.
Before I began this valuable book I thought I understood racism. I really didn’t. DiAngelo methodically explains the insidiousness of racism, with its vise grip on the subconscious. She homes in on institutional racism, calling attention to how expansive and deeply entrenched it is, and, because historical context here is so important, she shows how we got here--and why we’re stuck.
The historical information was an aha moment for me. I was aware of how overt and bold racism was in decades past, but I was ignorant of racism’s metamorphosis--exactly how it went from overt (almost proud) to covert and unmentionable. This information alone makes White Fragility worth reading.
Also very enlightening is DiAngelo’s examination of institutional racism because here she really illustrates how racism isn’t just cruel words and actions from a few ignorant whites but an entire system upheld by and beneficial to all whites. What she says is radical--not because it’s new but because it’s the filth swept under the rug: It’s verboten. It isn’t there. We don’t dare challenge the racism of our white friends.
When it comes to a thorough examination of racism, specific examples can be powerful. DiAngelo reinforces her arguments with real-life examples of confrontations and defensiveness from her diversity workshops. To set the stage, she begins withThe anecdotes are illuminating, and she uses them strategically to make her arguments air-tight.
I believe summarizing further would be unfair to DiAngelo. She’s the teacher, the expert, the researcher on a subject that’s “among the most complex social dilemmas.” She wrote a 154-page thought-provoking analysis of the racism whites uphold and are loath to acknowledge. She wrote the nonfiction that tied with [book:For the Love of Men: A New Vision for Mindful Masculinity|43263540] for the most essential, most profound nonfiction I’ve ever read, a true life-changer. She deserves to have her work read.
All whites must read White Fragility--not should, must. I advise white readers to not fear this book, and especially to not dismiss it because they “know” they aren’t racist or because they think they already know everything there is to know about racism. Unless one has read very similar nonfictions, that’s highly unlikely to be true. I also advise white readers to not dismiss this book thinking the topic is relevant to Americans only. It’s for all whites.
Additionally, those beginning a personal study of racism and/or race relations ought to start with White Fragility. It sets a foundational understanding that’ll enhance understanding of (and appreciation for) race-relations books that follow. And any course on racism and/or race relations is incomplete without White Fragility on the syllabus.
I’ll always be grateful this book was called to my attention, and I’m even more grateful that we’re at a point, finally, where racism can be confronted in the no-holds-barred way DiAngelo does. This is only just beginning, but at least it’s begun. Now comes putting the knowledge into practice, getting un-stuck. I think with constant effort we can make large strides forward.
*White Fragility focuses specifically on racism of whites toward blacks. I use “we” to mean white people.
Update, June 4, 2020: "The problem with ‘all lives matter’"
https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-0604-all-lives-matter-202006...
Update, September 1, 2020: "Race Is a Social Construct, Scientists Argue" https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists...… (more)