Beyond Racial Division: A Unifying Alternative to Colorblindness and Antiracism

Sociologist Yancey (So Many Christians, So Few Lions) proposes a model for healing racial disparities in this evenhanded if muted guide, calling for “mutual accountability,” or a “third path” process of genuine conversations where opposing sides listen, share, and create compromise and solutions together. Yancey critiques colorblindness, but more forcibly rejects the stricter demands of antiracism, believing the approach “polarizes us” and is “about power and using that power against ideological enemies.” While Yancey is careful to point out that white people will likely need to make more concessions, his focused pushback on antiracist efforts also seems to sideline both successes of the more progressive approach and the racism-stoking of conservative ideologues. Yancey calls productive conversations “hard,” and though his intent is admirable, his generally mild-mannered tone is unlikely to win over readers seeking radical change. This lands as a hopeful if perhaps overly optimistic vision of ways to heal racial division. (Mar.)