Considers the impact of neo-racism during the Obama presidency. Neo-race Realities in the Obama Era expands the discourse about Barack Obama’s two terms as president by reflecting upon the impact of neo-racism during his tenure. Continually in conversation with Étienne Balibar’s conceptualization of neo-racism as being racism without race, the contributors examine how identities become the target of neo-racist discriminatory practices and policies in the United States. Individual chapters explore how President Obama’s multiple and intersecting identities beyond the racial binaries of Black and White were perceived, as well as how his presence impacted certain marginalized groups in our society as a result of his administration’s policies. Evidencing the hegemonic complexity of neo-racism in the United States, the contributors illustrate how the mythic post-race society that many wished for on election night in 2008 was deferred, in order to return to the uncomfortable comfort zone of the way America used to be. Heather E. Harris is Professor of Communication at Stevenson University. She is coeditor (with Kimberly R. Moffitt and Catherine R. Squires) of The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign, also published by SUNY Press.
Author(s): Heather E. Harris
Publisher: SUNY Press
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 174
Tags: Neo-racism, Obama Presidency
Contents......Page 6
List of Illustrations......Page 8
Foreword......Page 10
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
References......Page 18
Part I......Page 20
1 Obama’s Transformation of American Myths......Page 22
Obama as a Self-Made Man with an American Dream......Page 24
Obama’s Inaugural Addresses......Page 28
Obama’s First Inaugural......Page 30
Obama’s Second Inaugural......Page 32
Conclusion......Page 36
References......Page 37
2 Transformational Masculinity and Fathering in the Age of Obama: “Roses and Thorns”......Page 42
Gender Role Narratives and African Americans......Page 44
Presidents and Hegemonic Masculinity......Page 49
Masculinity and the 44th President......Page 50
Femininity and the First Lady......Page 53
The 44th President, Masculinity and Fathering......Page 56
Fathering and Masculinity......Page 58
References......Page 65
3 How Obama’s Hybridity Stifled Black Nationalist Rhetorical Identity: An Ideological Analysis on His Two-Term Third-Space Leadership......Page 72
Black Nationalism as Ideology......Page 76
Hybridity......Page 79
Convergence Spiral......Page 82
Black Nationalism Misreads the Context......Page 83
Intel from the Field......Page 85
Whither a New Black Leadership......Page 87
References......Page 89
Part II......Page 92
4 “Who Gets to Say Hussein? The Impact of Anti-Muslim Sentiment during the Obama Era”......Page 94
Public Perceptions and the Obama Administration......Page 96
Muslim Political Climate and the Obama Administration......Page 99
Who Are Muslim Americans?......Page 101
Racialization and Group Identity Theory......Page 103
Attachment to Group Identity......Page 104
Muslim Group Identity......Page 105
Discussion......Page 106
Conclusion......Page 107
References......Page 108
5 The End of AIDS? A Critical Analysis of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy......Page 112
An Intersectional and Race-Based Critique of Public Policy......Page 113
Defining the National HIV/AIDS Strategy......Page 114
Gender and Sexuality: Bounded by Blackness?......Page 115
Defining Vulnerability through Race......Page 117
Problematizing Populations Rather than Institutions......Page 119
Conclusion......Page 123
References......Page 125
6 The President Was Black, Y’all: Presidential Humor, Neo-racism, and the Social Construction of Blackness and Whiteness......Page 128
Online Political Humor......Page 129
Political Satire......Page 130
Comedic Freedom......Page 132
Comedic Freedom to a Point......Page 133
Comedic Freedom as Audience-Imbued......Page 134
American Racial Stereotypes......Page 135
Intersection of Class with Race......Page 138
Crime Metaphors......Page 140
Racial Truths......Page 142
Limitations and Conclusions......Page 144
References......Page 145
7 L’homme de la créolisation: Obama, Neo-racism, and Cultural and Territorial Creolization......Page 150
Enter the Creole......Page 153
References......Page 161
Notes......Page 164
List of Contributors......Page 166
Index......Page 170
