Twenty-first Century Dynamics of Multiculturalism: Beyond Post-racial America

In the twenty-first century few studies have delineated the U.S. multiculturalism story beyond black and white, to include the truths and realities of other Americans over time, resulting in highly skewed academic publications. While the white experience and, to a lesser extent, the black experience, has been well documented, the brown experience, for instance, has been neglected, minimized, or excluded from the pages of history. Clearly, there has been a great need for researchers to examine the multiple intertwining forces of historical and contemporary movements defining, shaping, and governing the everyday experience of America s people. In the face of centuries of manipulation, exploitation, oppression, and sometimes brutal violence, blacks, browns, reds, yellows, and others are still here, fighting not only for ethnic and racial tolerance but also for equality, justice, respect, and human dignity. In fact, despite the long legacy of hate, violence, and oppression against America s most disadvantaged communities, particularly undocumented people, the minority population will continue to grow and, with pressing demographic shifts, ethnic and racial minorities will soon become the new face of America. In delineating the dynamics of multiculturalism over the years, contributing authors illustrate that the United States is nowhere near a post-racial society, and thus we must prioritize equality, justice, and multiculturalism if the U.S. is in fact going to have a balanced system. Globally, the United States must actively engage in significant and positive social transformation in the new millennium, if the U.S. is going to be situated and reflective of a post-racial society in the twenty-first century. Twenty-First Century Dynamics of Multiculturalism will be of benefit to professionals in the fields of sociology, history, minority studies, Mexican American (Chicano) studies, ethnic (Latino) studies, law, political science, and also those concerned with sociolegal issues.