This book interrogates white responses to black-led movements for racial justice. It is a philosophical self-reflection on the ways in which 'white' reactions to Black Lives Matter stand in the way of the movement's important work. It probes reactions which often prevent white people from according to black activists the full range of human emotion and expression, including joy, anger, mourning, and political action. Johanna C. Luttrell encourages different conceptions of empathy and impartiality specific to social movements for racial justice, and addresses objections to identity politics.

Presents a new idea of impartiality that applies to the specific phenomena of social movements for racial justice in the United States Provides a critique of current discourses of allyship Illustrates a powerful distinction between an identity politics that is conflict-producing, backward-looking to one that is hopeful and conflict-resolving

Autorentext

Johanna C. Luttrell is Instructional Assistant Professor in the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, USA.

Inhalt

1. Getting My People.- 2. Empathy and Racial Justice: Redefining Impartiality in Response to Social Movements.- 3. How White People Refuse to Understand Black Mourning.- 4. Respecting Black Lives Matter as Political Action.- 5. Conclusion.