“Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race”: Reni Eddo-Lodge Book Review and Critical Race Discussion
“Neutral is white. The default is white...the whole of humanity is coded white.”
A round of applause is necessary for arguably my favourite critical race theory book of all time,
Many times in my life I have felt so defeated when trying to explain the concept of race to white people, that I have altogether just given up. I have stopped talking to white people about race.
Then this book came along and encapsulated my feelings towards race on an immeasurable level.
I will begin this review by saying if you want a concise, easy-to-read book free of any political jargon or sociological speak then this is the book for you! This book speaks so rawly about issues of race that need to be tackled and brought forward to the public consciousness.
I will begin this review by discussing the issue of racial stereotyping in the media that needs to be addressed. This can be seen in the anecdote given by Eddo-Lodge:
“When I was four, I asked my mum when I would turn white, because all the good people on TV were white, and all the villains were black and brown”.
When we think about race and ethnicity the concept of the “other” or “us” versus them narrative often arises.
Eddo-Lodge is critical in her assertion that:
“Blackness, however, in considered the ‘other’ and therefore to be suspected”.
There are several critical race theorists who back up what Eddo-Lodge is saying. The main critical theories come from Ålund (1999).
Ålund (1999) argues that within Europe there has been a process of othering against people defined as the ‘other’. These are usually ethnic and religious minorities. All of this arises from a sense of belonging. People want to feel an affinity towards a desired, and often, imagined community and this is where the process of ‘othering’ comes about. This astute analysis of race relations in Europe perfectly mirrors the work done by Eddo-Lodge and can be supplemented by Newman (2003).
In his analysis of borders, Newman (2003) argues that the introduction of borders is to keep undesirable elements out of a country, be them drugs or arms, and often ethnic minorities get implicated within this process. Ethnic minorities become one of the undesirable elements; they become a threat. Once again, this astute analysis is perfectly reflective of the work put forward by Eddo-Lodge, and can be seen in her quote:
“Those who are coded as a threat in our collective representation of humanity are not white”.
The very fact that much of what of Eddo-Lodge says links to precisely to the pre-existing literature on migration and race studies shows a well documented and well-researched book, not just an anecdotal opinion piece based on past experiences and deterministic perceptions of the world based on social interactionism.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with ‘anecdata’ per se, but Eddo-Lodge’s own experiences linked with pre-existing literature demonstrates a well put together and critical assessment of race studies. Bravo, Eddo-Lodge, Bravo. This is how a book on critical race studies should be done
Many protesters believe the UK is not innocent. The same sentiment is shared by Eddo-Lodge in her takedown of the Stephen Lawrence murders and Britain’s uncomfortable history regardings its past (Windrush, the legacy of colonialism etc).
Even Black History month in the UK is marred by controversy. Eddo Lodge comments that “the existence of Black History month in the UK is relatively recent”. Celebrations for Black History Month only really took off in 1987.
Having such an important occasion as Black History Month only recently be celebrated explains the Stephen Lawrence murder and the Windrush scandal.
I had heard of Stephen Lawrence as a young child, but Eddo-Lodge’s poignant and powerful detailed analysis of his murder and the systemic cultural apparatus that led to his death truly brought tears to my eyes. Once again, this is how a critical race book should be written.
“I used to be scared of being perceived as an angry black woman...it was black feminist Audre Lorde who said: ‘your silence will not protect you’. Who wins when we don’t speak? Not us.”
One of the chapters that particularly stuck with me was Eddo-Lodge’s takedown of white feminism. Many WOC and POC, for that matter, feel alienated from the culture of mainstream white feminism, feeling it a far cry from their own phenomenological reality by not addressing issues of misogynoir.
A different strand of Womanism is often created in direct opposition to the sectarianism of white feminism. Eddo-Lodge is critical in her takedown of white feminism, commenting on how WOC are often regarded as ‘bullies’ if they challenge the elitists and exclusionary behaviour of white feminists. A well thought out essay, I found myself applauding Eddo-Lodge at every page.
To end this review I want to thank Eddo-Lodge for her brave takedown of the white, ideological state apparatus that exists within society today. It takes a lot of strength to so astutely take down white supremacy in a succinct and accessible way, so I applaud you Eddo-Lodge, I really do.
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(5 out of 5 stars).