White Fragility

By Dr. Robin DiAngelo

Explore the defensive reactions that uphold racial inequality and hinder dialogue.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 173,970 ratings

169 pages

$16.00Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Robin DiAngelo delves into the unsettling reactions of white fragility—anger, fear, and guilt—when racial assumptions are challenged. These responses, from argumentation to silence, perpetuate racial inequality. How can we break this cycle and foster genuine dialogue? Discover the roots of these behaviors and learn strategies for constructive engagement in this thought-provoking exploration.

From the publisher

The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.

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