Structure

Rothstein's book is subdivided into 12 chapters and includes both a preface and epilogue written by the author. Rothstein does not construct the work in a strictly chronological fashion, rather the work addresses topics thematically. The history spans a period of approximately 150 years, from the end of the American Civil War through the time of publication, 2017.

The preface and the epilogue bookend the work, and address the core themes and arguments of the book in a less formal, more conversational, setting than is found in the twelve chapters that make up the core of the book. These sections are also where the reader gets the most insight into Rothstein's motivations for researching and writing a work that investigates the role de jure residential racial segregation in American society.

Rothstein uses multiple argumentation techniques throughout the book to convince the reader of his core thesis--legal jurisprudence, historical recounting of...