Part III, Understanding Whiteness in a White Context, Chapter 7, White Identity and Affirmative Action Summary and Analysis

Chapter 7 is Tatum's explanation, analysis and defense of affirmation action in the workplace. Even if Whites don't encounter racism in their private lives, they often must face racial identity in the workplace due to affirmation action-based hiring practices. Many whites feel victimized and become "hysterical" about White disadvantages. When Whites raise the reverse discrimination charge at her seminars, Tatum usually defers discussion until she can convey a basic understanding of racism as a system of advantage. Only when Whites understand White privilege can they understand the rationale for affirmative action and undermine their sense of entitlement often reflected in their classroom essays. They rarely assess affirmative action in light of the qualifications of people of...