Racism : a beginner's guide

How is the concept of the 'other' actually defined?

Is 'race' is a social, political, or religious distinction?

Is racism a problem that lies with individuals or governments?

The subject of race, and how to define this complex term, has become more important since 9-11 than ever before.

Alana Lentin explores how race has transformed, from the earliest origins of racist thought in the Enlightenment to contemporary debates about ethnicity and 'otherness'.

Tracing its fascinating development through history and politics, she compares the anti-Semitism of the 19th and 20th century with the recent rise in Islamophobia, and considers the implications of a 'raceless' and truly multicultural society.

Informative and intelligent, this invaluable resource reveals what is really at stake with immigration and the war on terror, and why racism is still part of our everyday lives.