The racial injustice that continues to plague the United States couldn't be a clearer challenge to the country's idea of itself as a liberal and democratic society, where all citizens have a chance at a decent life. Moreover, it raises deep questions about the adequacy of our political ideas, particularly liberal political theory, to guide us out of the quagmire of inequality. So what does justice demand in response? What must a liberal society do to address the
legacies of its past, and how should we aim to reconceive liberalism in order to do so? In this book, Andrew Valls considers two solutions, one posed from the political right and
one from the left. From the right is the idea that norms of equal treatment require that race be treated as irrelevant--in other words, that public policy and political institutions be race-blind. From the left is the idea that race-conscious policies are temporary, and are justifiable insofar as they promote diversity. This book takes issue with both of these sets of views, and therefore with the constricted ways in which racial justice is debated in the United States today. Valls argues that
liberal theory permits, and in some cases requires, race-conscious policies and institutional arrangements in the pursuit of racial equality. In doing so, he aims to do two things: first, to reorient
the terms of racial justice and, secondly, to make liberal theory confront its tendency to ignore race in favor of an underspecified commitment to multiculturalism. He argues that the insistence that race-conscious policies be temporary is harmful to the cause of racial justice, defends black-dominated institutions and communities as a viable alternative to integration, and argues against the tendency to subsume claims for racial justice, particularly as they regard African Americans, under
more general arguments for diversity.
The racial injustice that continues to plague the United States couldn't be a clearer challenge to the country's idea of itself as a liberal and democratic society, where all citizens have a chance at a decent life. Moreover, it raises deep questions about the adequacy of our political ideas, particularly liberal political theory, to guide us out of the quagmire of inequality. So what does justice demand in response? What must a liberal society do to address the
legacies of its past, and how should we aim to reconceive liberalism in order to do so? In this book, Andrew Valls considers two solutions, one posed from the political right and
one from the left. From the right is the idea that norms of equal treatment require that race be treated as irrelevant--in other words, that public policy and political institutions be race-blind. From the left is the idea that race-conscious policies are temporary, and are justifiable insofar as they promote diversity. This book takes issue with both of these sets of views, and therefore with the constricted ways in which racial justice is debated in the United States today. Valls argues that
liberal theory permits, and in some cases requires, race-conscious policies and institutional arrangements in the pursuit of racial equality. In doing so, he aims to do two things: first, to reorient
the terms of racial justice and, secondly, to make liberal theory confront its tendency to ignore race in favor of an underspecified commitment to multiculturalism. He argues that the insistence that race-conscious policies be temporary is harmful to the cause of racial justice, defends black-dominated institutions and communities as a viable alternative to integration, and argues against the tendency to subsume claims for racial justice, particularly as they regard African Americans, under
more general arguments for diversity.
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction: Race and Justice
2. Racial Inequality and Black Reparations
3. Justice, Acknowledgement, and Collective Memory
4. Supporting Black Institutions and Communities
5. Affirmative Action
6. Justice and Residential Segregation
7. Racial Justice and Criminal Justice
8. Common Schools and Black Schools
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Andrew Valls is Professor of Political Science at Oregon State University.
"Andrew Valls's Rethinking Racial Justice is a splendid
presentation and defense of the demands of justice as it applies to
African Americans. Topics that have distracted attention from
essentials-multiculturalism, diversity, identity politics,
'recognition' and ideal theory, for example- are fairly considered
and firmly set aside. The focus is on justice and liberal theory.
Drawing on this tradition of political philosophy that influenced
the authors
of the Declaration of Independence and the framers of the United
States Constitution, Valls provides an unmatched defense of the
justice of Black Reparations and Affirmative Action, a measured
case for
supporting black institutions, and a convincing critique of the
claim that integration is a necessary part of racial justice."
-Bernard Boxill, Emeritus Professor, University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill
"The two years since Donald Trump's election should have disabused
all but the most delusional of the notion that the United States
had become a 'post-racial' society. This urgent text, appearing a
half-century after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, makes a
detailed and convincing case-written with both passion and
exemplary clarity-for the re-centering of racial justice (not an
obfuscatory 'diversity') on the national agenda, and its
congruence, despite nay-sayers, with fundamental liberal norms and
ideals." -Charles W. Mills, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy,
CUNY Graduate Center
"Creatively combining liberal political theory, a transitional
justice framework, and neglected insights from black radical
thought, Andrew Valls unflinchingly addresses the most challenging
and controversial issues of racial justice facing African
Americans. His analyses are fresh, sophisticated, and rigorous, and
his often surprising conclusions break, in productive ways, from
liberal orthodoxy. This is an excellent and timely contribution to
ongoing debates
over what abstract theories of justice mean on the ground." -Tommie
Shelby, author of Dark Ghettos: Injustice, Dissent, and Reform
"In Rethinking Racial Justice, Andrew Valls shows how commonplace
assumptions about diversity and integration are misplaced. Drawing
on ideas from transitional justice, Black nationalism and liberal
egalitarianism, Valls presents a compelling case for understanding
racial injustice as a singular unfairness, and as something that
should not be assimilated to other kinds of injustice. Rethinking
Racial Justice resets our national conversation
about race, diversity and equality in important ways." -Jeff
Spinner-Halev, Kenan Eminent Professor of Political Ethics,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
"In this brilliant book, Andrew Valls presents a sharp and
accessible analysis of, and argument for, racial justice.
Corrective justice to rectify the harms of racial discrimination
and oppression against African Americans is at the heart of his
analysis, which is applied across a range of topics from debates
over monuments to residential and educational integration to
criminal justice. Valls reminds us about how demanding liberal
theories of justice ought to
be and in doing so pushes the boundaries of liberal egalitarian
political philosophy." -Ronald R. Sundstrom, author of The Browning
of America and the Evasion of Social Justice
"The focus here is on American racial inequality. Valls (Oregon
State) focuses on the perpetual plight of African Americans
regarding liberty, equality, and justice, all of which ought to be
granted to citizens of the US. This is a long-standing problem. It
is argued that neither the racial injustices of the past nor
present racial injustices have been addressed in any concrete way
and that unless a massive shift occurs in American culture, the
immediate
future does not project to be any different...Though relying on
various academic texts to support his arguments, the author has
written a clear, accessible text. This is an important, unflinching
look at a
shameful part of American life, and its pages ought to have a wide
audience." -- P. Gamsby, Memorial University of Newfoundland
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