Our show on Tuesday, December 20th, 12:00-1:00 PM will feature a special one-on-one interview with Algernon Austin, PHD, to reflect on his prophetic book, “America is Not Post-Racial: Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Racism and the 44th President.” Sadly to say, had many pundits, election experts, activists and others read this powerful work, the rise and success of Trumpism would have been anticipated and understood. Especially, this book in 9 concise chapters examines the reaction of many to the Obama Presidency to predict an obsession by many United States White citizens with xenophobia (fear/hatred of immigrants or other nations); Islamophobia (fear of those perceived as adherent of the Muslim faith); and Racism ( the belief in the superiority of a race, the inferiority of other races and fear of demographic change). Particularly, his racism analysis is superb in its differentiation of thoughts and premises about race, e.g., how Whites who voted for President Obama can still be deeply anti-Black? How did these factors affect the 2016 Election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump?
Algernon Austin is one of our nation’s foremost economists and scholars on race in America. His insightful research and analysis has impacted the thinking of policy makers and political influencers during his career. His new book advances the political understanding of the role of race in our electoral process.
Shortly after the election of President Barack Obama a series of pundits declared that his election was the beginning of post-racialism or the end of racism. In his far ranging, very detailed and extensively documented book, Algernon Austin not only rejects this analysis but he carefully describes the composition, thinking and concerns of the 25 million overt Obama Haters. How did these forces affect the 2016 Presidential Election.
During our show, we will extrapolate from this book to speculate on the probable civil rights and racial justice agenda of the incoming Trump Administration. We are already appalled by the appointments and nominations of known white supremacists for the Trump cabinet. In addition, the Trump Administration appears determined to create a Muslim Registry. And the fear of increased deportation How will the new Administration continue to play on the obsession of the Trump base with xenophobia, Islamophobia and racism? How do we overcome and defeat these adverse policies?
Looking long-range what are the best strategies to decrease White fears of “the other” and the overt racism that underlies so much of their thinking and voting. Will voter suppression increase under the Trump Administration? What about economic policy development from this Administration? Will there actually be a renewed focus on an urban economic development strategy?
What can our listeners do to combat Trumpism and to promote racial justice?
These and other questions will be explored during our show.
This promises to be a very in-depth and probing conversation which our listeners will find enlightening and helpful in our times!
Be sure to spread the word!
Algernon Austin
Dr. Algernon Austin conducts economic policy research for the Dēmos think tank. He has been a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Global Policy […]
