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Culture of Prejudice: Arguments in Critical Social Science, by Judith C. Blackwell, Murray E. G. Smith, and John S. Sorenson. Peterborough, Ont.: Broadview Press, 2003. 359 pp. $24.95 paper. ISBN: 1-55111-490-9.
In this series of 38 cleverly written essays, three Canadian sociologists explore the "culture of prejudice": "a system of ideas and values that is rooted in the impulse of some segments of humanity to improve their condition at the expense of other humans, nonhuman life forms, and the health of the planet" (p. 13). Throughout the book, the authors illustrate how the culture of prejudice discourages the types of critical thought and discourse that lead to the liberation, equality, and justice. Moreover, they demonstrate the ways in which this culture is designed to maintain the status quo and concentrate power in the hands of a relative few.
The book is broken into eleven parts, each containing two to six related essays. The title of each essay reflects a myth that supports the culture of prejudice and allows people to sleep at night and feel good about themselves and their positions in society (e.g., "The Welfare State Rewards Laziness" or "Feminists Are Just Male Bashers"). The essays are filled with well-documented historical and current examples of why people believe...