The Imperative of Integration

The Imperative of Integration, by Elizabeth Anderson. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010, 246 pp., $27.76, hardcover.Efforts to identify the racially charged precepts underlying the normative concepts of justice, democracy, and citizenship in American society form the basis of Elizabeth Anderson's The Imperative of Integration. Anderson uses a philosophical lens to identify the levels of segregation that exist within a variety of sociological contexts. Her book helps elucidate the fact that race functions as a social construct and reaffirms the argument that our school system does not successfully foster an environment that facilitates integration of African American and Caucasian communities. The author purports to "resurrect the ideal of integration from the grave of the Civil Rights Movement" (p. 1). This concept makes Anderson's study interesting, since the Civil Rights Movement was a major breakthrough in the course of our nation's history. Naturally, events represented a continuous process traceable to earlier struggles of African Americans. Despite all of the progress made by activists, victories amassed prior to and during the Civil Rights Movement lamentably did not constitute a panacea for racism.In chapter 1, Anderson touches on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and the emergence of resegregation. Using a philosophical framework, Anderson shows how segregation persists within a variety of social constructs. Chapter 2 provides an overview of several forms of material inequality stemming from racial or ethnic segregation. The concept of "spatial mismatch hypothesis" is central to this chapter and points toward the various levels at which access to fundamental social and professional resources are impeded as a result of racial and ethnic segregation and marginalization. Anderson aptly points to the dangers of segregation as part of our "cultural capital." Chapter 3 explores the topic of segregation, and directs the reader to recurring stereotypes resulting from stigmatizing African Americans as a group.Chapter 4 focuses on the significance of normative systems and precepts that have a causal connection to the methods of segregation outlined in the previous chapters of the book. Chapter 5 calls readers to question the quality of their status as citizens in segregated environments. The author provides a good philosophical overview of normative racist constructs at play in American society, along with a theoretical explanation of the need for democratic accountability. Chapter 6 focuses on integration, which, for Anderson, is the keystone to the promotion of justice in a democratic society. The obliteration of segregation must take place to accomplish this objective, according to Anderson. Moreover, it is Anderson's fervent belief that racial harmony can be achieved through a combination of formal desegregation, spatial integration, and formal and informal social integration.Chapter 7 discusses the controversial debate between the efficacy and disadvantages of affirmative action through three levels: (a) employment, (b) education, and (c) government contracting. Four models of affirmative action are emphasized: (a) compensatory, (b) diversification, (c) discrimination-blocking, and (d) integrative. …