The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness

Steve J. Garner

doi:10.1177/0038038506062032

The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness

Steve J. Garner

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

Whiteness studies are trans-disciplinary, but here the focus is principally on sociology and social history. Firstly, I identify, elucidate and synthesize the major ways in which whiteness in this literature has hitherto been problematized, to provide a sociological view of the multidisciplinary work so far. Five interpretations are identified; whiteness as absence, as content, as a set of norms, as resources and as a contingent hierarchy. Secondly, I make some proposals regarding the whiteness problematic’s degree of pertinence to European settings, with a brief discussion of the Irish case. Finally, I argue that whiteness is useful if conceptualized in a way that sets it within the parameters of studies of racism.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	257-275
Number of pages	19
Journal	Sociology
Volume	40
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038506062032
Publication status	Published - Apr 2006

Fingerprint

transdisciplinary

social history

sociologist

racism

sociology

interpretation

resources

literature

Keywords

identities
racism
whiteness
racialisation

Cite this

Garner, S. J. (2006). The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness. Sociology, 40(2), 257-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038506062032

Garner, Steve J. / The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness. In: Sociology. 2006 ; Vol. 40, No. 2. pp. 257-275.

@article{31cf343585524bf0889ddb1477a409ae,

title = "The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness",

abstract = "Whiteness studies are trans-disciplinary, but here the focus is principally on sociology and social history. Firstly, I identify, elucidate and synthesize the major ways in which whiteness in this literature has hitherto been problematized, to provide a sociological view of the multidisciplinary work so far. Five interpretations are identified; whiteness as absence, as content, as a set of norms, as resources and as a contingent hierarchy. Secondly, I make some proposals regarding the whiteness problematic’s degree of pertinence to European settings, with a brief discussion of the Irish case. Finally, I argue that whiteness is useful if conceptualized in a way that sets it within the parameters of studies of racism.",

keywords = "identities, racism, whiteness, racialisation",

author = "Garner, {Steve J.}",

year = "2006",

month = "4",

doi = "10.1177/0038038506062032",

language = "English",

volume = "40",

pages = "257--275",

journal = "Sociology",

issn = "0038-0385",

publisher = "SAGE",

number = "2",

}

Garner, SJ 2006, 'The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness', Sociology, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 257-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038506062032

The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness. / Garner, Steve J.

In: Sociology, Vol. 40, No. 2, 04.2006, p. 257-275.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - The uses of whiteness: what sociologists working on Europe can draw from US research on whiteness

AU - Garner, Steve J.

PY - 2006/4

Y1 - 2006/4

N2 - Whiteness studies are trans-disciplinary, but here the focus is principally on sociology and social history. Firstly, I identify, elucidate and synthesize the major ways in which whiteness in this literature has hitherto been problematized, to provide a sociological view of the multidisciplinary work so far. Five interpretations are identified; whiteness as absence, as content, as a set of norms, as resources and as a contingent hierarchy. Secondly, I make some proposals regarding the whiteness problematic’s degree of pertinence to European settings, with a brief discussion of the Irish case. Finally, I argue that whiteness is useful if conceptualized in a way that sets it within the parameters of studies of racism.

AB - Whiteness studies are trans-disciplinary, but here the focus is principally on sociology and social history. Firstly, I identify, elucidate and synthesize the major ways in which whiteness in this literature has hitherto been problematized, to provide a sociological view of the multidisciplinary work so far. Five interpretations are identified; whiteness as absence, as content, as a set of norms, as resources and as a contingent hierarchy. Secondly, I make some proposals regarding the whiteness problematic’s degree of pertinence to European settings, with a brief discussion of the Irish case. Finally, I argue that whiteness is useful if conceptualized in a way that sets it within the parameters of studies of racism.

KW - identities

KW - racism

KW - whiteness

KW - racialisation

UR - http://www.uk.sagepub.com/journalsProdDesc.nav?prodId=Journal201569&currTree=Subjects&level1=N00&level2=&level3=&

U2 - 10.1177/0038038506062032

DO - 10.1177/0038038506062032

M3 - Article

VL - 40

SP - 257

EP - 275

JO - Sociology