TheNewYorkTimesbest-sellingbookexploringthecounterproductivereactionswhitepeoplehavewhentheirassumptionsaboutracearechallenged,andhowthesereactionsmaintainracialinequality.Inthis“vital,necessary,andbeautifulbook“(MichaelEricDyson),antiracisteducatorRobinDiAngelodeftlyilluminatesthephenomenonofwhitefragilityand“allowsustounderstandracismasapracticenotrestrictedto’badpeople’(ClaudiaRankine).Referringtothedefensivemovesthatwhitepeoplemakewhenchallengedracially,whitefragilityischaracterizedbyemotionssuchasanger,fear,andguilt,andbybehaviorsincludingargumentationandsilence.Thesebehaviors,inturn,functiontoreinstatewhiteracialequilibriumandpreventanymeaningfulcross-racialdialogue.Inthisin-depthexploration,DiAngeloexamineshowwhitefragilitydevelops,howitprotectsracialinequality,andwhatwecandotoengagemoreconstructively.
