Enid Lynette Logan
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814752975
- eISBN:
- 9780814753460
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814752975.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
In January 2009, Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States. In the weeks and months following the election, as in those that preceded it, countless social observers from across the ...
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In January 2009, Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States. In the weeks and months following the election, as in those that preceded it, countless social observers from across the ideological spectrum commented upon the cultural, social, and political significance of “the Obama phenomenon.” This book provides a nuanced analysis framed by innovative theoretical insights to explore how Barack Obama's presidential candidacy both reflected and shaped the dynamics of race in the contemporary United States. Using the 2008 election as a case study of U.S. race relations, and based on a wealth of empirical data that includes an analysis of over 1,500 newspaper articles, blog postings, and other forms of public speech collected over a 3-year period, the book claims that while race played a central role in the 2008 election, it was in several respects different from the past. The book ultimately concludes that while the selection of an individual African American man as president does not mean that racism is dead in the contemporary United States, we must also think creatively and expansively about what the election does mean for the nation and for the evolving contours of race in the 21st century.Less
In January 2009, Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States. In the weeks and months following the election, as in those that preceded it, countless social observers from across the ideological spectrum commented upon the cultural, social, and political significance of “the Obama phenomenon.” This book provides a nuanced analysis framed by innovative theoretical insights to explore how Barack Obama's presidential candidacy both reflected and shaped the dynamics of race in the contemporary United States. Using the 2008 election as a case study of U.S. race relations, and based on a wealth of empirical data that includes an analysis of over 1,500 newspaper articles, blog postings, and other forms of public speech collected over a 3-year period, the book claims that while race played a central role in the 2008 election, it was in several respects different from the past. The book ultimately concludes that while the selection of an individual African American man as president does not mean that racism is dead in the contemporary United States, we must also think creatively and expansively about what the election does mean for the nation and for the evolving contours of race in the 21st century.
Dianne M. Pinderhughes
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252036453
- eISBN:
- 9780252093487
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252036453.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter examines the presidential candidacy and early presidency of Barack Obama during 2008 and 2009. It looks at how candidate Obama managed race in the primary and general election campaigns, ...
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This chapter examines the presidential candidacy and early presidency of Barack Obama during 2008 and 2009. It looks at how candidate Obama managed race in the primary and general election campaigns, and then explores how President Obama has fared in handling race during the first one hundred days of his administration. First, it addresses race and gender in the primaries and the general elections and considers the factors that made his campaign successful. Secondly, it explores his transition, before turning to how he has shaped the presidential role and his accomplishments during his first year in office. Finally, it considers issues associated with President Obama's attention to his core domestic constituencies, specifically African American and Latino/a populations, and the challenges associated with racial policy.Less
This chapter examines the presidential candidacy and early presidency of Barack Obama during 2008 and 2009. It looks at how candidate Obama managed race in the primary and general election campaigns, and then explores how President Obama has fared in handling race during the first one hundred days of his administration. First, it addresses race and gender in the primaries and the general elections and considers the factors that made his campaign successful. Secondly, it explores his transition, before turning to how he has shaped the presidential role and his accomplishments during his first year in office. Finally, it considers issues associated with President Obama's attention to his core domestic constituencies, specifically African American and Latino/a populations, and the challenges associated with racial policy.
