Abstract
This provocative, commentary serves as a concise introduction to an Ethnic Studies examination of the multiple dimensions of persistent and hotly debated topics around race and culture in the United States. Using anecdotal narratives this E-book explores the roles of public policy, the media industry, religion, and identity formation as it pertains to the mosaic of ethnic, racially, and culturally designated groups in this country. Critical perspectives are presented in a historical framework linked to contemporary social-political issues of the 21st century. This is accomplished employing descriptive anecdotal narratives, supported by pictorial and video links to testimony from members of impacted ethnic minorities and other historically oppressed people of this evolving United States society. Explored are concepts of identity, knowledge construction, social networks, social movements, and inequalities. With today’s intensifying public distrust and confrontation, this book offers a nuanced perspective of how social advantages and disadvantages accumulate, and how constructions of race, ethnicity, class, ability, and gender influence how we navigate life in this country of diversity.