Urban Racial Tensions Summary

Aneka Dixon

The Political Economy and Urban Racial Tensions Summary In the article “The Political Economy and Urban Racial Tensions” there are several different areas with race that the writer William Julius Wilson explains his viewpoints about. In this article Wilson writes about many political economy and urban racial tensions. The importance of me writing this paper is to summarize the main viewpoints that Wilson has about the different topics in his article; also, to state how I feel about the article and what are my points about urban racial tensions. At the beginning of the article, Wilson states, “in this atmosphere of heightened racial awareness we forget or overlook the fact that racial antagonisms are products of situations—economic
In this section it explains how lower-income whites feel the impact of fiscal crisis in the United States, and because of this many of these people bought houses that were inexpensive and in which they were closer to their jobs. These things cause a racial tension because now the black and the Latino population are now fighting and competing with the whites for jobs, decent schools housing and neighborhoods in the central city. The article states “ the racial struggle for power and privilege in the central city is essentially a struggle between the have-nots” (286); these different races are mainly competing against each other because they feel that no matter what they are going to stick by their own race. Other problems are between the working class whites and blacks in Chicago; the whites feel that they are being threatened by black crime and black encroachment. It is said that the racial tension has been on black and white encounters; these populations usually cause the racial
This section explains how “neighborhoods plague with high levels of joblessness are more likely to experience problems of social organization” (289). Being without jobs causes problems and affect social organization, ranging from crime, gang violence, etc. When there is persistent unemployment, life becomes more troubled; then there is more destruction made. Furthermore, another important factor that creates racial tensions is said to be demagogic messages. Wilson explains that during stressful economic times, it is significant that political leaders channel the frustration of citizens in positive or constructive ways; on the other hand, when stressful times come about, certain leaders do not take the constructive route, some usually channel frustrations and continue to add on to the racial tension. Wilson states that “these messages force them to turn on turn on each other---race against race”