The Encyclopedia of Racism in American Films

Winner, RUSA 2019 Outstanding References Source Winner and named a Library Journal Best Reference Book of the Year 2018 From D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation in 1915 to the recent Get Out, audiences and critics alike have responded to racism in motion pictures for more than a century. Whether subtle or blatant, racially biased images and narratives erase minorities, perpetuate stereotypes, and keep alive practices of discrimination and marginalization. Even in the 21st century, the American film industry is not "color blind," evidenced by films such as Babel (2006), A Better Life (2011), and 12 Years a Slave (2013). The Encyclopedia of Racism in American Film documents one facet of racism in the film industry, wherein historically underrepresented peoples are misrepresented-through a lack of roles for actors of color, stereotyping, negative associations, and an absence of rich, nuanced characters. Offering insights and analysis from over seventy scholars, critics, and activists, the volume highlights issues such as: -Hollywood's diversity crisis -White Savior films -Magic Negro tropes -The disconnect between screen images and lived realities of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asians A companion to the ever-growing field of race studies, this volume opens up a critical dialogue on an always timely issue. The Encyclopedia of Racism in American Film will appeal to scholars of cinema, race and ethnicity studies, and cultural history.

Author: Salvador Jiménez Murguía
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 04/12/2018
Pages: 824
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 4.20lbs
Size: 10.10h x 7.40w x 2.20d
ISBN13: 9781442269057
ISBN10: 1442269057
BISAC Categories:
- Performing Arts | Film | Reference
- Social Science | Discrimination
- Performing Arts | Film | History & Criticism

About the Author
Salvador Jimenez Murguia is associate professor of sociology at Akita International University. He is the editor of The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Films (2016) and the coeditor of The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Films (2018), both published by Rowman & Littlefield.