Description
Book SynopsisThis book makes use of ethnographic data to enrich our understanding of the Tea Party, particularly what it was that drew people to the movement. It argues that, far from radical, the Tea Party reflects the broader realities around race, gender, and class that permeate our social and political system.
Trade ReviewDrawing on 25 interviews with Tea Party organizers in Illinois, Burke makes a plea for seeing this social movement as a rational response to economic distress shared with those on the Left disturbed by deindustrialization and a disappearing middle class. This brief book offers many extensive direct quotes from Burke’s respondents, allowing readers to evaluate her claims about rationality and potential cross-party alliances. . . .Discourses that essentialize women as mothers and as 'giving' to the cause are interpreted as 'empowering' women politically, and anger at American 'decay' and 'elites' is given a positive spin as a form of class consciousness. Useful for both the data and Burke's provocative interpretations. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels/libraries. * CHOICE *
Meghan Burke’s distinctive contribution to literature on the Tea Party offers original insight into the complex political and ideological terrain of race, gender, and class that informs Tea Party logic and shapes their trepidations about the future of the American democratic project. Her unique vision will certainly pique the interest of researchers across social science disciplines, particularly those interested in interrogating how the construction of white racial privilege, along lines of race, gender, and class, influences social movement activism within the Tea Party and what that means for the future of American politics. * Journal of Women, Politics, & Policy *
Race, Gender, and Class in the Tea Party moves beyond simplistic stereotypes to capture the complex ideological beliefs of Tea Party organizers. Author Meghan Burke convincingly illustrates how Tea Party understandings are not “on the fringe,” but are clearly connected to mainstream beliefs about race, gender, and class. This book makes an important contribution to our understanding of this influential group. -- Ashley "Woody" Doane, University of Hartford
An important and fresh look at the Tea Party. Meghan Burke masterfully portrays the complexities of a movement in which democratic impulses and women’s empowerment coexist with support for continued inequalities of race and social class. Essential reading for all students of modern American politics. -- Kathleen M. Blee, University of Pittsburgh; author of Inside Organized Racism: Women in the Hate Movement
Table of ContentsChapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Women And Men In The Land Of Lincoln Chapter Three: Tea Party Racism Is American Racism Chapter Four: Women And Gender In The Tea Party Chapter Five: Ideology and Coalition
