Description
Book Synopsis*A TIMES AND SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR*
'[Owolade's] argument has needed saying for years' Janan Ganesh, Financial Times
'Compelling and admirable' Sunday Times
'Passionate and timely' Observer
'Excellent' Telegraph
'Illuminating' The Times
'Timely [and] engaging' Guardian
***Chosen as a non-fiction highlight of 2023 in The Times, Guardian, Observer, Irish Times and New Statesman***
Across the West, racial injustice has become one of the most divisive issues of our age. In the rush to address inequality and prejudice, and to understand concerns around identity, immigration and colonial history, Britain has followed the lead of the world's dominant power: America. We judge ourselves by America's standards, absorb its arguments and follow its agenda. But what if we're looking in the wrong place?
This is Not America is built on the idea that black Britons are British first and foremost, and thus are likely to have more in common with other Britons than with black people in other parts of the world. It argues that too much of the conversation around race in Britain today is viewed through the prism of American ideas that don't reflect the history, challenges and achievements of increasingly diverse black populations at home. To build a long-lasting and more effective anti-racist agenda we must acknowledge that crucial differences exist between Britain and America, and that we are talking about distinct communities and cultures, distinguished by language, history, class, religion and national origin. Humane, empirical and passionate, this book provides a bold new framework for understanding race in Britain today.
Trade ReviewExcellent...
This is Not America lands us in that complex area called humanity, which, Owolade argues, is the best place for us to forge common goals -- Tony Sewell * Telegraph *
Passionate and
timely... [Owolade] concludes: 'To define someone exclusively by their race is to acquiesce to the visions of racists.' Amen to that. -- Colin Grant * Observer *
The
most interesting meditation on what it means to be black in the modern world in 25 years. * Sir Trevor Phillips *
[Owolade's] argument
has needed saying for years... the book
deserves to succeed * Janan Ganesh, Financial Times *
Persuasive and
insightful... [Owolade's] manifesto for a black British identity, one that sees the two identities as 'indivisible' rather than opposed, is
compelling and
admirable, as is his love of his Britishness * Sunday Times *
Owolade's book is a
timely exploration of difficult questions.
Proudly unorthodox, sometimes
provocative, it has the
merit of being engaging even when it enrages. -- S. I. Martin * Guardian *
Packed with
illuminating statistics and potted biographies,
This Is Not America is an espresso of a book - a
short and
stimulating affair that will leave you feeling smarter * The Times *
Wide-
ranging... [Owolade's] intent is to engender a form of antiracism that is UK-specific, thus more
truthful and
useful * New Statesman *
A
brave argument * Michela Wrong, Spectator *
Owolade draws on his personal experiences and those of others to
craft a nuanced, compassionate and surprisingly
optimistic view of race relations in Britain. * Irish Times *
An
erudite book, full of
clear,
courageous, common-sense observations about the different histories and patterns of racism that divide Britain and the US * Jewish Chronicle *
Impressive... a resounding appeal for openness, intelligence, imagination and common sense in the discussion of racial difference in our society * The Tablet *
An
outstanding achievement...
This is Not America is a
deeply researched,
passionately argued and
original contribution to one of the most important debates in modern Britain. I admired it immensely. -- Dr Amanda Foreman, author of The Duchess
Tomiwa Owolade has
achieved the near impossible feat of bringing much needed
reason,
nuance and
balance to the super charged debate about race and racism that has migrated from America to Britain and many other European democracies. -- Jacob Mchangama, author of Free Speech
Subtle,
subversive and
compassionate, this is a book not just for black Britons but for all Britons interested in the evolving character of our national identity, and who want to feel
optimistic about it. -- Tom Holland, author of Rubicon
A
brave and
utterly engrossing book. Nuanced, fair-minded and thoughtful...
This is Not America is
essential reading for anyone interested in some of the most contentious issues of our time -- Ian Buruma, author of Year Zero
Tomiwa Owolade navigates questions of race and identity in British politics with a rare combination of
subtlety,
clarity and
moral urgency. Powered by historical scholarship,
This is Not America steers a course of cool intellectual rigour through a debate that is too often polarised and polemical -- Rafael Behr, author of Politics: A Survivor's Guide
Eloquent and
insightful -- Dr Remi Adekoya, author of Biracial Britain
A
calm and
insightful voice in an often overheated debate. -- Kenan Malik, author of The Quest for a Moral Compass
This is Not America is not only
indispensable writing and
indispensable thinking - it is
essential to working out who we are in Britain today -- Ben Judah, author of This is London
Few books truly deserve to be called '
necessary' but
This is Not America is one of them. -- Ian Leslie, author of How to Disagree
Weaves
elegantly through
statistics, literary narratives and personal stories to reveal the radically different social and cultural contexts of the two countries with regard to race... [and] forms part of the
urgent and long-awaited intellectual work needed to create a genuinely fair and socially just society * The Critic *
Owolade tells an
optimistic story of racial progress... Thinkers like these [Owolade] are poised to
dramatically alter a conversation that has hitherto been dominated by a narrow cadre of white progressive elites and minority radicals. * Literary Review *
Well informed,
nuanced and
balanced, Tomiwa Owolade is the optimistic future of Britain's race debate -- David Goodhart, author of The Road to Somewhere
Table of ContentsIntroduction: This is Not America 1: Double Consciousness 2: American Integrationism 3: Critical Race Theory 4: Immigration 5: Empire 6: Discrimination and Disparities 7: BAME 8: Mixed Race 9: Black and British
