Governing with Words: The Political Dialogue on Race, Public Policy, and Inequality in America [Paperback]

This book demonstrates that politicians' discussions of race increase policy success and public awareness, improving racial inequality.Governing with Words challenges the perception that politicians' discussion of race only hinders policy success and leads to a backlash from the American public. This study will be assigned to undergraduate and graduate students taking courses on race and ethnic politics, public policy, political communication, and health policy.Governing with Words challenges the perception that politicians' discussion of race only hinders policy success and leads to a backlash from the American public. This study will be assigned to undergraduate and graduate students taking courses on race and ethnic politics, public policy, political communication, and health policy.Rather than considering political discussions and rhetoric as symbolic, inconsequential forms of politics, Governing with Words conceptualizes them as forms of government action that can shape institutions and societal norms. Daniel Q. Gillion refers to this theory as 'discursive governance'. Federal politicians' statements about racial and ethnic minority concerns aid the passage of minority public policies and improve individual lifestyle behaviors. Unfortunately, most of the American public continues to disapprove of politicians' rhetoric that highlights race. The book argues that addressing racial and ethnic inequality continues to be a tug-of-war between avoiding the backlash of the majority in this nation while advocating for minority interests. Even though this paradox looms over politicians' discussions of race, race-conscious political speech, viewed in its entirety, is the mechanism by which marginalized groups find a place in the democratic process. Such race-conscious discussions, the book argues, have ramifications both within and outside of government.1. Discursive governance: toward a holistic approach to understanding a dialogue on race in government; 2. Measuring the l31