Shades of Difference Why Skin Color Matters [Hardcover]

Shades of Differenceaddresses the widespread but little studied phenomenon ofcolorismthe preference for lighter skin and the ranking of individual worth according to skin tone. Examining the social and cultural significance of skin color in a broad range of societies and historical periods, this insightful collection looks at how skin color affects people's opportunities in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and North America.Is skin color bias distinct from racial bias? How does skin color preference relate to gender, given the association of lightness with desirability and beauty in women? The authors of this volume explore these and other questions as they take a closer look at the role Western-dominated culture and media have played in disseminating the ideal of light skin globally. With its comparative, international focus, this enlightening book will provide innovative insights and expand the dialogue around race and gender in the social sciences, ethnic studies, African American studies, and gender and women's studies. If you think that there is nothing left to write or read about skin color and human societies,Shades of Differencewill change your mind and shake you up. Skin color and race are often used synonymously in the US. From historical accounts of black beauty pageants to social meanings of color in Brazil to global marketing of skin lightening products, Nakano Glenn presents an array of research from different countries of the world to analyze the meanings and hierarchies of skin-color. The result is a very thought-provoking book that will reshape how scholars think about skin color and race in the contemporary world. [T]his is an excellent collection with new findings, important ideas, and moving quotations and illustrations. I recommend it highly. Evelyn Nakano Glenn is Professor of Ethnic Studies and Gender and Women's Studies and Founding Director of the Center for Race and Gender at the University of California, Berkeley. She cl“Ô