Table of Contents

List of Tables, Figures and Illustrations
Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: The Personal is Political
Chapter 2: Identity Politics and the Boundaries of
Belonging

Chapter 3: The Substance of U.S. Citizenship
Chapter 4: Racial Identity, Citizenship, and Voting
Chapter 5: Ethnic Identity: Demography and
Destiny

Chapter 6: Gender, Sexual Identity, and the
Challenge of Inclusion

Chapter 7: Religious Identity and Political Presence
Chapter 8: Identity and Political Movements

Chapter 9: The Inescapability of Identity Politics

Glossary
Works Cited
Notes

About the Author

Khalilah L. Brown-Dean is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Quinnipiac University.

Reviews

Brown-Dean makes clear how notions of belonging and exclusion constitute relentless forces in shaping policy, laws, and political representation in the United States. The book s lively interplay of deep historical dives and compelling empirical evidence drives home the power of boundary-making around race, gender, religion, and other identities in US political life. A must-read for students of politics.
Janelle Wong, University of Maryland

Brown-Dean situates today s identity politics debates within a much-needed legal and political historical context, revealing that all politics are indeed about identity, and urging us to resist simplistic frameworks and instead engage in tough but necessary conversations about difference.
Heath Fogg Davis, Temple University

An exciting and comprehensive introduction to identity politics in America today.
Sharon Wright Austin, University of Florida

This superb text is masterfully written and excellently researched. Undergraduate students will find the material engaging and thought-provoking. Professor Brown-Dean is skilled at making the basic tenets of American government come alive in the 21st century by foregrounding identity politics as central to understanding American democracy.
Nadia Brown, Purdue University