Politics of Race and Urban Crisis: The American Case (From Roots of Urban Unrest, P 51-60, 1993, John Benyon and John Solomos, eds. - See NCJ-175591)

• NCJ Number: 175595
• Author(s): M Kilson
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: Pergamon Press Limited
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

Political aspects of race and urban crisis in the United States are characterized by two dimensions, extending the social contract that governs citizenship status to marginal and pariah groups and facilitating the politicization of marginal groups toward parity with mainstream society.

Abstract

Considering these dimensions makes it possible to develop an operational context in which to locate and diagnose often high profile events and dynamics associated with the politics of race and urban crisis. Such dynamics concern tension between police and marginal groups, tension between marginal and mainstream groups, and urban riots sparked by tension. Three stages in the political management of the race and urban crisis in the United States are reviewed: (1) social contract inclusion and the civil rights movement between 1945 and 1964; (2) complex process of federalization between 1964 and 1975; and (3) elimination of race issues in police practices. The impact of the black political class on urban police systems is assessed, difficulties in "deracializing" police procedures are noted, and experiences in the management of race and urban crisis in the United States are compared to those of the British.