The Obama Phenomenon

The editors (two professors of African American studies at the U. of California at Berkeley and the editor-in-chief of The Black Scholar) bring together an interdisciplinary group of scholars of African American politics and culture in order to probe the significance of Barack Obama's election to the presidency. Opening papers seek to explain the causal factors behind Obama's victory--which the introduction somewhat dubiously (considering the amount of Wall Street and other corporate money being poured into his campaign coffers at very early stages) claims that "no social scientist could have predicted"--looking at past strategies of Black electoral success; African American bloc voting; the roles of age, race, and gender in voting behavior; the roles of the Black and Latino press; and the role of Bill Clinton. The next seven essays address Obama in relation to cultural aspects of race in the United States and include an exhortation by novelist Alice Walker for white women to recognize Obama's worth and support him, exploration of the significance of the controversy over Obama's association with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, representations of Michelle Obama as potential first lady, and Obama's relationship to the hip hop community. Somewhat more critical perspectives begin to intrude once attention turns to policy in the volume's final three essays, which focus on domestic socioeconomic issues, foreign policy, and affirmative action. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)