Pragmatism and the Problem of Race

How should pragmatists respond to and contribute to the resolution of one of America's greatest and most enduring problems? Given that the most important thinkers of the pragmatist movement--Charles S. Peirce, William James, John Dewey, and George Herbert Mead--said little about the problem of race, how does their distinctly American way of thinking confront the hardship and brutality that characterizes the experience of many African Americans in this country? In 12 thoughtful and provocative essays, contemporary American pragmatists connect ideas with action and theory with practice to come to terms with this seemingly intractable problem. Exploring themes such as racism and social change, the value of the concept of race, the role of education in ameliorating racism, and the place of democracy in dealing with the tragedy of race, the voices gathered in this volume consider how pragmatism can focus new attention on the problem of race.

Contributors are Michael Eldridge, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., Judith M. Green, D. Micah Hester, Donald F. Koch, Bill E. Lawson, David E. McClean, Gregory F. Pappas, Scott L. Pratt, Alfred E. Prettyman, John R. Shook, Paul C. Taylor, and Cornel West.

How should pragmatists respond to and contribute to the resolution of oneof America's greatest and most enduring problems? Given that the most importantthinkers of the pragmatist movement -- Charles S. Peirce, William James, John Dewey, and George Herbert Mead -- said little about the problem of race, how does theirdistinctly American way of thinking confront the hardship and brutality thatcharacterizes the experience of many African Americans in this country? In 12thoughtful and provocative essays, contemporary American pragmatists connect ideaswith action and theory with practice to come to terms with this seeminglyintractable problem. Exploring themes such as racism and social change, the value ofthe concept of race, the role of education in ameliorating racism, and the place ofdemocracy in dealing with the tragedy of race, the voices gathered in this volumeconsider how pragmatism can focus new attention on the problem ofrace.

Contributors are Michael Eldridge, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., Judith M. Green, D. Micah Hester, Donald F. Koch, Bill E. Lawson, David E. McClean, Gregory F. Pappas, Scott L. Pratt, Alfred E. Prettyman, John R. Shook, Paul C.Taylor, and Cornel West.

Bill E. Lawson is Professor of Philosophy at Michigan State University. He is co-author (with Howard McGary) of Between Slavery and Freedom (IUP, 1993).

Donald F. Koch is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Michigan State University. He has edited three volumes of Dewey's lectures.

Preliminary Table of Contents:

Preface

Introduction Donald F. Koch and Bill E. Lawson

Part I. Pragmatism as a General Approach to the Problem of Race

1. Dewey on Race and Social Change Michael Eldridge

2. Distance, Abstraction, and the Role of the Philosopher in the Pragmatic Approach to Racism Gregory Fernando Pappas

3. "Discovering a Problem": A Pragmatic Instrumentalist Approach to Educational Segregation Donald F. Koch

4. Dewey's Vision of Equal Opportunity for Education in a Democracy John R. Shook

5. Situating the Self: Grounding an Ethics of Culture and Race D. Micah Hester

6. Tragedy and Moral Experience: John Dewey and Toni Morrison's Beloved Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.

Part II. Pragmatism and Means

7. Booker T. Washington: A Pragmatist at Work Bill E. Lawson

8. Pragmatism and Race Paul C. Taylor

9. Should We Conserve the Notion of Race? David E. McClean

10. Civil Smother: Folkways of Renewed Racism in the United States Alfred E. Prettyman

11. Race, Education, and Democracy Scott L. Pratt

12. Building a Cosmopolitan World Community through Mutual Hospitality Judith M. Green

Afterword Cornel West

Contributors

Index