Concentrating on the conjunctures of whiteness in the United States and committed to an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach, the essays of this volume analyze the development of whiteness in profound studies. In impressive investigations based on a comprehensive evaluation of primary sources, the papers exemplify the sociocultural, socioeconomic, and sociopolitical construction of whiteness. . . . The editors of The Construction of Whiteness have compiled a groundbreaking collection, demonstrating the necessity and productivity of a historically orientated analysis of whiteness."" - Wulf D. Hund, professor of sociology, University of Hamburg""Adding to an intriguing and challenging field of study, this volume of essays presents the major recent scholarship on the ideology of racial identity in American history. With brilliance and great perception, this collection provides a multidisciplinary approach (history, English, law, communication, sociology, and more) that broadens the focus beyond a mere commentary on generalized culture and legalities. Grappling with forces and factors affecting the creation and meaning of whiteness, this in-depth examination uncovers the deeply intertwined relationship between racial identity and politics. The surprising juxtaposition of ideas pulls the reader into an emotional landscape that covers over two hundred years of US history. These are sweeping ideas, bracing and challenging. They mercilessly expose the complexity and tension endemic in racial identity."" - Orville Vernon Burton, author of The Age of Lincoln: A History