Race, Ethnicity, and the Evolution of Political Legitimacy - Essay Example

Two disparate movements, by black and white ethnics, respectively, utilized cultural identity for the mobilization of political force. African American groups, ostracized by institutional racism and cyclical poverty, employed this force in an effort to restructure government and attain more than just “equal rights”, but also equal opportunity. The endeavor culminated with the establishment of affirmative action, an effort to supersede the lack of equitable opportunity. White ethnicity resurged, in part defensively, as a response. White ethnics applied their cultural identification and political will toward the protection of their jobs and neighborhoods, which they felt were endangered by black demands. They perceived the demands of blacks as a threat to their own opportunities and stridently opposed the anti-individual, group recognition of affirmative action.

Though inherently similar, these groups sought different political and socioeconomic goals, ultimately resulting in conflict (i.e. the riots of the late 1960s). The political efforts of these two groups, affirmative action and resistance toward de-individualization, strongly support the authors’ argument that cultural identification was utilized as a stratagem for political and social strength and provides a cogent explanation for the resurgence of ethnic activism.