Thread by @MattGrossmann

"Whiteshift" has lots of interesting research on European & US views on racism, white identity, & resistance to diversification, though I don't share @epkaufm political prescriptions & think "left-modernism" is slowly winning, despite inevitable resistance
amazon.com/Whiteshift-Pop…

Core Whiteshift insight is that whites in US & Europe are concerned with quick racial & cultural change but have to hide complaints about immigration in economic & security concerns & anti-elitism due to anti-racist norms, creating opening for far right & also further shaming 2/n

White identity & feelings of threat from diversification (as well as the firm opponents of those views) are interwoven in ideology, such that both whites & minorities divide politically; backlash shouldn’t be surprising as it’s happened throughout the world & human history 3/n

Historically, non-exclusionary increases in diversity typically bring expanded definitions of majority race & culture, intermarriage, & endorsement of symbols of majority-biased national heritage, a claimed melting pot that nonetheless maintains (part ethno-)national identity 4/n

Immigration becomes politicized with negative news coverage, conservative media, rapid demographic change, or politicized events & policy; even though long-term trends are pro-immigration, salience is higher for opponents; could even reach Canada if conservatives politicized 5/n

Immigration & related racial views explain significant Trump & Brexit support, regardless of income or even race; But these sentiments remain far less important & long-standing in US politics than in Europe, partly due to Muslim share & refugee influx; 6/n

“overzealous liberal norm-policing,” @epkaufm says, is making polarization on immigration & identity worse; I am only partially persuaded so far, think it has more to do with Democrats increasing salience of race compared to class (at least in US): 7/n
niskanencenter.org/blog/racial-at…

Book includes defense of majority group thinking & even organizing in terms of white interests; I share @zackbeauchamp dim view of this & its inattention to US black/white history:
vox.com/policy-and-pol…
though r short-term political risks in equating white identity & racism 8/8