Overview

Discusses the many ways that racism and hierarchies of language hinder honesty and harm society. In this bold attempt to challenge readers’ assumptions about racial prejudice, JPB Gerald explores how racism and hierarchies of language hinder effective education and harm societies around the world. Through a wide range of interviews with experts in areas ranging from US states generally perceived as being progressive to countries including Finland, Algeria and Japan, the author explores how a centuries-long battle for control of the narrative around race and language continues to be fought across the globe. The chapters address how racism and harmful linguistic ideologies are perceived, and how these perceptions are influenced and exacerbated by popular culture, which often obscures the reality of intersecting axes of oppression. The book concludes by drawing together the common threads and exploring how readers can challenge and change the narrative.  

Full Product Details

9781800419391

Table of Contents

Reviews

This book resists the notion that racism is 'just' an issue in the Southern United States. In his witty and engaging voice, JPB navigates how whiteness operates in invisible ways in areas of the world thought of as nice, progressive, or 'not racist'. This is a must-read for teacher-scholars in language studies and beyond. * Yasmine Romero, University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu, USA *

This book resists the notion that racism is 'just' an issue in the Southern United States. In his witty and engaging voice, JPB navigates how whiteness operates in invisible ways in areas of the world thought of as nice, progressive, or 'not racist'. This is a must-read for teacher-scholars in language studies and beyond. * Yasmine Romero, University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu, USA * Through vivid narratives, candid interviews, and incisive analysis, Gerald explores how whiteness and language ideologies operate across diverse contexts. Rather than offering easy answers, this book opens a dialogue. It challenges readers to interrogate assumptions, embrace complexity, and, above all, listen. In an era of polarization, Gerald models what it means to engage critically yet generously, weaving together multiple perspectives without closing the door on debate. * Clara Vaz Bauler, Adelphi University, USA *

Author Information

JPB Gerald is an independent scholar of issues around language, race and neurodivergence, based in New York, USA. He is the author of Antisocial Language Teaching (Multilingual Matters, 2022) and a book for K12 teachers Embracing the Exceptions (Routledge, 2025).

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