As you peruse the isles of your local bookstore, in search of a summer read, consider picking up The Imperative of Integration, a recently published book by Elizabeth Anderson. Daniel Little, Professor of philosophy and chancellor of the University of Michigan-Dearborn reviewed Anderson’s book today on the Huffington Post, praising the social and political philosopher’s, “practical contribution to our ability to understand the patterns of race in the United States.”

Anderson illuminates the fact that residential segregation perpetuates almost all forms of racial disparities and group inequality. Anderson provides an analysis of how institutions isolate disadvantaged groups from access to public and private resources, from sources of human and cultural capital, and from the social networks that govern access to jobs, business connections, and political influence. The process hinders the disconnected groups’ ability to accumulate wealth, gain access to credit, and reinforces stigmatizing stereotypes about the disadvantaged, causing discrimination.

We definitely agree with Anderson’s conclusion; it is imperative that fair housing advocates and all citizens dismantle the mechanisms that propagate unjust social inequality. Housing is at the center of one’s quality of life so as we continue to integrate housing, all societal assets will improve and all residents will have access to opportunity.

To read more about The Imperative of Integration, click here.

Elizabeth Anderson and Jeffrey Jones maintain a valuable website about the Geography of Race in the United States which can be accessed here.

By Morgan P. Davis, Fair Housing Policy and Advocacy Manager