67 pages 2 hours read

Claudia Rankine

Just Us: An American Conversation

Nonfiction | Anthology/Varied Collection | Adult | Published in 2020

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Essay Topics

1.

Why do think Rankine chose the title Just Us to talk about the structural racism that divides white Americans from American people of color? Is her examination of racial divisions and hierarchies applicable to non-American contexts? Explain.

2.

How does Rankine examine her own privilege in relation to that of her white friends, colleagues, and travel companions? What distinctions does she draw, and how do these distinctions reinforce her thesis?

3.

How does Rankine’s integration of photography and social media texts provide further contextual evidence of the points that she raises? How might this media be more effective that the research-based notes that conclude her chapters?