Black and White Styles in Conflict

Rating:
Summary: A step back
Review: I have been reading this book for a graduate level Art Education course. In this book Kochman makes many broad generalizations that, while he may consider them true, are belied by the way he phrases them. He makes many absolute statements about the behaviors of both black people and white people and the way in which he writes leaves no room for deviation. I would recommend this book if you are curious about why racism is still a problem in this country. The problem of racism will only begin to be alleviated when people stop making broad statements that stereotype races or cultures as behaving in a particular way. Kochman does not seem to realize this.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! I learned some things about myself.
Review: I used an earlier version of the book. The book gives both perspectives on situations and good insight into Black culture especially in situations where disagreements or conflict may occur. The examples may be a bit dated but there is still enough of the information that applies to today's world. At least give it a look-see.

Rating:
Summary: A valuable book, but sometimes misunderstood
Review: This book changed my life for the better. I highly recommend it, but it needs to be read carefully and with understanding.
Kochman examines several differing cultural "styles" of American Blacks and Whites. Then he shows how people can misinterpret these stylistic differences and thereby reinforce their own stereotyped views of the other group - usually without realizing that they have made an interpretation, let alone a misinterpretation!
I have been in discussions where people complained that Kochman himself was making racist generalizations. That complaint is based on a failure to read the book carefully and with understanding.
Kochman explains that cultural styles are NOT inborn and NOT uniformly expressed by every member of the group in question. But cultural styles do exist, and are assumed by many people to be inborn "racial" characteristics. The whole point is to understand how cultural styles work, to recognize them and not to misinterpret them.

Kochman's writing is brilliant and valuable. It deserves careful attention.