What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions
Language: English
Published by Princeton University Press, 2025
- Hardcover
- Used

Seller: Strand Book Store, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.Strand Book Store, ABAA
AbeBooks seller since April 12, 2000
Condition: Used - Good
£ 12.35
Quantity: 2 available
Add to basketSeller Inventory # 3759239
- Title
- What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions
- Author
- Susan Sturm
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- Publication year
- 2025
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0691246742
- ISBN 13
- 9780691246741
- Series
- Book 5 of 5: Our Compelling Interests
- Seller catalogs
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
How to turn the paradoxes built into anti-racism work into drivers of learning and change
Even as anti-racism practices seemed to be gaining momentum, the nation shows signs of falling back into long-standing patterns of racial injustice and inequality. Leaders who introduce anti-racist approaches to their organizations often face backlash from white colleagues and skepticism from colleagues of color, leading to paralysis. In What Might Be, Susan Sturm explores how to navigate the contradictions built into our racialized history, relationships, and institutions. She offers strategies and stories for confronting racism within predominantly white institutions, describing how change agents can move beyond talk to build the architecture of full participation.
Sturm argues that although we cannot avoid the contradictions built into efforts to confront racism, we can make them into engines of cross-racial reflection, bridge building, and institutional reimagination, rather than falling into a Groundhog Day–like trap of repeated failures. Drawing on her decades of experience researching and working with institutions to help them become more equitable and inclusive, Sturm identifies three persistent paradoxes inherent in anti-racism work. These are the paradox of racialized power, whereby anti-racism requires white people to lean into and yet step back from exercising power; the paradox of racial salience, which means that effective efforts must explicitly name and address race while also framing their goals in universal terms other than race; and the paradox of racialized institutions, which must drive anti-racism work while simultaneously being the target of it. Sturm shows how people and institutions can cultivate the capacity to straddle these contradictions, enabling those in different racial positions to discover their linked fate and become the catalysts for long-term change.
The book includes thoughtful and critical responses from Goodwin Liu, Freeman Hrabowski, and Anurima Bhargava.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Strand Book Store, ABAA
New York, NY, U.S.A.
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 3 to 7 business days | 2 to 3 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 6.73 | £ 12.72 |
Payment methods
Specialty
Art & Photography, Rare and Collectible: First Editions, Used, Fine, ScholarlyAssociation member
Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.Seller's business information
Strand Book Store, Inc.
828 Broadway
New York, NY U.S.A. 10003
Terms of sale
We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. All books are subject to prior
sale in our stores. We cannot guarantee availability of every title, but we will
ship on a first come first served basis. NY State residents must add appropriate
sales tax.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Strand Book Store, ABAA, New York, New York, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know if an additional fee is required. U.S. standard shipping: $7.99 for the first book + .99 for each additional item. U.S orders shipped via trackable method wherever possible (UPS or US Postal Service) unless otherwise requested. International orders (including Canada)*: $34.99 for the first book + $9.99 for each additional item. International orders are shipped surface mail unless otherwise requested. Please allow 2-12 weeks for this method as books travel by land and sea routes. International airmail and DHL Express Worldmail Service also available.