Race and Retail | Mia Bay & Ann Fabian

Race and Retail: Consumption Across the Color Line

Extended Synopsis

Race has long shaped shopping experiences for many Americans, with retail establishments frequently serving as flashpoints for conflict not only between Black and white individuals, but across a wide variety of ethnic groups. Race and Retail: Consumption Across the Color Line documents the extent to which commercial establishments, both past and present, have often catered to specific racial and ethnic demographics while excluding others. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, the original essays collected here explore selling and buying practices globally, addressing the structural barriers that shape consumer habits.

Contributors highlight contemporary issues by investigating how race informs business owners' ideas about consumer demand, frequently resulting in substandard quality and higher prices in minority neighborhoods compared to predominantly white areas. From urban gentrification and discriminatory pricing to Arab and Turkish coffeehouses in New Jersey and tourist capoeira consumption in Brazil, this volume illuminates the complex play of forces at work in racialized retail markets and the everyday impact of those forces on minority consumers.

Author Biography

Mia Bay and Ann Fabian (Eds.) are distinguished scholars and editors who bring together an interdisciplinary group of experts. Their collective work focuses on social history, race, ethnicity, and the complex historical and contemporary dynamics of American culture and commerce.

Reader Targeting

• Scholars and students of American social history, ethnic studies, and discrimination.
• Researchers and professionals analyzing consumer behavior and urban economics.
• Readers interested in the intersection of race, commerce, and everyday retail experiences.

Accolades & Awards

Published as part of the acclaimed Rutgers Studies on Race and Ethnicity series, offering groundbreaking interdisciplinary scholarship on the everyday impact of racialized markets.

Bibliographic & Physical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main focus of this collection?
The book explores how race has historically and presently shaped shopping, commercial exchange, and consumer experiences in America and beyond.

What topics are covered in the essays?
Contributions cover diverse topics including Jim Crow roadside accommodations, urban gentrification, food deserts, discriminatory pricing, and cultural consumer spaces.

Who edited the volume?
The book was edited by distinguished scholars Mia Bay and Ann Fabian.

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