Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
James B. Duke Professor of Sociology
I am trained in class analysis, political sociology, and sociology of development (globalization). However, my work in the last 20 years has been in the area of race. I have published on racial theory, race and methodology, color-blind racism, the idea that race stratification in the USA is becoming Latin America-like, racial grammar, HWCUs, race and human rights, race and citizenship, whiteness, and the Obama phenomenon among other things. In all my work, I contend that racism is fundamentally about "racial domination," hence, racism is a collective and structural phenomenon in society (see my 1997 ASR on this matter).
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- James B. Duke Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2018
- Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2006
Contact Information
- Duke Box 90088, Durham, NC 27708-0088
- Sociology, Durham, NC 27708
-
eb48@duke.edu
(919) 660-5607
- Background
-
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison 1993
- M.A., University of Wisconsin at Madison 1987
- B.A., University of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico) 1984
-
Duke Appointment History
- Chair in the Department of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2012 - 2016
- Professor in the Deaprtment of African and African American Studies, African and African American Studies, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2010 - 2013
- Research Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2005 - 2006
- Recognition
-
In the News
-
MAY 8, 2018 -
AUG 4, 2016 The Christian Science Monitor -
JUL 19, 2016 Washington Post -
NOV 30, 2015 The Christian Science Monitor -
NOV 24, 2015 CNN -
NOV 12, 2015 USA Today -
MAR 13, 2015 MTV -
DEC 1, 2014 The New York Times -
DEC 1, 2014 CNN -
SEP 23, 2014 The Seattle Times -
AUG 23, 2013 Los Angeles Times
-
-
Awards & Honors
- Expertise
-
Global Scholarship
-
Expertise
-
- Research
-
Selected Grants
- Publications & Artistic Works
-
Selected Publications
-
Books
- Bonilla-Silva, E. Racism without Racists Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America. Rowman & Littlefield, June 9, 2017.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. Racism without Racists (4th Edition). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, July 29, 2013.
- Doane, AW, and Bonilla-Silva, E. White Out: The Continuing Significance of Racism. New York: Routledge, January 11, 2013.
- Jung, MK, Vargas, J, and Bonilla-Silva, E. The State of White Supremacy: Racims, Governance, and the USA. Stanford University Press, February 2011.
- Zuberi, T, and Bonilla-Silva, E. White Logic, White Methods: Race, Epistemology, and the Social Sciences. Rowman and Littlefield, 2008.
- International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Edited by W Darity and E Bonilla-Silva. Macmillan, 2007.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. White Supremacy and Racism in the Post-civil Rights Era. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2001.
-
Academic Articles
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "“Racists,” “Class Anxieties,” Hegemonic Racism, and Democracy in Trump’s America." Social Currents 6, no. 1 (February 1, 2019): 14-31. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Feeling Race: Theorizing the Racial Economy of Emotions(Accepted)." American Sociological Review (January 1, 2018). Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "What We Were, What We Are, and What We Should Be: The Racial Problem of American Sociology." Social Problems 64, no. 2 (January 1, 2017): 179-187. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The Structure of Racism in Color-Blind, “Post-Racial” America." American Behavioral Scientist 59, no. 11 (January 1, 2015): 1358-1376. Full Text
- Golash-Boza, T, and Bonilla-Silva, E. "Rethinking race, racism, identity and ideology in Latin America." Ethnic and Racial Studies 36, no. 10 (October 2013): 1485-1489. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The last shall be first: Best books in the race field since 2000." Contemporary Sociology 42, no. 1 (January 1, 2013): 31-40. (Review) Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The invisible weight of whiteness: the racial grammar of everyday life in contemporary America." Ethnic and Racial Studies 35, no. 2 (February 1, 2012): 173-194. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Examining, Debating, and Ranting about the Obama Phenomenon: Introduction to Special Section on Obama." Political Power and Social Theory 22 (2012): 3-16.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The Invisisble Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America." Ethnic and Racial Studies 34, no. 12 (2012).
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Dietrich, D. "The new racism: The racial regime of post-civil rights America." Studies in Critical Social Sciences 32 (January 1, 2011): 41-67.
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Seamster, L. "The Sweet Enchantment of Color Blindness in Black Face: Explaining the “Miracle,” Debating the Politics, and Suggesting a Way for Hope to be “For Real” in America." (January 2011): 139-175. Full Text
- Seamster, L, and Bonilla-Silva, E. "Introduction: Examining, Debating, and Ranting about the Obama Phenomenon." (January 2011): 3-15. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Review of Racial Justice in the Age of Obama in Ethnic and Racial Studies by Roy L. Brooks." Ethnic and Racial Studies 33 (October 2010): 1169-1170.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The hangover is still not over: Obamerica a Year Later." Humanity and Society 34, no. 3 (July 2010): 280-284.
- Burton, LM, Bonilla-Silva, E, Ray, V, Buckelew, R, and Hordge Freeman, E. "Critical race theories, colorism, and the decade's research on families of color." Journal of Marriage and Family 72, no. 3 (June 1, 2010): 440-459. (Review) Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The 2008 Elections and the Future of Anti-racism in 21st Century Amerika Or How We Got Drunk with Obama’s Hope Liquor and Failed to See Reality." Humanity and Society 34, no. 3 (2010): 222-232.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Are the Americas 'sick with racism' or is it a problem at the poles? A reply to Christina A. Sue." Ethnic and Racial Studies 32, no. 6 (July 1, 2009): 1071-1082. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Ray, V. "When whites love a black leader: Race matters in Obamerica." Journal of African American Studies 13, no. 2 (June 1, 2009): 176-183. Full Text
- Burton, L, Bonilla-Silva, E, Ray, V, Buckelow, R, and Freeman, E. "The Color of race and Ethnicity in American Families: A Synthesis and Critique (Accepted)." Journal of Marriage and the Family (2009). (Academic Article)
- Mayorga, S, and Bonilla-Silva, E. "Si Me Permiten Hablar: Limitations of the Human Rights Tradition to Address Racial Inequality." Societies Without Borders 4, no. 3 (2009): 366-382. Full Text
- Berry, B, and Bonilla-Silva, E. "'They should hire the one with the best score': White sensitivity to qualification differences in affirmative action hiring decisions." Ethnic and Racial Studies 31, no. 2 (January 1, 2008): 215-242. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Dietrich, DR. "The Latin Americanization of Racial Stratification in the U.S." (2008): 151-170. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Where is the love? A Rejoinder on the Latin Americanization Thesis." Race and Society 5 (2008): 103-114.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Review of Black and Blue, African Americans, the Labor Movement, and the Decline of the Democratic Party by Paul Frymer." Contemporary Sociology 38, no. 1 (2008): 54-55.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Prejudice in politics: Group position, public opinion, and the Wisconsin treaty rights dispute." SOCIAL FORCES 86, no. 1 (September 2007): 364-366. Full Text Link to Item
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Embrick, DG. ""Every place has a Ghetto⋯": The significance of whites' social and residential segregation." Symbolic Interaction 30, no. 3 (June 1, 2007): 323-345. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, Goar, C, and Embrick, DG. "When whites flock together: The social psychology of white habitus." Critical Sociology 32, no. 2-3 (June 1, 2006): 229-253. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, Goar, C, and Embrick, DG. "When Whites Flock Together: White Habitus and the Social Psychology of Whites’ Social and Residential Segregation from Blacks." Critical Sociology 32, no. 2-3 (2005): 229-254.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Towards a New Radical Agenda: A Critique of Mainstreamed Sociological Radicalism." Edited by R Levine. Contemporary Sociology 35, no. 2 (2005): 111-114.
- Bonilla-Silva, E, Lewis, A, and Embrick, DG. ""I did not get that job because of a black man. . .": The story lines and testimonies of color-blind racism." Sociological Forum 19, no. 4 (December 1, 2004): 555-581. (Review) Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "From bi-racial to tri-racial: Towards a new system of racial stratification in the USA." Ethnic and Racial Studies 27, no. 6 (November 1, 2004): 931-950. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Racial attitudes or racial ideology? An alternative paradigm for examining actors' racial views." Journal of Political Ideologies 8, no. 1 (February 1, 2003): 63-82. (Review) Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "We are all Americans!: The Latin Americanization of racial stratification in the USA." Race and Society 5, no. 1 (December 1, 2002): 3-16. Full Text
- Aguirre, BE, and Bonilla Silva, E. "Does race matter among Cuban immigrants? An analysis of the racial characteristics of recent Cuban immigrants." Journal of Latin American Studies 34, no. 2 (June 19, 2002): 311-324. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The Linguistics of Color Blind Racism: How to Talk Nasty about Blacks without Sounding “Racist”." Critical Sociology 28, no. 1-2 (January 2002): 41-64. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Where is the love? A rejoinder by Bonilla-Silva on the Latin Americanization thesis." Race and Society 5, no. 1 (January 2002): 103-114. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Embrick, DG. "Are Blacks color blind too? An interview-based analysis of Black Detroiters' racial views." Race and Society 4, no. 1 (December 1, 2001): 47-67. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Baiocchi, G. "Anything but racism: How sociologists limit the significance of racism." Race and Society 4, no. 2 (January 1, 2001): 117-131. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Forman, TA. ""I am not a racist but . . .": Mapping White college students' racial ideology in the USA." Discourse and Society 11, no. 1 (January 1, 2000): 50-85. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. ""This is a white country": The racial ideology of the western nations of the world-system." Sociological Inquiry 70, no. 2 (January 1, 2000): 188-214. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Rethinking racism: Toward a structural interpretation." American Sociological Review 62, no. 3 (January 1, 1997): 465-480. Full Text
-
Book Sections
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Brookshire Childers, T. "The pitfalls and possibilities of prophetic race theory: Cultivating leadership: Race matters in “postracial” Obamerica and how to climb out of the Rabbit Hole." In Repositioning Race: Prophetic Research in a Postracial Obama Age, 22-48. January 1, 2014.
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Ray, VE. "Getting over the obama hope hangover: The new racism in ‘post-racial’ America." In Theories of Race and Ethnicity: Contemporary Debates and Perspectives, 57-73. January 1, 2014. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Ashe, A. "The End of Racism? Colorblind-Racism and Popular Media in Post-Civil Rights America." In Colorblind Screen, edited by S Nilsen and SE Turner, 57-82. NYU Press, 2013.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "“New racism,” Color-Blind racism, and the future of whiteness in America." In White Out: The Continuing Significance of Racism, 271-284. January 1, 2013. Full Text
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Are the Americas ‘Sick with Racism’ or is it a Problem at the Poles? A Reply to Christina A. Sue." In Latino Identity in Contemporary America, edited by M Bulmer and J Solomos. Rouledge, 2012.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Race Matters In “Post-Racial” Obamerica and How to Climb Out Of the Rabbit Hole”." In Edited by Sandra Barnes, Past President of ABS. 2011.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Beyond Obama’s Historical Symbolism: The Heavy Weight of Being Black/Brown in a Racist Society: A Conversation with Eduardo Bonilla-Silva." In Rethinking Race, Class, Language, and Gender: A Dialogue with Noam Chomsky and Other Leading Scholars, edited by P Orelus, 147-160. Lanham, CO: Rowman and Littlefield, 2011.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Exposing Whiteness Because We Are Free: Emancipation Methodological Practice in Identifying and Challenging Racial Practices in Sociology Departments." In Rethinking Race and Ethnicity in Research Methods, edited by J Stanfield, 95-122. Left Coast Press, 2011.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "¿Qué es el racismo?." In Debates sobre ciudadanía y políticas raciales en las Américas Negras, edited by C Mosquera. Colección CES, serie Idcarán del Centro de Estudios Sociales de la Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, 2011.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "La verdadera historia de la caza: hacia una sociología con consciencia de raza de la estratificación racial." In Debates sobre ciudadanía y políticas raciales en las Américas Negras, edited by C Mosquera. Colección CES, serie Idcarán del Centro de Estudios Sociales de la Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, 2011.
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Ray, V. "It's real! Racism, color blindness, Obama, and the urgent need for social movement politics." In Studies in Critical Social Sciences, 47-58. January 1, 2010.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "The Latin Americanization of US Race Relations: A New Pigmentocracy." In Shades of Difference, edited by EN Glenn, 40-60. Stanford University Press, 2009.
- Bonilla-Silva, , and Embrick, DG. "Fight the Power! Racism, Revolution, and the Role of Education in the Anti-Racism Movement." In Everyday Antiracism: Concrete Ways to Successfully Navigate the Relevance of Race in School, edited by M Pollack, 334-336. New Press (From New School), 2008.
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Dietrich, D. "New Racism." In Covert Racism, edited by R Coates, 56-76. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Look, A Negro! Reflections on the Human Rights Approach to Racial Justice." In Race, Human Rights & Inequality, edited by A Hattery, E Smith, and DG Embrick. Rowman and Littlefield, 2007.
- Bonilla-Silva, , and Embrick, DG. "The (White) Color of Color Blindness in 21st Century Amerika." In Race, Ethnicity, and Education (Volume 4: Colorblind Racism: Racism/Anti-racist Action), edited by EW Ross and VO Pang, 1-26. New York: Praeger, 2005.
- Bonilla-Silva, , and Embrick, DG. "The Race Problem in the Critical Pedagogy Community." In Re-inventing Critical Pedagogy: Widening the Circle of Anti-Oppression Education, edited by C Rossatto, RL Allen, and M Pruyn, 21-35. Rowman and Littlefield, 2005.
- Bonilla-Silva, , and Embrick, DG. "Black, Honorary White, White: The Future of Race in the United States?." In Negotiating the Color Line: Doing Race in the Color-Blind Era and Implications for Racial Justice, edited by D Brunsma, 33-49. Lynn Rienner, 2005.
- Bonilla-Silva, E. "Introduction—‘Racism’ and 'New Racism’—The Contours of Racial Dynamics in Contemporary America." In Critical Pedagogy and Race, edited by Z Leonardo, 1-36. London: Blackwell, 2005.
- Bonilla-Silva, E, and Glover, KS. ""We are all americans": The Latin Americanization of race relations in the United States." 149-183. 2004. Link to Item
-
- Teaching & Mentoring
-
Recent Courses
- AAAS 246: Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies 2019
- LSGS 316: Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies 2019
- RIGHTS 215: Sociology of Racism in America 2019
- SOCIOL 215: Sociology of Racism in America 2019
- SOCIOL 250: Medical Sociology 2019
- SOCIOL 765S: Proseminar: Topics in Social Stratification 2019
- SOCIOL 391: Independent Study 2018
- SOCIOL 890: SPECIAL READINGS 2018
- SOCIOL 316: Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies 2017
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
-
Presentations & Appearances
- 11/11 Special Interventions (TWO) in National Conference on Afro-Latinos in NY. November 1, 2011 2011
- The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America. October 1, 2011 2011
- “It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, and Color Blindness in Obamerica ©”. October 1, 2011 2011
- It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, and Color Blindness in Obamerica ©”. September 1, 2011 2011
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in. May 1, 2011 2011
- The Real “Race Problem” in Sociology: The Power of White Rule in Our Discipline. April 1, 2011 2011
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in. April 1, 2011 2011
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America.”. February 1, 2011 2011
- “Down the Rabbit Hole” Understanding “Post-Racialism”, Explaining Obamerica, and Predicting Race Matters in America’s “New” Racial Regime.. December 10, 2010 2010
- “Down the Rabbit Hole”: The Obama “Miracle” and Race Matters in Contemporary Amerika.. December 10, 2010 2010
- “From ‘Miracle’ to ‘Debacle’: The Sweet (but deadly) Enchantment of Colorblindness in Obamerica.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “I told you so! Black Nationalism, Left Silliness, and the Future of White Supremacy in Obamerica.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, and the Sweet Enchantment of Color Blindness in Obamerica.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in America”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday Life in Contemporary America.”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “We have a Black President, So…: The Sweet (but deadly) Enchantment of Colorblindness in Obemerica”. December 10, 2010 2010
- “We have a Black President, So…: The Sweet (but deadly) Enchantment of Colorblindness in Obemerica”. December 10, 2010 2010
- Is America Post-Racial? Towards an Explnation of the Obama “Miracle,”. Université Charles de Gaulle-Lille III.. December 10, 2009 2009
- We Are All Americans : The Future of Racial Stratification in Obamerica,. US CENSUS BUREAU. December 10, 2009 2009
- “From MLK to President Obama: Racial Vision, Racial Blindness, and the Future of Racial Politics in Obamerica.”. Highline Community College, Seattle. December 10, 2009 2009
- “Is America Post-Racial? Towards an Explanation of the Obama ‘Miracle’”. CSU-San Marcos. December 10, 2009 2009
- “Racismo Sin Racistas: El Dulce Encanto del Racismo Post-racial”. Conference in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. December 10, 2009 2009
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness,”. U of Florida Law School. December 10, 2009 2009
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness,”. UCLA LAW SCHOOL. December 10, 2009 2009
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday. Centre d’études et de recherches internationales. December 10, 2009 2009
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: The Racial Grammar of Everyday. December 10, 2009 2009
- “The Invisible Weight of Whiteness: the Racial Grammar of Everyday. University of Oregon. December 10, 2009 2009
- Its Real: Racism, Discrimination, and the Sweet Enchantment of Colorblindness in Obamerica. December 4, 2009 2009
- It's Real: Racism, Discrimination, Color Blindness, and the Racial Grammar of everyday Life in Obamerica. U of Colorado. November 4, 2009 2009
- “It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, Color Blinding, and the Racial Questioning of Obamerica.” National Association of Ethnic Studies.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, Color Blindness and “Isolated (Racial) Incidents at HWCU’s.” Smith College.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, Colorblindness and Race Matters in Obamamerica.” University of Washington.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “It’s Real! Racism, Discrimination, Colorblindness and ‘Isolated’ Racial Incidents at HWCU’s.” Loyola University- Chicago.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “Race and Racism in a Latin American-Like Amerika.” Washington College.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “Racism without Racists: The Sweet Enchantment of Post Civil-Rights Racism.” Talk delivered before Social Justice priests in Atlanta, affiliated with Catholic Social Action Institute.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “Racism, Discrimination and Colorblindness in contemporary America: What can they tell us about the racial question in Bermuda.” Government of Bermuda.”. January 4, 2008 2008
- “Racism, Discrimination, Colorblindness, and Race Matters in Obamerica.” The Center on Race and Social Problems in the School of Social Work. University of Pittsburgh.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “Racism, Discrimination, Colorblindness, and the Diversity Puzzle at HWCU’s.” University of Wisconsin-Madidon (Diversity and Climate Forum).. January 4, 2008 2008
- “Senor, Senor, Aren’t We all Americans: The Latin Americanization of Racial Stratification in 21st Century America.” Talk delivered before Social Justice priests in Atlanta, affiliated with Catholic Social Action Institute.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “The 2008 Elections and the Future of Anti-Racism in the Twenty First Century.” Humanist Sociology’s Annual Meetings.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “The sweet enchantment of colorblindness in contemporary America: Is racial inequality likely to decrease in Obamerica.” University of Illinois at Chicago.. January 4, 2008 2008
- “When Whites Love a Black Leader: Race Matters in Obamerica.” Hofstra University (Day of Dialogue Forum).. January 4, 2008 2008
-
Service to the Profession
Some information on this profile has been compiled automatically from Duke databases and external sources. (Our About page explains how this works.) If you see a problem with the information, please write to Scholars@Duke and let us know. We will reply promptly.