{"product_id":"race-and-upward-mobility-seeking-gatekeeping-and-other-class","title":"Race and Upward Mobility: Seeking, Gatekeeping, and Other Class","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Race and Upward Mobility, Elda Maria Roman offers a focused, scholarly examination of how Mexican American and African American cultural productions negotiate desires for financial solvency and middle-class status. The book is best for readers who want a rigorous, historically grounded analysis of narratives about social mobility across literature, film, and television from the 1940s to the 2000s. Roman's clear threading of capitalism and white supremacy makes this a valuable text for scholars and advanced students seeking close readings of class as cultural currency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Surveys works from the 1940s through the 2000s, showing long-term shifts in representations of mobility.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCross-media approach:\u003c\/strong\u003e Draws on literature, film, and television to illustrate how upward mobility narratives recur and transform across formats.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFocus on class and race:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untangles the intertwined effects of capitalism and white supremacy on notions of the middle class.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComparative lens:\u003c\/strong\u003e Places Mexican American and African American texts in conversation to highlight shared and divergent strategies for social incorporation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCultural studies grounding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Engages contemporary debates about assimilation, selling out, and political meanings tied to upward mobility narratives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is aimed at scholars, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates in American studies, literary and cultural studies, and ethnic studies who want a sustained treatment of class strategies in twentieth- and twenty-first-century cultural production. Professors preparing graduate seminars on race-class intersections will find the book's comparative framework useful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders looking for a general popular history or an introductory primer on social mobility may find the approach dense and specialized; this is not a casual read but a measured academic study intended for readers comfortable with literary and cultural criticism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCareful historical scope that demonstrates the persistence and evolution of upward mobility narratives across decades.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eComparative focus illuminates connections and tensions between Mexican American and African American texts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eExplicit interrogation of capitalism and white supremacy offers a clear critical framework for interpreting cultural texts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eThe academic tone and close-critical method may be challenging for readers without background in literary or cultural studies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRace and Upward Mobility: Seeking, Gatekeeping, and Other Class Strategies in Postwar America\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eElda Maria Roman\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScope\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLiterature, film, and television from the 1940s to the 2000s\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFocus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMexican American and African American cultural productions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThemes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUpward mobility, middle class, capitalism, white supremacy\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eComparative race and cultural studies analysis\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRace and Upward Mobility is a strong, well-argued study for readers invested in the intersections of class and race in American culture; its comparative, cross-media method makes it particularly valuable for scholars seeking nuanced readings of how upward mobility narratives function as cultural currency. While specialized, it offers substantial payoff for coursework and research.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book cover multiple media?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. Roman analyzes literature, film, and television to trace how upward mobility narratives operate across different forms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat time period does the study examine?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book surveys cultural productions from the 1940s through the 2000s, mapping changes over the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this suitable for nonacademic readers?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe work is written in a scholarly style and is best suited to readers with some background in literary or cultural studies rather than casual readers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Elda Maria Roman","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48608031277275,"sku":"1503602842","price":130.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/81NQ3uozuXL._SL1500.jpg?v=1778502165","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/race-and-upward-mobility-seeking-gatekeeping-and-other-class","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}