Reading Racism: Race and Privilege in Young Adult Fiction

• Main Author: Riley, Krista Melanie
• Other Authors: Nestel, Sheryl
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Children's literature; Young adult literature; Racism; Anti-racist education; 0340
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/18079

The novel Bifocal, a fictional young adult novel that examines the racist backlash that occurs at a high school after a male Muslim student is arrested on terrorism charges, was published in 2007 and has received wide critical acclaim for its portrayal of issues of racism. Working from an anti-racist framework, this research interviews two teachers who have used the novel in their classrooms, and considers the value and limitations of the book as an anti-racist teaching tool. Through discussions about specific themes in the novel and its overall presentation of racism, I argue that, while Bifocal presents some useful interventions, it also reflects a simplistic and individualistic perspective on racism and how racism can be addressed. I also examine the ways that Bifocal – and young adult literature in general – can be read in order to encourage more critical discussions about systems of racism and privilege.