Iron Cages: Race and Culture in Nineteenth-Century America

Iron Cages provides a unique comparative analysis of white attitudes toward Asians, Blacks, Mexicans, and Native Americans in the nineteenth century, offering a cohesive study of the foundations of race and culture in America. In his provocative new epilogue, 'The Fourth Iron Cage, ' Takaki focuses on race in contemporary society within the context of America's nuclear arms-oriented economy. He compares the Asian-American 'model minority' and black underclass, and extends his analysis to Native Americans, Chicanos, and Puerto Ricans. Incisive and up-to-date, Iron Cages is an essential resource for students of ethnic history, and important reading for anyone interested in the history of race relations in America.