“Trump is racist, but I don’t really care”: White Kids’ Racial Learning in the Trump Era

By: Dr. Margaret Hagerman

Abstract: This talk explores the racial ideas and emotions of white children in Mississippi and Massachusetts during Trump’s campaign and presidency. Drawing on interviews with 10-13 year old kids, I document the key role that political context as well as racialized emotions play in white racial socialization. I argue that how white kids learn about race is more complex than what is commonly theorized.

Speaker Biography: Dr. Margaret A. Hagerman is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Mississippi State University. She is also a Faculty Affiliate in the African American Studies program and Gender Studies program. She is the author of the award-winning book, White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America (NYU Press 2018), and she is a nationally recognized expert on white racial socialization processes. Her research explores how children and youth learn about racism, racial inequality, and racial privilege in their everyday lives.