Elite Capture
How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else)
A radical book, with a cogent argument about how the elite has coopted identity politics in order to deliver a facade of change while leaving the underlying structures of racial capitalism in place. Táíwò pushes for a constructive politics that prioritizes outcomes over processes, rejects aesthetic principles as distracting from achieving real goals, and roots itself in solidarity rather than trying to root out “complicity.” Among other things, the book neatly addresses what sends most diversity, equity, and inclusion programs into the tailspin of performative work while leaving unjust systems largely unchanged. Táíwò’s radical thinking is matched by his skilled use of language, which is both lucid and propulsively narrative. Highly recommended.