There is a great wealth of books, both classical and new, that has been written on the issues of race relations in Canada. This list is not an attempt to identify every book dealing with this issue, but to highlight some books which are seen as essential to an understanding of race relations.

The objective of this publication is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of readings in the area of race relations in Canada. It focuses on books which contribute to furthering knowledge and providing a pro-active position on existing racist components in Canadian society. This bibliography may be useful to a wide range of readers, and may add to the discourse on race relations. For those who are not familiar with issues related to racism and anti-racism, this list will provide the path to a clearer understanding of majority/minority issues, relationship with "otherness", power structures, and equitable access. For those who are already familiar with these issues, this list will present a contemporary snapshot of key Canadian race relations writings. This selected and annotated bibliography is unique in three aspects.

First and foremost, it is a substantive combination of classical and recent references on the topic of race relations. Although it includes some international sources, this list focuses mainly on the Canadian context. Second, this bibliography is divided into individual sections, each representing an important issue in the state of race relations at the end of this Millenium. Finally, it includes a summary and a quote from each book, providing the reader with an understanding of the author?s perspective, as well as a series of statements on the dynamics of race relations in Canada.

The readings were selected according to a number of specific criteria, including their relevancy to the issue, their currency, the credibility of the authors, and, where possible, their Canadian content. The selection process also included consultation with experts, academics and practitioners, who identified their choices of essential readings in their respective fields. We were challenged to achieve the objective of equal representation of both official languages. Although all attempts were made to be inclusive, we were faced with gaps in the availability of writings in certain areas. It is hoped that by identifying these gaps, the necessity of further development in specific research areas will also be exposed.

The perspectives of the authors do not necessarily indicate the views of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. This undertaking is a work in progress. We wish to thank the numerous individuals and organizations who have contributed to the selection process and welcome both critiques and comments for this present bibliography and recommendations for our future publications.

Darlyn Mentor,
Program Officer and Project Coordinator

Jennifer Marie Roy,
Research Assistant

Joanne Michelle Lebert,
Bibliographic Assistant