Colgate University Associate Professor of Sociology Chandra Russo discussed the release of her new book, “White Flank: Organizing White People for Racial Justice,” as part of the Spring 2026 Division of Social Sciences Luncheon Seminar Series on Thursday, April 16.
Russo’s research focuses on social movements, political organizing and racial justice. Her new book, “White Flank,” examined what it will take to bring more white people into meaningful participation in multiracial democracy, drawing on fieldwork ranging from major cities to rural Appalachia to argue for collective, action-oriented organizing over discussion-based approaches.
“The question of what it might take for significant numbers of white people to divest from white supremacy and invest in multiracial democracy is as urgent as ever,” Russo said.
Russo’s research focuses in particular on what she called “mutual interest organizing,” an approach that encourages predominantly white communities to recognize shared material struggles with communities of color to build cross-racial networks grounded in those common interests. This strategy, Russo said, facilitates collective action around issues such as housing, labor and access to resources.
“The mutual interest approach seeks to demonstrate to white majorities how multiracial alignment can build a social order that betters conditions for all,” Russo said.
Throughout the talk, Russo described case studies from her fieldwork, including organizing efforts in Kentucky and Tennessee. In one example, community members in a predominantly white, working-class town organized around housing inequality, building a sustained effort focused on rights and economic justice.
Russo explained that these initiatives challenge common assumptions about individuals participating in racial justice organizing. While efforts are often associated with urban, college-educated populations, Russo’s research elucidates how organizing in rural and working-class white communities can be both possible and impactful.
“My findings suggest some of the more effective efforts, the ones that have political and material impacts but are also sustainable,” Russo said. “They last, they grow, require appealing to other kinds of subject positions white people hold in common with Black, Indigenous and people of color.”
Central to this approach is the idea that individuals share experiences beyond race, including roles as workers, tenants and community members facing economic insecurity. By organizing around these shared conditions, communities can unite to address systemic inequality.
Russo argued that geography matters as much as strategy, particularly in communities that have historically been overlooked by racial justice organizing.
“We need to organize in predominantly white communities, particularly in rural areas and the U.S. South, which are places that have been primed for extreme right capture for generations, but also have outsized electoral power under our current system,” Russo said.
Attendees emphasized this research’s connection to ongoing social and political movements. Junior and sociology major Alana Greer, one of Russo’s students, identified the book’s place in real-world, grassroots efforts.
“Cross-racial solidarity, for me, comes from recognizing that there’s something at stake for all of us, as well as something to gain,” Greer said. “Racial and social activism is never a zero-sum game. Uplifting others ultimately uplifts us all.”
Charles A. Dana Professor of History and Social Sciences Robert Nemes pointed to the far-reaching relevance of “White Flank.”
“This is a really important book, and this kind of research is really essential not just for Colgate, but for the wider community and country,” Nemes said.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, where attendees asked Russo about the challenges of implementing organizational strategies across disparate communities. Russo’s concluding remarks stressed that while there is no single formula, sustained engagement and coalition-building remain central to effective organizing.
