James D. Ward, Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2018). 291 pp. $42.99 (pbk.), ISBN: 978‐1‐4985‐5093‐2

• Published date: 01 January 2021
• Author: Tom Barth
• Date: 01 January 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13345

Book Reviews 171

Reviewed by: Tom Barth

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

James D. Ward, Policing and Race in America: Economic,

Political and Social Dynamics (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books,

2018). 291 pp. $42.99 (pbk.), ISBN: 978-1-4985-5093-2

This edited work by James Ward is a must read

for any academic, student, or practitioner

interested in a comprehensive, well-researched

understanding of the complex dynamics of the

relationship between policing and race in this country.

Indeed, in order to comprehend race and policing,

one must understand the larger context of race in

this country, and the book provides a rich history

that is both illuminating and painful that is often

not addressed or understood in the instruction many

current citizens were exposed to in the classroom

(Cross2003). By examining the political, economic,

and social dynamics of policing and race, Ward helps

explain the seemingly endless cycle we witness in the

United States: a horrific incidence of police brutality,

social protests and violence in the streets, statements

by elected officials about reforms to come, public

attention then diverted to other matters, and then the

cycle repeats itself. Consider Rodney King in 1991

and George Floyd in 2020; one must ask what has

Tom Barth is a Professor and MPA Director

at the University of North Carolina at

Charlotte. He teaches, conducts research,

and consults in the areas of organizational

behavior, strategic planning, human

resource management and ethics. He is a

member of the National Council of ASPA

representing District III.

Email: tbarth1@uncc.edu