"Why have federal efforts at housing desegregation been less successful than struggles against school and job discrimination? In a thoughtful comparison of the responsible federal agencies, Bonastia contends that the 'institutional home' in which a desegregation task was placed is crucial... [Knocking on the Door] clearly lays out choices and the consequences of desegregation efforts. Highly recommended."
S. D. Borchert, Choice ... Read more"I found this book to be useful and informative... [It demonstrates] why a results-oriented approach to civil-rights enforcement was not undertaken in housing, as it was, for a time, in education and employment... Bonastia makes a convincing argument that, with a different type of enforcement agency combating housing discrimination, progress could have been greater than it was."
John E. Farley, Contexts "This book provides a fascinating look at the details and nuances of public policy history during the Civil Rights era and deepens our understanding of the consequences of institutional arrangements for the effectiveness of social policy. The book is thus relevant to scholars of social change, institutions, and racial stratification... This work offers valuable insight into the federal role in perpetuating segregation and the institutional forces limiting social change."
Chenoa Flippen, American Journal of Sociology Show Less