Examining burdens of belonging requires attention to context, agency, theoretical dexterity, and an inclusive racial scope

Burdens of Belonging: Race in an Unequal Nation converts W.E.B. Du Bois's question (“How does it feel to be a problem?”) into an empirical inquiry. Answers come from interviews with seventy people, stratified by racial group and mostly people of color, residing in Oregon. This rejoinder responds to four reviewers by making the following points: (a) Oregon's predominantly-White context makes non-Whiteness in Oregon a salient life- and attitude-defining feature, (b) moving beyond a Black/White analytic frame, treating participants as knowledge-holders, and examining racial status relationally elicits insights, (c) balancing attention to agency and structure is important, as both have implications for democracy, (d) remaining theoretically nimble plus willingness to bridge disciplinary chasms advances knowledge-building, and (e) including White respondents in a book showcasing the subjectivities, experiences, and marginalized belonging of people of color is a useful counterpoint to illustrate how socio-historical forces collude to oppress and privilege.