Matthew Desmond Books in Order

Drawing on his experience with a Northern Arizona firecrew, Matthew Desmond examines the everyday work and social world of wildland firefighters. He explores how these workers understand danger, challenging heroic stereotypes through firsthand observation and sociological analysis.

This sociological study examines racial domination and change through interconnected relationships across American life. It considers politics, education, housing, work and intimate relationships, showing how race interacts with class, gender and ethnicity rather than operating as an isolated category.

Examining racism across American institutions and everyday life, this textbook connects individual experiences with historical structures of power. It explores white privilege and the intersections of race with gender, class, sexuality, disability, religion and national identity.

Matthew Desmond and Mustafa Emirbayer develop a theoretical account of how racial hierarchies take shape, endure and change. Drawing on major sociological thinkers, they connect institutions, culture and personal identity while considering the possibilities for a more equal racial order.

Matthew Desmond investigates why poverty persists amid American wealth, arguing that financially secure people benefit from arrangements that keep others poor. Drawing on research, history and reporting, he examines housing, wages, credit and public subsidies while considering paths toward shared prosperity.