Diane Harriford is a Professor of Sociology at Vassar College and the Director of the Women's Studies Program. Her latest book, co-authored with Becky Thompson, is called "When the Center is On Fire: Passionate Social Theory for Our Time," which uses sociological theory to understand recent traumas: Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, Abu Ghraib, and Columbine. She teaches courses dealing with differences and inequality. Here, Harriford discusses the symbol and the reality of President Barack Obama, colorblindness, and the myth of a post-racial society.