BK on Identity

Lisa & Ian Murray seamus at accessone.com
Tue Mar 6 14:22:53 PST 2001



> yes, i'm frustrated because trying to talk about structural oppression is
> like banging your head against the wall and i see the same problems on LBO
> -- people are much more interested in locating racism solely in the
> individual, etc. the whole B&K on identity thread was pretty clear
> evidence of that, to me.
>
>
> kelley
****************

Well it's hard to get the issues of methodological individualism out of the way without being accused of simply assuming what one needs to prove that is a huge part of the problem for the left, saii. Clearly if structural oppression along race/gender/class exists it is both effect and cause of the individual level as well. Underdetermination rears it's ugly head with a vengeance as the dialectic of agency/structure and rationality/irrationality can resolve itself in a myriad of ways on the issue[s] of causality. The struggle is how to disarm the radical skepticism of our opponents when we use it as well when it suits our needs.

Ian



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