[lbo-talk] words of The Wise

Miles Jackson cqmv at pdx.edu
Wed Oct 7 19:32:00 PDT 2009


James Heartfield wrote:
> Alan Rudy seeks to recuperate 'the anti-racist impetus behind
> multiculturalism' from its critics.I see it differently. It is not
> that multiculturalism has a rational anti-racist kernel. The
> relationship between anti-racism and multiculturalism is rather
> different. Multiculturalism is the subversion of anti-racism, its
> involution into something quite different.

Yes. I'm working on the "Diversity Plan" at my community college. A number of administrators at our college conceptualize diversity as "respecting all points of view". There is no awareness or consideration of how systems of oppression shape people's experiences and opportunities; there is no analysis of inequality, power, and discrimination. The work group responsible for creating the plan is made up of people like me--faculty in sociology, women's studies, and cultural studies. We've developed a plan that explicitly calls for the college to develop initiatives to increase the number of students from and increase degree completion rates for students from socially disadvantaged groups. This formal recognition of social inequality and the role of the community college in challenging these patterns of social inequality has been approved by our trustees. It will be interesting to see if the formal approval of this plan will lead the college to set aside the toothless "let's appreciate our colorful neighbors to the South" notion of multiculturalism.

Miles



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list