tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933944087880858638.post8556873072193559683..comments2013-02-26T19:49:46.147-08:00Comments on AcademicZ: Reflections on NCA 2011: Justifying DiversityKevin-Khristian Cosgriff-Hernandezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249183442222509646noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933944087880858638.post-30814346592219243252012-02-03T09:28:49.324-08:002012-02-03T09:28:49.324-08:00Shakira Fan, would you mind telling us a bit about...Shakira Fan, would you mind telling us a bit about yourself? It would be great to hear some of your experiences as a Latino/a Comm. academic. =) As you can see, everyone's profile and real name is visible on this blog.Amanda R. Martinezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17295674338104809147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933944087880858638.post-24944447405651967352012-02-03T09:09:38.131-08:002012-02-03T09:09:38.131-08:00This is a very timely comment you make. Last week ...This is a very timely comment you make. Last week in my Race & Ethnicity Comm. class we watched segments from a popular BBC 3-part film series on the history of race relations, and then yesterday we discussed whether colorblindness is a reality or even something worth striving towards in a supposedly post-racial society. The students discussed this in small groups and then we pointed out key ideas as a class. After a bit of debating, everyone --white, black, brown, yellow, various ages, religions, and political affiliations (my students are quite diverse!)-- agreed that ultimately colorblindness is not possible. Some even argued that anyone who says they are capable of being colorblind has simply not achieved a conscious racial standpoint of themselves, even if they are part of the dominant group (racial standpoint is a key concept from the textbook we're using), or they are consciously attempting to enact colorblind racism. <br /><br />To say that we should get over it and ignore differences is to assume that our society is post-racial and we are all on a level playing field where we are not judged on any number of our perceived identities by others. If we don't question, critique, point out, and discuss the "hegemeonic forces in the world," especially when we are disadvantaged by those very systems, we are not actually making progress towards a truly nonracist, equal, colorblind world. The very point of this particular blog entry is to say that we should be able to get along despite our differences whether they be personal, methodological, theoretical, etc. Some people do not *respect* diversity and that becomes problematic. To turn your point in a different light, many minority scholars *DO* achieve on their own merits and seek to make meaningful contributions by critiquing the hegemonic forces that prevail and under which we all live under. Saying "get over it" and let's not talk about certain research or topics because they're not worthwhile = privileging some agendas over others.Amanda R. Martinezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17295674338104809147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933944087880858638.post-6451809634480275012012-02-03T05:52:48.656-08:002012-02-03T05:52:48.656-08:00Hmmm, what an interesting concept your student add...Hmmm, what an interesting concept your student addressed: getting over it. Perhaps this is the key. Rather than constantly searching out new ways to identify hegemonic forces in the world, maybe we should all strive to get along, achieve on our own merits, and actually make a contribution that impacts all of society. Personally I doubt seriously that NCA is ready for that.The Professorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14226106173452747694noreply@blogger.com