diversity and diversities

Jay Lemke (jllbc who-is-at cunyvm.cuny.edu)
Tue, 07 Oct 1997 13:35:26 -0400

>I appreciate that in a higher dimensional space of multiple differences,
it is that much easier for voices and viewpoints to pass obliquely in the
night while only seeming to oppose one another directly. (Skew vectors to
the math cognoscenti.)
>
>This is how I imagine the Giroux-McLaren-Apple (and what about Freire
himself?) contributions here may be mis-encountering one another.
>
>There is a, call it patriarchal (I've repeated my litany of adjectives of
dominance in the U.S. context often enough lately here) discourse on
diversity, a Eurocentric discourse on diversity, which celebrates it, which
links it to social justice and human aspirations, and which is rare enough
in the academy or from privileged authors generally to have some claim on
our appreciation. So Giroux, McLaren, Apple (I know the latter two
personally it happens).
>
>But there are also possible discourses on diversity that cannot be written
from their social positions, that are written by lesbian women of color and
from all the other not-centralized, not-privileged and too often
stigmatized or trod upon positions we can know, hear, and imagine.
Diversity itself looks different from different standpoints, experiences,
loci of hybridity. And among the prevalent discourses of diversity in the
academy, one has to admit there is still a lot more from one such viewpoint
(shared by Giroux, McLaren, Apple, and for the most part me, too, whatever
our other differences), than from all the others combined.
>
>Yes, privileged [insert hegemonic descriptor list] males can write
insightfully about one view diversity, and work for good causes as it is
given to understand the good from one position ... but there are a LOT more
diversities, different in ways not yet articulated or imagined, that we
will only hear from [insert combinatoric lists of all non-hegemonic
descriptors].
>
>Maybe sometimes it is necessary to YELL a bit to get some attention paid
to this basic socio-discursive fact, and to illustrate it with some
violations of the norms of normal polite (= patriarchal?) discourse. It's
happened before around here. I've appreciated it and so have many others.
It has also been frequently misunderstood and miscontrued, I think. I can
write _about_ it, but I thank others for writing it. JAY.

---------------------------
JAY L. LEMKE

CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
JLLBC who-is-at CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
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