Well-done, Vincent. The term "African American" can obscure as much as it can reveal. Back in the days when i worked at UC Berkeley, i noticed a distinction among students between those descended from families with long histories in the US itself and those from the Caribbean and Africa (primarily Nigeria and east Africa). Racial determinism once again falls on its face.
Yes, I agree, Jeffrey. And now many schools actively recruit black (and Asian) students from outside the US to appear 'diverse and inclusive' when in fact this allows them to exclude more ADOS students.
Nicely done, Vincent. Yes, when American was largely black/white (already ignoring lots) one might think of Civil Rights etc., as the long playing out of the problem of slavery. But Blacks are no longer the largest minority; different peoples have very different histories. And claiming that Harris, or for that matter Obama, is "Black" requires us to argue that the color of their skin is determinative . . . not a square I want to stand on, though perhaps it gets the nation over certain hurdles.
Thanks for reading, David. Yes, skin color determinism makes very little sense for analyzing race in today's America, as the figures of Obama and Harris demonstrate.
Well-done, Vincent. The term "African American" can obscure as much as it can reveal. Back in the days when i worked at UC Berkeley, i noticed a distinction among students between those descended from families with long histories in the US itself and those from the Caribbean and Africa (primarily Nigeria and east Africa). Racial determinism once again falls on its face.
Yes, I agree, Jeffrey. And now many schools actively recruit black (and Asian) students from outside the US to appear 'diverse and inclusive' when in fact this allows them to exclude more ADOS students.
I've noticed, Vince!
Nicely done, Vincent. Yes, when American was largely black/white (already ignoring lots) one might think of Civil Rights etc., as the long playing out of the problem of slavery. But Blacks are no longer the largest minority; different peoples have very different histories. And claiming that Harris, or for that matter Obama, is "Black" requires us to argue that the color of their skin is determinative . . . not a square I want to stand on, though perhaps it gets the nation over certain hurdles.
Thanks for reading, David. Yes, skin color determinism makes very little sense for analyzing race in today's America, as the figures of Obama and Harris demonstrate.