The past few months I've been reading a lot to do with "whiteness studies," and, at first, I was somewhat excited about the possibilities I saw in this line of inquiry - at least, I found the intersection of whiteness and blackness in terms of consumerism really interesting - and it seemed a refreshing take on things. In particular, I came across a quote that struck me: "making whiteness visible works 'to dislodge them/us from the position of power'" - which would seem to be a valuable, provocative, and productive interrogation of white identity. And another question I came across - "what makes you think I'm white?" as a challenge to the universality of whiteness - brings into question the whole social constructedness of race.
Apparently, "whiteness studies" is a field that used to be subsumed under "ethnic studies," but over the past decade or so has now claimed its own separate identity. So does anyone else see this shift in status as somewhat contradictory and disturbing - an expression of its popularity with uncomfortable implications?
Also, one of the aims of some whiteness studies scholars is the "abolition of whiteness." The first step of which would be for white people to stop thinking of themselves as white.
ReplyDeleteWhiteness studies? Is this not just another guilt induced gimic for the imperialists of the world to find some use in studying themselves?
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