Taking Responsibility, Taking Direction: White Anti-racism in CanadaWilmot argues that the participation of white progressives in anti-racist movements and organizations in Canada badly needs an overhaul. With this thesis, she begins her assessment of anti-racist movements in Canada by guiding the reader through a summary of the ugly history and legacy of Canada's racist colonial past, and reveals that racism remains an urgent problem today, despite the passing of centuries. Racism in Canada is inextricably linked with capitalism, class, and sexism, and the state promotes it with its laws that systemically exploit Aboriginals and people of colour, and privilege whites, despite its claim that Canada is a multicultural and democratic nation. Using concrete examples from her extensive activist experiences, Wilmot illustrates her argument that white progressives who aim to unite with people of colour against racist oppression must examine and possibly challenge their personal, political, and theoretical ideologies and acknowledge their privileged societal position, if they are to translate anti-racist ideas into effective action, and furthermore, help educate other "white folks" into taking up the cause in an informed manner. White leftists must cast aside political sectarianism and engage with Aboriginals and people of colour as equals when they assist with organizing constructive anti-racist organizations and movements. The balance between taking responsibility and taking direction is oftentimes tenuous at best, Wilmot suggests, but it is essential that in the fight against white oppression, white leftists come to the table in solidarity, rather than come as silent aides, or the opposite -- come and paternalistically and patronizingly appropriate theorganization. Wilmot devotes a significant section of her book to highlighting and evaluating various anti-racist organizations and anti-rac |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 88
Page 48
... taking hold of the fur trade in British North America while the English , although involved in the fur trade , might have been more intent on taking over as much " unoccupied " land as possible . In ... Taking Responsibility Taking Direction.
... taking hold of the fur trade in British North America while the English , although involved in the fur trade , might have been more intent on taking over as much " unoccupied " land as possible . In ... Taking Responsibility Taking Direction.
Page 89
... taking risks to confront racism in our day - to - day lives is much more difficult than taking intellectual ones . It is important to say that white activists in multiracial groups do at times have a good anti - racist practice ...
... taking risks to confront racism in our day - to - day lives is much more difficult than taking intellectual ones . It is important to say that white activists in multiracial groups do at times have a good anti - racist practice ...
Page 148
... taking responsibility and di- rection for anti - racism by white leftists requires more than just a bit of a balancing act . While as individuals we need to grasp the full complexity of our agency ... Taking Responsibility Taking Direction.
... taking responsibility and di- rection for anti - racism by white leftists requires more than just a bit of a balancing act . While as individuals we need to grasp the full complexity of our agency ... Taking Responsibility Taking Direction.
Contents
Acknowledgements | 4 |
What I Mean When I | 21 |
An AntiRacist Feminist Look | 37 |
Copyright | |
4 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
Aboriginal Aboriginal women action agency Ahooja analysis and/or anti-racist activism anti-racist education Anti-Racist Feminism Anti-Racist Feminist Thought anti-racist organizing Arbeiter Ring Publishing Bannerji building campaign Canadian Anti-Racist Feminist Canadian Labour Congress capitalism capitalist challenge colonizers context cultural CUPE Dionne Brand Enakshi Dua European example exploitation fight Fractious Politics Gender Himani Bannerji historical Ibid ideas identity integrated involved Jean Stefancic Linda Carty lives look migrants movement Multiculturalism multiracial nation NOII-Montréal non-status ongoing outreach Peggy McIntosh political relationships postmodernism programs Race Traitor racial resistance responsibility Richard Delgado ruling class sexism social relations society solidarity specific strategy structural struggle supremacy and racism systemic taking tion understanding union unionists University Press wages white activists white anti-racism white folks white leftists white privilege white racism white supremacy white women white workers Whiteness Studies women of colour Women's Press workers of colour working-class workplaces workshop