Identity politics: Difference between revisions

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====From the Left====
====From the Left====


The [[Radical Left]] considers identity politics detrimental to the [[working class]] culture they hope to see take the forefront upon revolution to overthrow [[capitalism]]. To these critics, identity politics unnecessarily divides the working class against itself. With the development of a political and social consciousness in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that overwhelmingly emphasizes [[individualism|individual liberty]] as opposed to the collective entitlements of [[social class|large groups]], radical leftists say that the overarching [[socioeconomic]] problems with capitalism tend to be ignored in identity politics. According to this view, resources and organizational opportunities for deeply positive change are squandered in the relentless search for specific group identity. The Radical Left would argue that [[capitalism]] created the circumstances of [[inequality]] whereby the formation of identities was deemed necessary in the first place. Thus, undertaking identity politics is like taking cough suppressant for a cold: it attacks the symptoms of a problem, but not its cause.
The [[Radical Left]] considers identity politics detrimental to the [[working class]] culture they hope to see take the forefront upon revolution to overthrow [[capitalism]]. To these critics, identity politics unnecessarily divides the working class against itself. With the development of a political and social consciousness in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] that overwhelmingly emphasizes [[individualism|individual liberty]] as opposed to the collective entitlements of [[social class|large groups]], radical leftists say that the overarching [[socioeconomic]] problems with capitalism tend to be ignored in identity politics. According to this view, resources and organizational opportunities for deeply positive change are squandered in the relentless search for specific group identity. The Radical Left would argue that [[capitalism]] created the circumstances of [[inequality]] whereby the formation of identities was deemed necessary in the first place. Thus, undertaking identity politics is like taking cough suppressant for a cold: it attacks the symptoms of a problem, but not its cause. Such arguments have been expressed by a number of leftist writers, such as [[Todd Gitlin]],[http://www.pbs.org/thinktank/transcript235.html] [[Michael Tomasky]], [[Richard Rorty]], [[Sean Wilentz]], [[Robert McChesney]], and [[Jim Sleeper]]. [http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=115&subsecID=172&contentID=2049]


Some [[GLBT]] rights [[activist]]s criticize the identity politics approach to [[gay rights]], particularly the approach based around the terms and concepts of [[queer]] and [[queer theory]]. Gay and lesbian activists work for full acceptance of gays and lesbians in the institutions and culture of mainstream society, but it is alleged that "queer" activists instead make a point of declaring themselves outside of the mainstream and having no desire to be accepted by or join it. The former criticize the latter's attitude as counterproductive and as perpetuating discrimination and societal attitudes against LGBT people. [http://www.indegayforum.org/news/show/27067.html] [http://www.indegayforum.org/news/show/27052.html]
Some [[GLBT]] rights [[activist]]s criticize the identity politics approach to [[gay rights]], particularly the approach based around the terms and concepts of [[queer]] and [[queer theory]]. Gay and lesbian activists work for full acceptance of gays and lesbians in the institutions and culture of mainstream society, but it is alleged that "queer" activists instead make a point of declaring themselves outside of the mainstream and having no desire to be accepted by or join it. The former criticize the latter's attitude as counterproductive and as perpetuating discrimination and societal attitudes against LGBT people. [http://www.indegayforum.org/news/show/27067.html] [http://www.indegayforum.org/news/show/27052.html]

Revision as of 14:14, 19 March 2007

Identity politics is

political action to advance the interests of members of a group because of a real or supposed shared identity or characteristic (such as race or gender), usually in response to the perception that certain human rights have been denied to them. The term has been used principally in United States politics since the 1970s
.

Overview

The early history of identity politics was summarized by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, who notes that it began with the politicization of the women's movement in the 1970s. When women began forming groups and organizations to share experience, they were criticized for indulging in group therapy instead of political action. Carol Hanisch replied in a well-known essay, "The Personal is Political."Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

The best-known aim of identity politics in the United States has been to free groups from invidious discrimination with regard to

leftists to be the product of capitalism. Essentially, identity politics is based on the concept that special oppression requires special liberation, i.e., special circumstances existing outside of the wider one of class consciousness
.

Identity politics may be based around

bloodline
" characteristics only.

Particular focus in any form of identity politics is on the contrast between what is considered to be a social, political and occupational

normative group is privileged as compared to the oppression of the nondominant group. Adherents of identity politics attempt to deal with and seek to alleviate injustices associated with real or perceived oppression against them based on that identity. This may involve social and legislative reform like affirmative action with the goal that people within the group can in this way achieve equality
.

A quite different set of aims is sometimes included in the term identity politics - the aims of separatist or nationalist groups for self-determination. In the international realm, "national self-determination" is a well recognized principle of international law and is recognized in the charter of the United Nations. The desire for autonomy of racial, cultural or other groups in the United States is usually indicated by qualifying their aims with terms such as "separatist" or "nationalist." This may lead to some confusion of terms, as advocates for a single, majoritarian national identity are also referred to as "nationalists." Majoritarian identity politics is discussed on a Web site [1].

Ethnic nationalism may be regarded as a form of identity politics within the wider international community, as well as within individual countries. The broader categories of identity politics are Irredentism, Revanchism, and Jingoism.

Criticism

From the Right

The

liberal democratic
theory, if a "right" is extended to only a portion of society, it is no longer a right but a privilege. Thus, from the point of view of the political right, identity politics is not demanding rights to which it is actually entitled, but instead is demanding special privileges.

From the Center

Liberal scholar

Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. discussed identity politics extensively in his book The Disuniting of America. Schlesinger, a strong supporter of the civil rights movement, argues that a liberal democracy requires a common basis for culture and society
to function. In his view, basing one's politics on self-identifying as part of a marginalized group perceived to be outside of the mainstream of society causes this common basis to break down, and therefore works against creating real opportunities for ending this marginalization. Schlesinger believes that movements for civil rights should aim toward full acceptance and integration of marginalized groups into the mainstream culture, not perpetuate that marginalization.

Some centrist critics of identity politics further highlight its essentialist overtones, pointing out that many of its proponents consider gender, race, or other group characteristics to be fixed traits, while not allowing for variations among individuals or over time. Though essentialist claims have provided useful rallying-points for identity politics, including feminist, anti-racist, and anti-colonial struggles, these critics assert that they have, have at the same time, incorporated the politically conserviative view that essence implies permanence and inalterability, which has ironically worked to mitigate against progressive social change.

From the Left

The

socioeconomic problems with capitalism tend to be ignored in identity politics. According to this view, resources and organizational opportunities for deeply positive change are squandered in the relentless search for specific group identity. The Radical Left would argue that capitalism created the circumstances of inequality whereby the formation of identities was deemed necessary in the first place. Thus, undertaking identity politics is like taking cough suppressant for a cold: it attacks the symptoms of a problem, but not its cause. Such arguments have been expressed by a number of leftist writers, such as Todd Gitlin,[2] Michael Tomasky, Richard Rorty, Sean Wilentz, Robert McChesney, and Jim Sleeper. [3]

Some

gay rights, particularly the approach based around the terms and concepts of queer and queer theory. Gay and lesbian activists work for full acceptance of gays and lesbians in the institutions and culture of mainstream society, but it is alleged that "queer" activists instead make a point of declaring themselves outside of the mainstream and having no desire to be accepted by or join it. The former criticize the latter's attitude as counterproductive and as perpetuating discrimination and societal attitudes against LGBT people. [4] [5]

Forms of identity politics

References

1. Carol Hanisch, "The Personal is Political," in Shulamit Firestone, The Dialectic of Sex. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003 (first pub. 1970). ISBN 13: 9780641711688.

2. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color," in Kimberlé Crenshaw, Neil Gotanda, et al., editors, Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement, New York: The New Press, 1995, p. 357.

Books & Articles

  • Walker Connor, "Ethnology and the Peace of South Asia," World Politics, Vol. 22, No. 1 (October 1969), pp. 51–86.
  • Monica Duffy Toft, The Geography of Ethnic Violence: Identity, Interests, and the Indivisibility of Territory (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003). ISBN 0-691-12383-7.
  • Tzvetan Todorov, On Human Diversity: Nationalism, Racism, and Exoticism in French Thought (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 1993).
  • Shulamit Firestone, The Dialectic of Sex. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003 (first pub. 1970). ISBN 13: 9780641711688
  • W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk (New York: Penguin Books, 1989, M.E. Elbert, ed., first published 1903).
  • Toni Morrison, "Home," in The House that Race Built (New York: Pantheon Books, 1997)p. 3; see also the other essays in this excellent collection.
  • Yash Ghai, Public Participation and Minorities, (London: Minority Rights Group International, 2003)

See also

External links

  1. ^ Id.
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