I have had to accommodate, be patient, and silent when having to address issues pertaining to gender, sexuality, social class, im/migration, dis/abilities etc. because my faculty has shown that it is safer to preserve the emotional and financial needs of the status quo. Recently Nikole Hannah-Jones was denied tenure because of her excellent opus on the American Black Slavery experiment and democracy. She recently stated that she wasn't sure if marginalized persons should be in mainstream academia due to the unsafe nature that persons like her and myself face.
Question: Can the current academic structure still support critical inquiry? Should we consider an alternative to scientific research outside the academy?
Gina Ratkovic, Athabasca University
Dear Gina Ratkovic ,
Good quality academic research carried out with integrity and to a high standard which challenges existing beliefs within academia should be encouraged. However, it is important for such researchers to maintain reflexivity as no one owns the moral high ground. If we fail to see ourselves clearly we can end up creating our own prejudices which can become as reprehensible as the ones we are seeking to expose.
I see this development related to the postcolonial trend, which also survived on the sacrifice of many to reach the level of acceptance, at least, at the level we enjoy today. However, there will always be the we-other polarization forever and the more powerful will ward off the "other" that may harm their 'we' side - as part of how the way of life is, regretfully. The other way is to get supported, work and be with our 'we' people on the safer side, for easy access of privileges & most of the things & treatments, we [equally] wished for...it is hard to see the other way around unless the utopia of the message in the Raya & the last dragon cartoon will be realized in real life and we all can unite under our pressing differences especially in pursuing the better in everything in life..not just academically.
No, the academic arena is not safe for marginalized academics or marginalized voices. There are many subtle and not-so-subtle ways marginalized voices are oppressed, suppressed, and contained. As the example of Nikole Hannah-Jones demonstrates, either you contain yourself within the boundaries of acceptable cannon, or you don't get promoted or tenure.
When I was finishing up my PhD, one of my advisors told me that if I ever wanted a career I need to "toe the line" . I'm a member of a privileged demographic and social class. I can imagine what those without my privilege have experienced.
Dear Colleague Gina Ratkovic,
I think that the whole ideal of becoming middle-class as the goal sets up a dynamic system whereby every other nested variable in people and geographic areas must conform or be pathologized. Even those studying the issue are not untouched by the assumptions that go with belonging to the hegemonic class in one or more aspects. And vice versa, NOT belonging in one or more aspects. We constantly check our selves and rate ourselves. This gets into the way of our ability to see the problem, let alone solved anything. Our own lives and situations may also be viewed as not better or worse than anybody else's--just different.
As to moving away from colleges. Most of the map is taken up by aggressively profit motive entities who add yet another layer of hype, so I wonder.
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