I don’t think we talk enough about how the largest and most significant civil rights movement of my lifetime is motivated by identity politics.
What is (was?) the liberal critique of identity politics? That it atomizes society and creates needless division. That it splits us apart, undermines political coalitions, erodes solidarity.
And yet.
nytimes.com/interactive/20…
washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
And yet.
nytimes.com/interactive/20…
washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
What else? That it fails to persuade. That it's self-defeating, creating a sort of counter-identity politics that causes people to rally around the very things the movement seeks to change.
Huh.
washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
dataforprogress.org/blog/2020/6/15…
Huh.
washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
dataforprogress.org/blog/2020/6/15…
Or that identity politics is too inwardly focused, directing its energies toward language, symbols, or the personal psychology of its audience. What about material change? What about actual policy?
Well actually...
cbsnews.com/news/colorado-…
nytimes.com/2020/06/12/nyr…
Well actually...
cbsnews.com/news/colorado-…
nytimes.com/2020/06/12/nyr…
To say nothing of the massive and on-going campaigns to end cash bail, elect reformist DAs, strengthen or restore voting rights, etc., many of which are organized around and motivated by identity politics. You can read more about them at The Appeal.
theappeal.org
theappeal.org
All of this, I think, puts critics of identity politics in a difficult spot, especially if they support criminal justice reform. I mean, our great Libertarian Moment came and went, with comparatively little to show for it. But look at what identity politics can do.
Or maybe you're a classical liberal, a Mark Lilla type who knows racism is a problem, but insists that the only way to change minds is to eschew the language of particularism and appeal instead to our common humanity.
I refute you thus. *kicks literally any public opinion poll*
I refute you thus. *kicks literally any public opinion poll*
Because it certainly seems to me that the vast majority of us, regardless of race or class or creed, are freer today because of BLM. Whether you want to join a protest or safely report on one for your newspaper, you have more liberty to do so now than you did last month.
To say nothing of the freedom, in states and cities across the country, to walk down the street, sleep in your house or car, sell loose cigarettes, carry a firearm, call or speak with the police, or any other of the hundreds of reasons for which law enforcement is killing people.
Obviously not all identity politics is good or effective. *Obviously*. But by now it should be equally obvious that some is, which is why so many of the circa 2015-17 critiques made no sense. This was evident at the time, btw.
politico.com/magazine/story…
niskanencenter.org/defense-libert…
politico.com/magazine/story…
niskanencenter.org/defense-libert…
Now much will depend on implementation. I am not naive. There will be a pro-police backlash (though there'd be one even if the reforms were achieved via appeals to liberal universalism), and it remains unclear whether the present momentum can be sustained.
There's also a separate but related question of what relationship, if any, the shift in white attitudes re. BLM has to do with "woke" anti-racism. Corporate re-brandings and Robin DiAngelo-esque books are probably worse than useless.
But other strategies associated with the woke Left may be having a more positive impact. See for example the literature on multiculturalism vs. colorblindness.
Or the persuasive power of political correctness.
I could go on. Eg, there's ample evidence that Ethnic and W&G studies courses (aka "grievance studies") reduce prejudice, increase civic engagement, and improve learning outcomes.
nber.org/papers/w21865
eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1084993
psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi…
tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.108…
nber.org/papers/w21865
eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1084993
psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi…
tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.108…
Again, a lot of Left anti-racism is probably useless, but some definitely isn't. We need to be careful. Anyway, all this is all distinct from my main point. Can identity politics advance the cause of human liberty and social solidarity?
Yes, clearly it can. It already is.
Yes, clearly it can. It already is.
